I don't get it why you are feeling less stressful with web wallet as it is the same with desktop wallets.
It's probably because of the buy Bitcoin option within his blockchain account that offered him the convenience over a traditional desktop client. In a way that's understandable, especially for someone just having joined crypto.
Another possibility may be that he wasn't aware of light clients, and just assumed that he had to install a full node client, which might be a disturbing factor for a newbie. Either way, there are enough light clients available.
I use both desktop and mobile clients from Electrum, and thus far haven't had any problems. In the Google play store there are quite some complaints concerning app crashes of the mobile client, but I personally don't experience any problems.
We cannot take the electrum into the debate while we are discussing about the blockchain web wallet. Electrum comes with the wallet seed, private key secured wallet in desktop and mobile application.
Blockchain is web based and mobile application one. There are plenty of the web based wallet but this alone will give the wallet id, 2FA, secured with the OR scanning on the connecting to the application and many more features.
Still it is hackable wallet and I knew some who lost their money on using the blockchain wallet buddy.