Archive for the ‘Lend’ Category

4 Rent on iRent2u

When people hear that we are the rental site that facilitates people to lend and rent anything to and from anyone, and that they can make or save money respectively, they sometimes ask us: “How is that possible? What could I lend or rent? I would not lend my toothbrush, and I would not get much for it anyways, nor would I rent one.” Of course some items in private possession are only for private use, or have sentimental value, and these items might be less suitable for lending. But people have in fact alot of other items, which they seldom use, and which are suitable for lending. And more and more people are actually joining the rental trend, realizing that they can make some decent money from lending, or saving some money through renting, especially in times of crisis.

On iRent2u, you can find more than 200,000 items of all sorts to rent. Hot rental items are items that cost a lot and are seldom used such as RVs and caravans, video equipment & beamers, garden equipment like leaf blowers & lawn mowers, tools and all sorts of special equipment, house appliances & vacuum cleaners. Books are excellent rental items, because after people have read them they are stored in shelves and only collect dust without serving anyone. Especially textbooks for education are very expensive to buy and only serve for one school year. Cars & trucks are already well established as rental items. Luxury items such as luxury cars, limousines, jewelry, and designer handbags, can be rented for special occasions. iRent2u offers vacation homes all over the globe. Everything around party rentals such as catering equipment, tents & canopies, jumpers, costumes & tuxedos work very well. Anything for leisure like golf clubs, bikes, surfboards, snowboards, etc. are these kinds of items that spend most of the time in attics or garages and are perfect for rental. Wireless connections, parking spaces, or swimming pools can be shared. And also big-ticket items such as motorboats, sailboats, yachts, business jets & helicopters can be rented on iRent2u.

So join the rental trend, start lending and renting.

Popularity: 14% [?]

The Problem

People have debts, and sometimes they have to work on two jobs, just to be able to pay their bills. They already made the mistake of buying everything instead of renting it, and thus have to live with all the disadvantages mentioned above. Also commercial lenders or “rental shops” are confronted with several problems. Very often they have no website and only get customers that visit their store in person during office hours. They have to spend in marketing such as the yellow pages and have no guarantee of any sales.

The iRent2u Advantage

People can still correct their mistake of purchasing everything, and make some extra money by lending out their stuff, to recover some of the money they have spent to purchase all these assets, or to at least split operating expenses, such as taxes, insurances, and maintenance cost for the time they don’t use their assets. It is even possible to earn more money through lending out an item, than it costs to purchase it, so people can become power lenders and make renting a profession. Commercial lenders can finally have an online presence and offer a 24/7 service to their customers. At the same time they can extend their market reach by having access to customers worldwide, since items can also be shipped. If they have a website already, iRent2u still complements theirs, because iRent2u can bring them customers that did not find their website, thus they can benefit from iRent2u’s search engine optimization and Internet marketing.

The iRent2u Solution

iRent2u offers powerful and easy to use tools to manage every bit of the lending process. A simple lending wizard that helps lenders to describe their items, upload pictures, define the lending terms and conditions, as well as schedule availabilities, and select the lending logistics. iRent2u offers a contract system which pre-populates a standard contract with all relevant information automatically or any contract the lender wishes to upload and use. In addition to the rental contracts, a patent pending double blinded feedback and recommendation system, a flagging and reporting system, as well as a deposit system, and iRent2u’s eTrust certificate, helps to keep abuse from the website. An inventory management system provides complete visibility on all items one has uploaded or lent, listed online or offline, and allows organizing and editing them easily. A communication system helps to discuss and answer any question a renter might have. A dashboard lists all available rental history and advises users what to do next. And if a user or commercial lender wants to appear more professional, they can create and customize their own rental store. And with iRent2u, all that is for free. No listing fee, no commission.

Popularity: 14% [?]

As of March 24, 2009, iRent2u will no longer charge a transaction fee to lend items. That’s right, it is absolutely FREE to list and lend items on iRent2u.

Remember last week when we said we would lead the way in the effort to build a world with environmental, ethical and financial sustainability at it’s core. Well, this is just one more step down that path. Just as many of our friends and family are suffering, we know many of our customers are as well. As result of prudent financial management, we are in a very strong position to not only weather the storm, but also to extend a hand to the fast growing iRent2u community.

We’ll keep this policy in affect throughout the economic downturn. Here at iRent2u we want to do our part to build a better world and we encourage each of you to do so as well, by taking this opportunity to make more money from what you already have and to save money through renting on iRent2u.

Thanks,

Your iRent2u Team

How to change the world? Start in your garage! ☺

Popularity: 15% [?]

