What if the one thing you need to relax after a stressful day is not a massage, but simply someone scratching that impossible-to-reach itch on your back? In Shenzhen, China, one entrepreneur is betting that people are willing to pay for exactly that. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), and as reported by The Tribune, 32-year-old Zhang Xiaoqiao has turned professional itch-scratching into a business, with his two outlets together reportedly generating around 100,000 yuan (about Rs 14 lakh) in gross monthly revenue.
A massage-like experience, but for itching
Zhang’s business operates under the brand name Suma. Customers lie on beds, much as they would during a massage, while trained staff gently scratch different parts of their bodies using specially designed pointed nails.The service costs 300 yuan, or roughly Rs 4,200, for an hour. Customers can also identify areas that are particularly itchy, allowing staff to concentrate on those spots. Unlike a conventional massage, the service is centred on light stimulation of the skin rather than pressure on muscles. The sensation can be relaxing, but it can also be unexpectedly ticklish, with some customers reportedly laughing when staff reach particularly sensitive areas.Zhang markets the experience as a way to unwind, relieve stress and improve sleep. He believes the concept has found an audience in China’s major cities, where many people are looking for unconventional ways to relax.
Two outlets opened within weeks
The business is remarkably new. Zhang opened Suma’s first outlet in Shenzhen’s Baoan District in early May and followed it with a second branch in Futian District about a month later.According to SCMP, the two stores together bring in around 100,000 yuan in gross revenue each month. The business has reached its break-even point and has begun turning a profit. The clientele is not limited to one gender either. Zhang says men make up roughly 70% of his customers, while both men and women use the service. Some returning customers have reportedly found the experience more relaxing than a traditional massage.
The idea came from a simple itch
The business began with a social-media video. Zhang came across a clip showing a woman scratching her husband’s back. What caught his attention was not just the video itself, but the reaction in its comments section, where people discussed whether they would pay someone to scratch an itch they could not reach themselves.That prompted Zhang to consider whether the seemingly mundane act could become a professional service. There was another, more personal reason behind the idea. Zhang has recalled how his father used to scratch his back when he was a child, helping him relax and fall asleep. The association between scratching and comfort stayed with him as he explored the business idea.
From failed ventures to an unusual new career
The itch-scratching business is far removed from Zhang’s earlier entrepreneurial attempts. Originally from Hubei province, he reportedly tried seven different jobs in the year after graduating from university. He later founded two cross-border e-commerce companies and subsequently entered the social-media business, but those ventures did not deliver the success he had expected.With Suma, Zhang had to essentially develop the service from scratch because there was little precedent for a professional itch-scratching business in China. He experimented with techniques and worked on creating a consistent experience for customers. Now, he has a much bigger ambition: expanding Suma to 100 outlets across China and establishing itch-scratching as a recognised service profession.For something as ordinary as scratching an itch, Zhang’s business has found a surprisingly sophisticated formula, turning a small act of everyday comfort into a paid wellness experience.