Would You Pay Rs 4,200 To Get Scratched? This Bizarre Business Earns Rs 14 Lakh A Month

Would you pay Rs 4,200 simply to have someone scratch your back? It may sound bizarre, but a Chinese entrepreneur has turned the everyday act of scratching an itch into a growing business that reportedly earns around Rs 14 lakh a month.

Thirty-two-year-old Zhang Xiaoqiao, from Hubei, China, launched an unusual chain called Suma in Shenzhen. The business offers dedicated itch-scratching sessions, with customers lying face down on beds while trained staff use specially designed pointed nails to gently scratch different parts of their bodies.

Customers pay around 300 yuan, or approximately Rs 4,200, for a one-hour session. The service is marketed as a way to help people relax and sleep better. Customers can also tell staff which areas feel particularly itchy, while some sessions reportedly end in laughter when sensitive spots are scratched.

According to the South China Morning Post, the unusual venture already has two outlets in Shenzhen, and Zhang says they collectively generate around 100,000 yuan-roughly Rs 14 lakh-in monthly gross revenue. He claims the stores have reached their break-even point and have started making profits.

Zhang believes the service has found a market among stressed urban customers.“In first-tier cities, people generally experience high levels of stress. As a result, this service is in great demand,” he said.

The clientele includes both men and women, although men make up about 70 per cent of customers. Zhang added,“Some customers have said our service is more relaxing than a massage, leading to a strong base of returning clients.”

The idea came to Zhang after he watched a social media video showing a woman scratching her husband's back. Comments from viewers suggesting they would pay someone for the service made him wonder whether the concept could become a business. Childhood memories of his father scratching his back and helping him fall asleep also inspired him.

Since there was no established itch-scratching industry in China, Zhang researched the human body and developed his own techniques.

Now, he hopes to expand Suma to 100 outlets across China and establish itch-scratching as a recognised profession. But sceptics remain unconvinced. One social media user asked,“Are there really that many people willing to pay 300 yuan for a scratch?”

For Zhang, however, the growing customer base suggests this unusual idea could be more than just a viral novelty.

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