What We Rent – Audiobooks

iRent2u has now launched and is in full swing. We have successfully added a very large inventory, and new items keep pouring in every day. We hope that very soon you will come to rely on iRent2u as your single source for all rentals, and list your own items as well. Remember, by helping others you help yourself – as they save money by renting you earn money – a win win situation!

Today we begin a series we are calling “What We Rent”. This will be an ongoing series where we highlight items listed on our site, which ones are new, and which situations rentals are the best solution.

Our first category we will cover is “Audiobooks”. One reason we are covering them first is that we have a lot of audiobooks to choose from. Presently we are hosting an inventory of over 9,000 different titles. Audiobooks are great for people who commute, people who exercise with a personal listening device like and iPod, and for people who are vision impaired but still love the joy of a good book.

I personally love audiobooks, and have listened to many. This is originally because I commuted for two to four hours a day for the last couple of years. After a couple of weeks I got bored listening to the radio and knew I had to find something different. My father who has had a long commute for almost 20 years recommended that I try listening to audiobooks. He gave me a few of his, and I immediately fell in love with the concept. Now instead of dreading the long commute to and from school, I actually looked forward to it! Sometimes I even found myself sitting in the car after I had arrived at my destination waiting anxiously to hear some conclusion or pivotal point in the story.

After a while I discovered that there is much more to audiobooks than just exciting stories. Think of all the incredible non-fiction books there are in the world, that hold incredibly valuable knowledge on anything from how to succeed in work to how to be happy in life. I found days where I learned more in my commute back and forth to school than I did in the classroom!

Beyond the commute I found audiobooks to make exercising more enjoyable. Instead of focusing on the treadmill, I could become engrossed in some story or concept. The time would fly by and before I knew it my exercise was over. And when my grandparents began to lose their vision, they turned to audiobooks so that they could continue to enjoy reading. This has been a great solution for everyone!

There is one problem with audiobooks though, once you listen to them you don’t have much need to listen to them again. That is why my father was able to send me two boxes full of audiobooks, with over 50 titles. Obviously he was spending a lot of money to buy these books, yet listen to them only once. That sounds like a perfect situation for iRent2u, and now we are happy to help audiobook lovers all over the US.

Do you have audiobooks that you have already listened to?
If so, great! List them on our site and let others borrow them – share the joy of a good book and recover some of your investment. My father has already listed 5 of his books and is ready to list a bunch more.
Click here to list your items on a site, and make a free account if you haven’t already.

Do you want to find and listen to good audiobooks?
Well you are in the right place then also! We have thousands of books to choose from, with new listings coming every day. Try either renting individual books one at a time. Or sign up with one of the services listed and get a subscription – keeping the books coming on a regular basis.
Click here to browse our thousands of audiobooks that are available right now!

Do you know someone with a long commute, who likes to exercise, or is vision impaired?
If so, consider giving them this Christmas a subscription to a service like Jiggerbug – one of our premier partners – so that they can share in the joy of audiobooks for a long time.
Click here to learn more about JiggerBug, see or leave a user review, or see which titles they list

Either way iRent2u is the place for audiobooks.

Know of other ways that audiobooks are better than regular books?
If so, click “comment” and let us hear about it. We are always interested to hear good ideas from our readers.

.

Popularity: 14% [?]

iRent2u on SoCalTech (www.SoCalTech.com)

http://www.socaltech.com/irent_u_takes_on_online_rentals/s-0012333.html>

Today iRent2u got featured on SoCalTech news, Southern California’s single most accurate and current source for all information regarding to technology and startup companies. Here is the text from the story.

Friday, November 16, 2007
iRent2u Takes On Online Rentals

Los Angeles-based iRent2u, a small startup created by winners of the 2007 Pepperdine Business Plan Competition, said this morning that it has launched an online marketplace for anyone to lend anything they own. The new service allows people to list anything they own for rental, handles inventory management, contracts, and reservations. Among the small number of listings currently on the firm’s web site are golf clubs, electronics, and private jet charters.

posted on Friday, November 16, 2007

Thanks for the coverage SoCalTech - but I wouldn’t consider access to over 1 million items, with 22 major car rental companies, to be that limited! There is more to come though, and soon.

Plus we have all sorts of people making postings onto the site. We will be featuring some in the days to come. So stay tuned!

.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Here is the text from the press release we posted this morning.

