11 ms·

Show HN: Soothe – Uber for Massages

44 points by kevinwdavid 12y ago

kevinwdavid 12y ago
Available 7 days a week. 9am to midnight. Including holidays.Can be there in 1 hour or schedule in advance.Anywhere you want, when you want, starting at $99.
travisp 12y ago
I think it's a nice concept and don't have any problems with it (in fact, it looks quite nice), but I do wonder what distinguishes these various services. Here in NYC, there are several "Uber for" maid/massage/anything else you can think of services, and apart from the design of their sites and sometimes the pricing scheme, it's hard to tell what's actually different. Maybe the same thing could be said about Lyft, Uber, etc., but I do wonder what kind of competitive advantage these services are going for.
- qeorge 12y ago
  I think "AAA for X" makes more sense than "Uber for X" "AAA for Massage" is very meaningful - I just book "a massage", I don't care from whom as long as they are qualified, and this company makes sure someone good shows up. Its a new idea because these services are not usually commoditized, in the way a tow-truck or an oil change is. This company is betting that for enough buyers, massages are actually a commodity service versus a personal service requiring a lot of trust. Services with existing brands will not like it, but new businesses without a customer base will probably love it. I think it has legs.
- peterjancelis 12y ago
  I agree. The big idea behind Uber is to optimize capacity utilization. That's also the reason why it's a race between those taxi apps to get global scale first. Unlike cars, maids and masseuses don't waste 90% of their time doing nothing and there's also not going to be a population reduction by matching supply and demand for these verticals a little bit better for iphone users.
  - fredsters_s 12y ago
    "don't waste 90% of their time doing nothing" that's an assumption
    - AkaashUnwindMe 12y ago
      and a false one, at that.
ape4 12y ago
Can I get a massage while getting driven somewhere
- richiverse 12y ago
  süther?
gegtik 12y ago
Interesting quirk on the website, when you click the location dropdown at the top of the page and it stays open, scrolling to the bottom of the page reveals the same open dropdown.
wehadfun 12y ago
Before reading the website it seemed like uber for prostitution. After is seeme some what legit. I guess you can't pick your messager, which I think people will want. I may not care who drives me or cleans my house but I do care who is rubbing all over me.
edgyswingset 12y ago
I wonder if being the "Uber of Massages" will mean that therapists end up making minimum wage after covering their own costs. This in particular: > Gratuity is on us. No need to tip Is alarming.
- proexploit 12y ago
  Alarming only if it contributes to therapists making minimum wage which is not a given. Otherwise, I love not having to deal with tips. I wish every service had tips baked in and we could do away with them entirely.
  - m52go 12y ago
    I've never had to work for tips, but I would HATE to have a profit-maximizing corporation be in charge of how much I get paid in entirely optional cash that has 0 impact on them.
    - icebraining 12y ago
      Isn't that how most workers (read: employees) get paid?
      - m52go 12y ago
        What do you mean? Most workers don't work for tips. They have established salaries or wages that the employer is required to pay them. Tips are entirely optional. Official payroll isn't.
        icebraining 12y ago
        But these don't work for tips either, since there are no tips. They work for whatever they agreed with (or more likely, accepted from) Soothe.
        jasonlotito 12y ago
ender201 12y ago
Seems sort of like Priv, they let you pick your massage professional though, also have a bunch more verticals.
crpatino 12y ago
I wonder the legal implications this is going to have regarding prostitution. I don't say this is intentional from the part of soothe's creators, but they will have to deal with (and accepting the legal liabilities of) an issue that is already there (fake massage parlors offering sexual services).
- ceejayoz 12y ago
  The other side of that coin is the potential for creeps and the resulting sexual harassment of the massage therapists.
  - disputin 12y ago
    Can't believe no one mentioned this sooner. This should be called uber skanky.
- zyx321 12y ago
  Well, it wouldn't be a real Uber clone without a blatant disregard for laws and regulations, now would it?
beeskneecaps 12y ago
Seeing a lot of massage startups lately. We're at a coworking space where people book conference rooms and get massages done in them. If you use this service, please don't do this. (If you do, please pick a scented oil that doesn't smell like bacteria and pine trees.)
- fredsters_s 12y ago
  those people are evil
crazypyro 12y ago
The problem with Uber for massages (and other Uber for _) is that the people that are searching for a new service provider aren't going to (possibly ever) go find a new provider for some services, on a regular basis. They find one they like and they stick with it. This is distinctly different than Uber's model because there's not really driver loyalty like there is with a massage or maid service. This means the contractors can just cut out Soothe after develop a reputation with clients.
- wasd 12y ago
  There's an inherit assumption that people would rather build loyalty to people over companies for specific services and its unclear if that's true. A perfect counter example to your cleaning example is Homejoy.
  - jacalata 12y ago
    Is it? Corporate cleaning services are hardly new, but corporate massage services are. So HomeJoy isn't trying to change the purchasing paradigm of the industry in this way at all.
  - swang 12y ago
    Eh you think people are loyal to HomeJoy or the price? I've heard a lot of "HomeJoy is meh but they are cheap. "
    - toomuchtodo 12y ago
      This was the exact sentiment in the HN thread a few weeks ago about Homejoy, and to those who put up with Homejoy for the price but unsatisfied with the quality, those in the thread recommended finding a professional cleaner to contract directly with.
  - georgemcbay 12y ago
    It isn't just about loyalty, though, it is about building a relationship with a single provider who can learn your preferences and provide a consistent service in the future. I get my haircut by the same person every single time not because I think they are the best hair-cutter in the world but because I don't have to explain to them how I like it, they already know and I know they can do it that way, so going to them eliminates 5-10 minutes of explanation and a lot of uncertainty as to what the end result will look like. For the same reasons I agree with crazypyro that "Uber for Massages" (local massages being something people tend to find one provider and stick with them for consistency) is not nearly as compelling as Uber for transportation where all I care is that the driver gets me to where I'm going in a relatively short timeframe and relatively safely.
borski 12y ago
Seems the same as http://unwind.me http://unwind.me
- welder 12y ago
  And https://pinenow.com/ https://pinenow.com/ - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8373501 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8373501
slg 12y ago
Will the Uber model work for a good or service that isn't commoditized? All we ask of a transportation service like Uber is to get us from point A to point B cheaply and safely. A massage is more complex and doesn't have a two item to do list that can simply be checked off and labeled "a good massage". This means the standard deviation of quality is a lot larger. There is also a benefit of loyalty. Massages are a more personal and customized experience than transportation and there would be a greater benefit to having your masseuse know your preferences.
- TallGuyShort 12y ago
  While I agree completely with you on some of the differences, one of the best things about Uber (in my opinions) is that the transaction is cashless and centralized. I don't have to know or find the number for a cab, I use the app. Even if the driver is a good one, I may not use him next time because I don't want to pay him a new way. Massages are more personal and I'm still skeptical of the service, but I think the model has more benefits for other services than some people are implying.
notastartup 12y ago
This could create a huge underground prostitution market worth billions. I hold no political view, just a happy ending for those who pursue it.
helloumar 12y ago
Looks very much like https://pinenow.com/ https://pinenow.com/
rrival 12y ago
also see https://www.zeel.com/ https://www.zeel.com/
bobcostas55 12y ago
I think it's time for an Uber for Uber for ______ service. There's so many of them now it's confusing and time-consuming to pick one. So why not add a crowd-sourced middleman to do it for you?
jami73 12y ago
I've used Soothe and the therapists were very professional. I would recommend it!

