A 32-year-old entrepreneur in China has turned a surprisingly simple idea into an unusual business: people can now pay someone to scratch their backs and other itchy spots for them. Zhang Xiaoqiao, from Hubei province, launched the service in Shenzhen under the brand Suma. Customers lie on beds in a setting similar to a massage parlour while trained staff use specially designed pointed nails to gently scratch different parts of their bodies, South China Morning Post reported.
The service costs 300 yuan (about Rs 4200) an hour and is marketed as a way to relax, relieve stress and improve sleep. Customers can also tell staff which areas are particularly itchy so they can focus on those spots. Sometimes, the sensation is ticklish enough to make customers laugh.
“In first-tier cities, people generally experience high levels of stress. As a result, this service is in great demand,” Zhang said.
Zhang opened his first outlet in Shenzhen’s Baoan District in May, followed by a second branch in Futian District a month later. Together, the two stores reportedly generate around 100,000 yuan (about Rs 14 lakh) in monthly gross revenue and have reached the break-even point.
“We serve both male and female customers, with males comprising about 70 per cent. Some customers have said our service is more relaxing than a massage, leading to a strong base of returning clients,” he added.
The idea came from an unexpected combination of social media and childhood memories.
Last year, Zhang came across a short video showing a woman scratching her husband’s back. The comments caught his attention, with several viewers saying they would happily pay someone to scratch an itch for them.
The idea also reminded Zhang of his childhood, when his father would often scratch his back to help him fall asleep. He began wondering whether that simple act of comfort could be turned into a service.
Since there was little precedent for a professional itch-scratching business in China, Zhang said he had to develop the service himself, experimenting with different techniques and figuring out how to make the experience comfortable for customers.
The business is a significant departure from Zhang’s earlier ventures. After graduating from university, he tried seven different jobs in one year. He later founded two cross-border e-commerce companies before turning to the social media industry, but neither venture achieved the success he had hoped for.
Now, his unconventional idea appears to be gaining traction.
The business has also prompted a fair amount of curiosity and humour online, with people debating whether professional itch-scratching could really become a recognised occupation. Zhang certainly thinks it can. He hopes to eventually expand Suma to 100 outlets across China and turn itch-scratching into a more widely recognised service profession.
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