[ibimage==47454==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-center]With services like Craigslist and Ebay at your fingertips, it's easier than ever to sell your excess stuff. But what if it's stuff you don't actually want to sell, but the extra cash is tempting?
RentEver can be a soul-soothing alternative.
The Chicago-based startup, which is in beta, presents an online marketplace where people can rent their items instead of selling them. Co-founder Anson Wu said he and his co-founders saw a unique opportunity in a major urban center that is familiar with the shared economy model.
“The idea is simple. We all have a lot of stuff in our garage or the basement, so we provide a platform where people can rent those items out to their neighbors,” Wu said. “We really believe this could be something big.”
The owners of the items set a security deposit and a daily rental fee, Wu said, adding that RentEver recommends a deposit of 75 percent of a product’s market value. The deposit is returned when the item is returned. Though the service is now free for owners and renters, Wu said the startup will charge a transaction fee once the company is out of beta.
Wu said RentEver, which launched about a month ago, has a little more than 100 users, and between 1,000 and 1,500 items are on the site right now.
Aside from learning if people are willing to rent — and what they are willing to rent — Wu said RentEver continues to tweak its online platform. Users, who also decide where and when to meet to exchange items, are able to send private messages via the platform, and they can leave public reviews and ratings, as well.
“It’s a community thing,” Wu said. “We’re building all the features you need to really have a successful marketplace.”
The startup is bootstrapped, according to Wu, though he said the team is talking to angel investors and hopes to raise some money by June, when the company expects to exit beta.
Wu, who has a background in digital advertising, said it's “good to be in the driver’s seat.” The goal this year is to get as many users as possible, he said. Being in Chicago will help, as he thinks people will attach to the appeal of renting items such as grills and camping gear, which they can use for a weekend and then return.
Furthermore, Wu sees RentEver as a great alternative for people who need some extra cash, but don’t want to sell their stuff forever.
“The cool thing about this is you can sell your stuff on Craigslist, and people do that a lot,” Wu said. “But the problem with that is sometimes you don’t want to sell it. You might need it in the future.”
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