44 points by kevinwdavid 12y ago

Available 7 days a week. 9am to midnight. Including holidays.Can be there in 1 hour or schedule in advance.Anywhere you want, when you want, starting at $99.

travisp 12y ago

I think it's a nice concept and don't have any problems with it (in fact, it looks quite nice), but I do wonder what distinguishes these various services. Here in NYC, there are several "Uber for" maid/massage/anything else you can think of services, and apart from the design of their sites and sometimes the pricing scheme, it's hard to tell what's actually different. Maybe the same thing could be said about Lyft, Uber, etc., but I do wonder what kind of competitive advantage these services are going for.

qeorge 12y ago
I think "AAA for X" makes more sense than "Uber for X" "AAA for Massage" is very meaningful - I just book "a massage", I don't care from whom as long as they are qualified, and this company makes sure someone good shows up. Its a new idea because these services are not usually commoditized, in the way a tow-truck or an oil change is. This company is betting that for enough buyers, massages are actually a commodity service versus a personal service requiring a lot of trust. Services with existing brands will not like it, but new businesses without a customer base will probably love it. I think it has legs.
peterjancelis 12y ago
I agree. The big idea behind Uber is to optimize capacity utilization. That's also the reason why it's a race between those taxi apps to get global scale first. Unlike cars, maids and masseuses don't waste 90% of their time doing nothing and there's also not going to be a population reduction by matching supply and demand for these verticals a little bit better for iphone users.
- fredsters_s 12y ago
  "don't waste 90% of their time doing nothing" that's an assumption
  - AkaashUnwindMe 12y ago
    and a false one, at that.

ape4 12y ago

Can I get a massage while getting driven somewhere

richiverse 12y ago
süther?

gegtik 12y ago

Interesting quirk on the website, when you click the location dropdown at the top of the page and it stays open, scrolling to the bottom of the page reveals the same open dropdown.

wehadfun 12y ago

Before reading the website it seemed like uber for prostitution. After is seeme some what legit. I guess you can't pick your messager, which I think people will want. I may not care who drives me or cleans my house but I do care who is rubbing all over me.

edgyswingset 12y ago

I wonder if being the "Uber of Massages" will mean that therapists end up making minimum wage after covering their own costs. This in particular: > Gratuity is on us. No need to tip Is alarming.