You can view it on the wire here.

iRent2u Launches Online Rental Marketplace in the $85 billion Rental Industry

Launching with over 1 million items in over 10 categories, iRent2u is the preeminent destination for all online rentals

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–iRent2u, LLC, the online rental marketplace, today launches www.iRent2u.com where you can rent anything from anyone. iRent2u is where everyone can get more from what they already have. Users can either lend their assets to make money, or borrow from others to save money. The company provides 24/7 online access to goods, clear inventory lists, easy comparison shopping and a built in reservations system. iRent2u facilitates the entire process by building a community of people who enjoy helping each other.

According to First Research, the current rental marketplace in the U.S. is in excess of $85 billion and is trending towards consolidation with about 65,000 small companies, each with one to three small stores. Rentals are the most efficient way to fill temporary needs, yet until iRent2u renters faced many obstacles. Items have been hard to find, over priced and inconveniently located. A highly fragmented industry, many rentals are handled by small stores. Often these small rental companies don’t have the expertise or desire to manage a website. In fact most stores do not list the items they lend, show their availability, or accept reservations online. Up until now, the industry has been lagging and inefficient.

iRent2u was founded by three entrepreneurs as they studied for their MBA’s: Roy Bacharach, Tim McCormack and Nils von Bothmer, who then went on to win the 2007 Pepperdine Business Plan Competition. Von Bothmer conceived the idea when he moved to Los Angeles, California and needed a drill to assemble his new furniture. Not wanting to purchase one for single use when there had to be ten within a one mile radius, he knew there had to be a better way.

The company bridges problems like this with a simple, innovative solution, the website www.iRent2u.com, where everyone can get more from what they already have. With 24/7 online access to goods, clear inventory lists, easy comparison shopping, and a built in reservations system. iRent2u makes renting accessible. People can choose to spend less money and buy fewer products, thus reducing environmental waste. iRent2u is eco-friendly, helps prevent over consumption and facilitates the entire process by building a community of people who enjoy helping each other.

“Ours is a simple solution that resolves serious problems. iRent2u is where everyone can get more from what they already have,” said von Bothmer, the company’s chief operations officer. “Users can either lend their assets to make money or borrow from others to save money. We make renting accessible. People can choose to spend less money and buy fewer products, thus reducing environmental waste and making the world more efficient.”

Product Benefits, Features and Pricing

iRent2u provides easy 24/7 access for customers to go to the site, browse or search for what they want and view user’s rental listings. Users can stay in control of the entire process — publish prices, or keep them secret; allow discounts for frequent customers or charge everyone the same rate; deliver to them, or have them pick it up.

Users can make reservations, read and approve rental contracts, leave their deposits, and even refer friends from within iRent2u. With a rapidly growing customer list of lenders, iRent2u is a no risk, online listing of rental items including the following features:

• • Inventory management and scheduling – provides an easy system to control assets online which is accessible virtually anywhere.
  • Customer comments and ratings – offers advice from other customers.
  • Reservations – provide an easy way to reserve an item for a future date.
  • Online contract system – allows users to reduce work and save time by managing contracts online.
  • Built in directions and mapping – helps people find each other quickly and easily.
  • Free to try, and no upfront listing fees – users are free to create an account and list items for rent. Once a customer completes a transaction, iRent2u keeps a small percentage of each customer’s transaction fee.

The iRent2u service is absolutely free to create an account and list items for rent. Once a customer completes a transaction, iRent2u keeps only 10 percent (10%) of each customer’s transaction fee plus a $1.00 service fee. Lenders can even reduce their transaction fees to five percent (5%) by referring their friends to the site. Transaction fees drop one percentage point (up to five) for every referral that creates an iRent2u account.

Benefit to Rental Companies

As an online aggregator for rentals, iRent2u provides rental outlets with a way to succeed in a fast changing market, giving small businesses the same tools as larger companies. By gaining more exposure on iRent2u, these companies can increase both rentals and revenues with no additional risk. Rental companies simply pay a small transaction fee once a sale is complete.

iRent2u envisions existing rental companies as resellers, partners or advertisers. Early inventory for the company has been provided by a broad range of companies including BookRenter (textbook rentals for students), Ridester (ride sharing), Amadeus (20+ major car rental companies), and Stratos Jets (private jet charter service).

About iRent2u LLC (www.iRent2u.com)

The online rental marketplace where you can rent anything from anyone. iRent2u offers 24/7 online access to goods, clear inventory lists, easy comparison shopping and a built in reservation system, making renting accessible. People can choose to spend less money and buy fewer products, thus reducing environmental waste and making the world more efficient. iRent2u facilitates the entire process by building a community of people who enjoy helping each other.

Contacts

iRent2u, LLC
805-617-4654
info@iRent2u.com
or
Media Contact:
pr@iRent2u.com

Popularity: 100% [?]

