If you’ve kept a keen eye on the business world, then you’ll be well aware that companies running a sharing economy business model have been incredibly successful and show no signs of slowing down. We’re talking the likes of ride-sharing companies Uber (which was recently banned in Egypt) and Lyft, as well as peer-to-peer house sharing juggernaut, Airbnb, but while those three are undoubtedly the most well-known, they aren’t the only companies getting rich from the sharing economy climate.
Lime
For those who live in a big city and are without their own car, they don’t necessarily want to take public transport all the time, nor do they wish to get an Uber or taxi when trying to get somewhere. Buying a bike is the next option, but storing it somewhere safe and paying for its maintenance are additional stressors which many city-dwellers don’t want to handle. Enter Lime. The transport app lets you rent electric scooters or electric bikes at points all over the city. The great thing is that once you’re finished with the bike or scooter, you either leave it at a docking station, or at a safe spot out of harm’s way. There are a few competitors for Lime over the world, but the electric factor and the bright green paint job give it an extra eye-catching appeal for those looking for a quick journey across town.
Fat Llama
The interestingly-named Fat Llama is an idea that is really taking off: borrowing, not buying. For a daily fee, you can rent anything from cameras to projectors to drones to sports equipment. These items are being rented out by everyday folk who simply wish to share their own things with those in need of them for a temporary time. Buying an expensive electrical item and only using it once or twice is a huge waste, but if you can simply rent out something and still use it for an art project or just a bit of fun, then everyone wins.
Bargo
People borrow cars, bikes, and motorcycles, so why not boats? Bargo lets people list their own boat on the site, and for any holidaymaker wanting a unique experience via a boat ride in places like Holland, Italy, Portugal, Greece, and many more countries, they can search for a vessel to their liking and rent it easily for a day or two. The sharing economy clearly knows no bounds, so it’s fantastic to see a company like Bargo take advantage of the fact that anything can be rented out to anyone, if there is a demand and the price is right. What’s more, things – whether that’s a boat or a camera – which are sitting around and not currently being used by their owner, can be made useful again and provides a great monetary incentive at the same time.
Where will the sharing economy go from here? It’s hard to tell right now, but the future will be strong for this burgeoning area of business.