proexploit 12y ago
Alarming only if it contributes to therapists making minimum wage which is not a given. Otherwise, I love not having to deal with tips. I wish every service had tips baked in and we could do away with them entirely.
- m52go 12y ago
  I've never had to work for tips, but I would HATE to have a profit-maximizing corporation be in charge of how much I get paid in entirely optional cash that has 0 impact on them.
  - icebraining 12y ago
    Isn't that how most workers (read: employees) get paid?
    - m52go 12y ago
      What do you mean? Most workers don't work for tips. They have established salaries or wages that the employer is required to pay them. Tips are entirely optional. Official payroll isn't.
      - icebraining 12y ago
        But these don't work for tips either, since there are no tips. They work for whatever they agreed with (or more likely, accepted from) Soothe.
        jasonlotito 12y ago

ender201 12y ago

Seems sort of like Priv, they let you pick your massage professional though, also have a bunch more verticals.

crpatino 12y ago

I wonder the legal implications this is going to have regarding prostitution. I don't say this is intentional from the part of soothe's creators, but they will have to deal with (and accepting the legal liabilities of) an issue that is already there (fake massage parlors offering sexual services).

ceejayoz 12y ago
The other side of that coin is the potential for creeps and the resulting sexual harassment of the massage therapists.
- disputin 12y ago
  Can't believe no one mentioned this sooner. This should be called uber skanky.
zyx321 12y ago
Well, it wouldn't be a real Uber clone without a blatant disregard for laws and regulations, now would it?

beeskneecaps 12y ago

Seeing a lot of massage startups lately. We're at a coworking space where people book conference rooms and get massages done in them. If you use this service, please don't do this. (If you do, please pick a scented oil that doesn't smell like bacteria and pine trees.)

fredsters_s 12y ago
those people are evil

crazypyro 12y ago

The problem with Uber for massages (and other Uber for _) is that the people that are searching for a new service provider aren't going to (possibly ever) go find a new provider for some services, on a regular basis. They find one they like and they stick with it. This is distinctly different than Uber's model because there's not really driver loyalty like there is with a massage or maid service. This means the contractors can just cut out Soothe after develop a reputation with clients.

wasd 12y ago
There's an inherit assumption that people would rather build loyalty to people over companies for specific services and its unclear if that's true. A perfect counter example to your cleaning example is Homejoy.
- jacalata 12y ago
  Is it? Corporate cleaning services are hardly new, but corporate massage services are. So HomeJoy isn't trying to change the purchasing paradigm of the industry in this way at all.
- swang 12y ago
  Eh you think people are loyal to HomeJoy or the price? I've heard a lot of "HomeJoy is meh but they are cheap. "
  - toomuchtodo 12y ago
    This was the exact sentiment in the HN thread a few weeks ago about Homejoy, and to those who put up with Homejoy for the price but unsatisfied with the quality, those in the thread recommended finding a professional cleaner to contract directly with.
- georgemcbay 12y ago
  It isn't just about loyalty, though, it is about building a relationship with a single provider who can learn your preferences and provide a consistent service in the future. I get my haircut by the same person every single time not because I think they are the best hair-cutter in the world but because I don't have to explain to them how I like it, they already know and I know they can do it that way, so going to them eliminates 5-10 minutes of explanation and a lot of uncertainty as to what the end result will look like. For the same reasons I agree with crazypyro that "Uber for Massages" (local massages being something people tend to find one provider and stick with them for consistency) is not nearly as compelling as Uber for transportation where all I care is that the driver gets me to where I'm going in a relatively short timeframe and relatively safely.

borski 12y ago

Seems the same as http://unwind.me http://unwind.me

welder 12y ago
And https://pinenow.com/ https://pinenow.com/ - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8373501 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8373501

slg 12y ago

Will the Uber model work for a good or service that isn't commoditized? All we ask of a transportation service like Uber is to get us from point A to point B cheaply and safely. A massage is more complex and doesn't have a two item to do list that can simply be checked off and labeled "a good massage". This means the standard deviation of quality is a lot larger. There is also a benefit of loyalty. Massages are a more personal and customized experience than transportation and there would be a greater benefit to having your masseuse know your preferences.

TallGuyShort 12y ago
While I agree completely with you on some of the differences, one of the best things about Uber (in my opinions) is that the transaction is cashless and centralized. I don't have to know or find the number for a cab, I use the app. Even if the driver is a good one, I may not use him next time because I don't want to pay him a new way. Massages are more personal and I'm still skeptical of the service, but I think the model has more benefits for other services than some people are implying.

notastartup 12y ago

This could create a huge underground prostitution market worth billions. I hold no political view, just a happy ending for those who pursue it.

helloumar 12y ago

Looks very much like https://pinenow.com/ https://pinenow.com/

rrival 12y ago

also see https://www.zeel.com/ https://www.zeel.com/

bobcostas55 12y ago

I think it's time for an Uber for Uber for ______ service. There's so many of them now it's confusing and time-consuming to pick one. So why not add a crowd-sourced middleman to do it for you?

jami73 12y ago

I've used Soothe and the therapists were very professional. I would recommend it!