We are looking for about ten volunteers in the Inland Empire to try our site, by renting out things you own.

We are looking for volunteers who will let us go with them through their home and choose things to lend out. Anyone willing to videotape the process could be featured on our website. This should be great fun, while also giving you a new way to make money & help people.

To volunteer you need:
1) A computer & Internet connection.
2) Own things you don’t need everyday, that you would be willing to lend to other people for money.
3) You must be at least 18 years of age & have a credit card to use the site.

Please contact us at (805) 617-4654 to volunteer. Ask for Tim.

Popularity: 11% [?]

iRent2u Prepares for Nov. 15th launch…

November 15th is coming up fast, and we are very excited about it. This is the day that we open up iRent2u.com for the whole world to see. Of course we want to show off our baby a little bit, because we think it looks pretty nice (here’s a screenshot), but we are much more excited for its potential to help people.

With this site we have big plans. Specifically we are going to give people a way to change their worlds. Many people would like the chance to change the world, but it is hard to know where to begin. Well we say, start in your garage. Start by taking all those valuable items that you purchased but are now just waisting away in storage and put them online. Take that power drill, that bike you never use, your super 100 foot hose you bought last year, and your extra set of golf clubs. Take those items, and about ten minutes of your time, and put them online for the whole world to use.

By allowing other people to use your valuable but rarely used possessions, you not only make a little money for yourself, you also help your friends and neighbors save a lot of money. Then someday in the future when you need something, you can also borrow it from one of your neighbors saving time and money. The website makes it easy to find what you need, and helps everyone get more from what they already have, be that money or possessions.

Change Your World

A lot of people talk about changing the world. Usually it is a big idea that has the potential to make everyones lives better. We hope to create a system to do this, but in reality it is not a big change, it is a series of many small changes. Last night I saw ‘Evan Almighty’. In the movie, a politician campaigns that if he is put into office he is going to change the world, but when he wins and gets into office he doesn’t know where to begin. At this point God speaks to him and tells him that the way to change the world is by one random act of kindness at a time.

This is what you will be able to do through iRent2u.com. Each time you create a listing for your items on the site you are doing a small act of kindness, creating a way your neighbors can benefit from what you own. Then every time someone borrows something they save money, and you know you helped someone. Add to this the safeguards that ensure your item is returned in the same condition you lent it, and the bonus that you get paid for lending your items, and you have the perfect system. Everyone is helping each other, and they all are better off for it.

People Helping People

We call this our ‘People Helping People’ lending network. And it is our little way to change the world. And once many people start to use it, together we can take all these little changes and create a real movement, and truly make the world a better place to live.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. In some regards the launching of this site is the end of one thousand mile journey, as we have been working on this a long time. On November 15th we start another journey though, and this one will be a lot more fun because we get to take all of you along with us. We can’t wait to hear your stories of how you used the site, or your ideas for how together we can make it better.

Just the Beginning

The site, as it will launch in a couple weeks, is only the beginning. It will shape and grow over time into whatever you want it to be. We know that people are inherently good. They enjoy being able to help their neighbors, reduce pollution, and save money. They enjoy finding ways to meet new friends, and share their experiences. We know that if we give people the right tools, and then give them the power to improve them, we will all be better off for it.

We already know that ‘Together We Have More’. On November 15th, we finally get the chance to put it into action.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Quick Facts About iRent2u™:

• A simple to use website (www.iRent2u.com)
• A place to rent anything TO or FROM anyone
• EBay for Rentals
• The “Online Rental Marketplace”™

Features & Benefits:

• No Risk – Try the service for free, because we have no upfront listing fees. Forget your worries about paying lots of money to a marketing company or publication without knowing if it will return sales.

• Safety – Sure you could list your stuff on CraigsList, but you have no idea if you will ever see it again. We provide deposit systems to make sure you don’t lose everything, user feedback so you know who you can trust, and optional insurance to really protect your assets.

• Do it Online – Online reservation systems are shown to improve sales. One customer implemented an online ordering system and had a 23% increase in the first month.

• You Keep Control – Do sales the way it makes sense for you, not us. Publish your prices, or keep them secret. Allow discounts for frequent customers, or charge everyone the same rate. Deliver to them, or have them pick it up where you want. Either way, you control the process.

• Conquer the Internet – If you know how to do online marketing and search engine optimization, and can create an easy to use website, you can make lots of money online. But that is not easy to do! Now we make it easy because we handle all the tricky stuff for you. We are experts in the internet. We bring customers to you, you just need to supply the goods!

