Price points

At one local barber shop, a haircut costs $16. They don’t take appointments; walk-in only. They don’t take credit card payments; cash or check only. Start to finish, the haircut takes about ten minutes.

At another establishment, haircuts cost $35. They take walk-ins, but appointments are recommended. They wash your hair. They offer a hot towel. Start to finish, the haircut takes about half an hour.

In these examples, the question isn’t, “How much does a haircut cost?” It’s, “What do you get for what you pay?”

And the even bigger, underlying question: What do you want? Because both places serve happy customers.

Pricing is only part of the calculus.