Rent a Gadget Service

[sphinxzhu]

Hi,

More and more pdas, gadgets.... comming out every day. I really want to get hand on some of them but not buying them. I know you can buy them and return them (morally not very good) or sell them on ebay (too much hassle and a couple days of usage can reduce a lot of value. And I don't care playing with a used gadget).
So why don't we have services for renting gadgets for play? The manufacture should be happy that customers pay for trying their products.

The question is that how much would I like to pay?

For example, I won't like to pay 300$ to rent one $400 gadget for one year. But I would like to pay $300 memership fee per year for renting 20 gadgets priced from under 100$ to 6 or 7 hundred.

Or I may like to pay $20 to have a hot gadget for 1-2 days. That is $3000-$6000 dollars a year from the service provider

[GoldKey]

Given the speed this stuff depreciates, I don't see much of a business model. Plus, while it would be great for a try before you buy, if I think enough of a gadget to use it for a day or two, I would want to own it. The only thing I could think it might work for would be really high end camera equipment (ie, stuff I would not use every day but would use every once in a while, but can't justify the expense for periodic usage).

[Anthony Caruana]

The other thing here is logistics. Lets say you want to try the lastest iPAQ out for a week. Shipping to and from your place, resetting the unit when it is returned, retesting and rental on the device would probably cost the renter $100 in time, etc.

Figure in the cost of setting up the business, having a reasonable stock of up to date equipment and all the overhead of marketing, tracking systems, etc. You could probably buy an iPAQ 1910 for the cost of the rental.

Good idea though. But I think it would only work if you had low margins and built a volume-based business. However, I don't think that the volume of customers for this sort of service exists for PDAs. However, I like Goldkey's idea of such a service for digital cameras. Camera shops should look at this as they already have a regular clientele that might be interested. The problem is, of course, that we don't often plan when to take a photo. It's often an impulsive action.

Take it easy

[sphinxzhu]

It doesn't have to be a new business setup. It can be provided by any street shops like camera shops, Or like a blockbuster shop, they now have xbox/ps2 for renting anyway.

There are so many things can be rented these days. I don't see gadgets like GPS, pda, phones so different from others. Fast depreciation doesn't seem to be an obvious convincing reason.

Like I said, I want to pay $20 maybe more for a used $300 gadget for 2 days. And I have the potential to buy it and share the experience with others. I will be really disappointed if the manufacture (maybe encourage this by subsidizing) and retailers can't appreciate it and support it.
The current situation is I have no way to try out some gadgets without buying it (return or sell later). It is really frustrating.

[Pony99CA]

However, I like Goldkey's idea of such a service for digital cameras. Camera shops should look at this as they already have a regular clientele that might be interested. The problem is, of course, that we don't often plan when to take a photo. It's often an impulsive action.
I think camera rental would have many uses: vacations, weddings, graduations, parades, and so on. These are all things you plan ahead for, so renting would be just one more thing to plan on.

This could also be done for high-end video cameras.

Steve

[Pony99CA]

There are so many things can be rented these days. I don't see gadgets like GPS, pda, phones so different from others. Fast depreciation doesn't seem to be an obvious convincing reason.

As pointed out, for some gadgets (like cameras and video cameras), this may make sense. I'm not sure that it would make sense for things like PDAs, which typically store important data and are highly customized, or phones, which are customized and require service plans.

That said, I think I have heard of cell phone rentals for vacationers.

Like I said, I want to pay $20 maybe more for a used $300 gadget for 2 days. And I have the potential to buy it and share the experience with others. I will be really disappointed if the manufacture (maybe encourage this by subsidizing) and retailers can't appreciate it and support it.
The current situation is I have no way to try out some gadgets without buying it (return or sell later). It is really frustrating.
So stop being frustrated and start the business. Go try to convince manufacturers to subsidize this, or work with another store to take up a side business. Here's your chance to get rich. :-)

Steve

[Jerry Raia]

Look, we all just have an expensive habit. Just deal with it. :mrgreen:

[GoldKey]

I think camera rental would have many uses: vacations, weddings, graduations, parades, and so on. These are all things you plan ahead for, so renting would be just one more thing to plan on.

This could also be done for high-end video cameras.

Steve

Exactly, I would not get enough normal use to justify a $5000 video camera. But, I would probably be willing to pay $200 to rent it for a special occasion.