Popularity: 6% [?]

A Tale of Two Neighbors - “Charlie the Consumer & Rachael the Renter”

Recently someone asked us who our typical customer is. As opposed to going into detailed demographic explanations about age and income, we believe that the typical participant in iRent2u is based on attitude and behavior. Anyone could make the smart choice to rent when it makes sense. The real question is, what type of person are you?

So we thought we would share with you a comparison between two different people - one who likes to rent things, and one who doesn’t. Then we will let you decide who you are more like.

Charlie the Consumer

Our first person is Charlie the Consumer. Charlie likes to buy things. In fact, he loves to buy stuff. It makes him feel good to get the latest technologies, that brand new car, or a new shirt. You should see him at the dollar store, because he goes crazy. Doesn’t matter what it is, Charlie has to buy it.

Of course most of us enjoy buying things, but Charlie is a true consumer. He believes all the commercials that tell him if he just buys that new (insert product here) he will get all the ladies. When he goes to the mall he only buys expensive stuff because “the name means quality.” Every time you see him he is carrying a bag from a different store. He has three iPods (his first was too big, the second too small, but his third one is jussst right). He has an RV, a boat, and spends his weekends at his cabin on the lake.

There is one more thing that Charlie has more of than most other people, debt. He has more credit cards than a pickpocket at Mardi Gras. He racks up $10,000 in revolving credit and doesn’t blink an eye. He has a second AND third mortgage, school loans from 10 years ago that are only half paid off, and enough money to last him one month if he loses his job. But Charlie is happy, at least until he sees the next thing he needs to buy.

–

Rachael the Renter

Our other person is Rachael the Renter. Rachael likes to rent stuff. She likes the freedom to use something, have fun with it, and then drop it off. While Charlie’s garage is so full stuff is spilling into the street, Rachael’s is perfectly clean and almost empty. She has a new car - that she leases, a beautiful home - which she rents month to month, and enough money to last her two years if she somehow lost her job.

Rachael hates owning things. She thinks possessions tie you down. The next time Rachael moves to a new house she will be able to move in one day with just one friend’s help. She likes to travel, and only takes one small bag with three days of clothes even if she is travelling for a month. She takes vacations at a lake house that she rents from time to time, has traveled across the US twice in an RV she rented, and has become an expert water skier behind a rented boat. In fact, Rachael has done everything that Charlie has done, it just cost her less money to do it.

–

So Who Are You?

So who do you want to be? Would you like to be Charlie who constantly has all the new gear but enough debt to scare a politician? Or would you like to be Rachael, the free soul who never ties herself down with possessions and has plenty of extra money?

Our opinion? Who cares!? Be either one of these people. They are both great. The truth is that both of them are our customers!

Of course Rachael is great. Whenever she needs something she comes to our site first. That way she can compare the different lenders in the area, see who has the best price and reputation, and get the best deal. She is always renting stuff from us, and for that we are truly grateful.

I bet you expected us to say you should never be like Charlie. We would never say that, Charlie is a great guy! He likes to have fun, tells lots of jokes, and springs for dinner when we go out. And who do you think Rachael rents all her stuff from?

Charlie is able to support his lust for possessions by renting out the things he is not using to Rachael. He only uses his RV once or twice a year, and has been able to cover some of the loan payments by lending it out. He likes renting to Rachael because she pays on time. Rachael always leaves his cabin clean after she uses is, and leaves the tank of gas full on his boat after a day on the lake.

–

Everyone’s Happy

There was one other side effect of our website for Rachael and Charlie. They were neighbors for three years but never met before they started using our site. Now that they have met they are great friends. Rachael likes to come over and watch movies on Charlie’s home theater, and Charlie likes to day-dream about all the cool stuff he would buy for Rachael’s sparsely decorated home. In fact, they like each other so much they are thinking about moving in together. Wow!

Our service works for everyone. Are you an extreme shopper? Be like Charlie and make some extra money by lending out your goods. Are you extremely frugal? Save some money by borrowing those things you only need every once in a while. Either way, iRent2u is the place to do it.

Are you looking for love? Well we can’t promise you that you will be as lucky as Rachael and Charlie, but what better way for the girl-next-door and the good-old-boy to meet?

–

iRent2u.com

iRent2u.com – the Online Rental Marketplace. Come here to find anything you are looking for; go away with extra money, cool things to rent, and maybe even love… =^)

Oh, and for the record, we don’t really think it is going to work out between Charlie and Rachael. Can you imagine their first fight about money? Yikes!

–

Popularity: 26% [?]