As expected, the barbershop near my home has disappeared again.
A note was taped to the door, citing rent pressure — the landlord had locked it up. They left a line: you can keep using your card at another “partner” shop.
My mom's card still had money on it.
This isn't the first time. The barbershop before we moved did the same thing. Same spot, new sign, new owner. At first they said the old card still worked, just to keep everyone calm. After a few visits they started upselling, then the rules piled up — you can't spend the balance on this service, that discount is wrong. Eventually they got blunt: to use the old money you have to top up again, proportionally.
I really hate it.
I hate it so much that I put off haircuts — six months, a year without going. Not out of laziness, but because just thinking about facing the top-up pitch makes me annoyed.
Prepaid haircuts are, at their core, financing. You collect money upfront and pay it back with future services — what's the difference from lending? The sums are nontrivial and the time span is long. Why isn't this under financial regulation? Why isn't there a third party watching this money?
I looked it up later.
Back in 2012 the Ministry of Commerce issued the Single-Use Commercial Prepaid Card Management Measures (Trial), requiring issuers to register and escrow funds. But nobody enforces it. All these years later, zero progress.
My mom's money is probably gone for good.
Don't get a card, and a single haircut is absurdly expensive. Get a card, and you're betting the shop survives until you spend it down.
Me, I'm firmly in the “no card” camp. Every time I walk into a new barbershop, the first words out of my mouth are: no card, thanks.