Take a quick look in your closet. Or your attic. Or your garage. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve got tons of “stuff,” a lot of which you use rarely, if at all. It seems like someone, somewhere may be looking for something that you have. It sounds like there may be a trade waiting to be made. It also sounds like there may be a business model there. But how do you get the would be renter and rentee together? Enter Rentstuff.com. Rentstuff describes their site as similar to “an an eBay for rentals. It allows individuals to list anything they have like lawn mowers, photo equipment, music gear, handbags and dresses, party supplies and more to rent out to other individuals for money.” Once a connection is made, the site facilitates setting up a meeting so the item can be rented.
The video below gives a quick overview of the service.
It does seem pretty simple and can all be done over the internet and mobile devices. You can answer inquiries from renters through the messaging system, then contact the other party to confirm pick-up details. Once the meeting takes place and both parties are in agreement on the rental, payment can be securely sent and received securely through text message.
With the site now open across the country, it seems like the idea to rent stuff may be catching on. Next time you’re looking for an item you need on a temporary basis, think about trying to rent it instead of buying a new one. This form of reusing may save you some cash while being environmentally conscious.[Images from marketing director via email]
