A friend of mine who was a barber asked me how much it would cost to build him a website and I said I would do him a basic 3 page site for free, although he would need to let me know if his opening hours had changed or he needed to tell customers he was on holiday, etc.
He said, with no irony whatsoever, that he didn't realise it would be so complicated and decided not to take me up on the offer. I suspect this attitude is not the unusual with one-man businesses that have survived just fine thus far?
Unfortunately the modern web has consolidated to a point where you need to use them. For example, small local businesses that don’t have a web site but do have a Facebook page.
Having only a facebook page and forcing people on that toxic platform, is a strong indication that they do not value freedom (of the web) and ethics. Again a good filter for business / people I want to avoid.
> is a strong indication that they do not value freedom (of the web) and ethics.
I don't think the average barbershop/restaurant owner will care about that, for instance? They just wanna set up a Facebook/Instagram and done, they can now instantly receive messages from clients to make reservations and also share their stuff with posts. I bet they don't even know they can make a website.
Also, every time they end up getting a website, it's powered by Wordpress hosted in the slowest server you can imagine. And it will end up redirecting you to a propietary service to make your reservation (Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram...)
At least that's what I see in Europe and south america, I have no clue how it is everywhere else.
I don’t think lack of technical skill implies not valuing freedom. There isn’t really alternatives that are as easy to use and have their clients already on it. They are as much a captive audience as anyone else.
