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Lex DeVille's - 200 Mostly Offline Rental Business Ideas

Matt Hunt

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True. I guess what I mean by that is I'm unsure how much demand is there. Though we do have a local business here that rents out camera gear, so there must be some. But I'm in a local photography group on Facebook, and the subject of gear rentals rarely comes up.
 
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Mckenzie

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Looking at the 100 Unsexy Business Ideas thread had me thinking about rentals. Thought we could separate the discussion so we can have rentals all in one place.

Below is 100 ideas off the top of my head that could be rented. These are in no particular order and by no particular industry. I tried to add a range of things from stuff you have around the house, to stuff you will have to invest serious cash in. Feel free to add more.

1. Lawn Mowers
2. Camping Tents
3. Portable Toilets
4. Christmas Lights
5. Concrete Barriers
6. Road Signs
7. Parking Lot Space
8. Mobile Home
9. Extra Room in Your Home
10. Garage Space
11. Moving Truck/van
12. Pickup Truck
13. Musical Instruments
14. Furniture
15. Trailers
16. Road Barrels
17. Kids Toys (slides, swings etc.)
18. Party lighting
19. Audio equipment
20. Barn (for weddings, parties etc.)
21. Canoes and Kayaks
22. Ski Gear
23. Carpet Cleaning Van/equipment
24. Restaurant Equipment
25. Indoor Cannabis Grow Rooms/Kits
26. HD Camera
27. Drones
28. Livestreaming Setup
29. Computers
30. Soundproof Studio
31. Casket
32. Portable Swimming Pool
33. Bounce House
34. Storage Units
35. Appliances (Fridge, Washer, Dryer, Microwave)
36. Plastic or Metal Tables & Chairs
37. Laser
38. Wood working tools
39. Metal working tools
40. Tractor
41. Plumbing tools
42. Attic Storage (I wonder if you could post this on AirBnB?)
43. ATV/Golf Cart
44. Video Games / Video Game Systems
45. Home Staging Supplies
46. Halloween Props
47. Halloween Costumes
49. Christmas Props
50. Fake Christmas Trees
51. Children's Supplies (Toy box, bassinet, play pin)
52. Storm Shelter or Doomsday Fallout Shelter
53. Metal Fencing
54. Electronic Radar Speed Signs
55. Yard Tools for Neighbors
56. Wheelchair, crutches, leg brace
57. Exercise equipment
58. Office chairs or desks
59. Standing desks
60. Home cooking supplies
61. Lawn chairs
62. Barbecue Grill
63. Construction Equipment (bulldozer, steam roller etc.)
64. Chains for transporting heavy equipment on diesels
65. Wall decor (like fancy artwork)
66. Props for influencers and gurus (clothing, jewelry, brand supplies)
67. High-speed internet connection
68. Projector
69. Private home theater
70. Popcorn machine
71. Food Truck
72. Medical Supplies
73. Curtains
74. Air soft Gear
75. Boat or Jet Skis
76. Camping Space
77. Small building for private community events
79. Outdoor festival canopies
80. Carport
81. Storage Shed
82. Meditation Space
83. Survival Gear or Supplies
84. Solar Panels
85. Generator
86. Large Fans (like you used to find in a high school gym)
87. Water pumping equipment (for pumping flooded basements)
88. Scaffolding
89. Hazmat Gear
90. Digital Billboard Space
91. Shuttle Service
92. Horses
93. Greenhouse
94. Moving Gear (dolly, straps, trailer hitch)
95. Security Cameras
96. Cots, Inflatable Beds, Other bedding
97. 5 Gallon Gatorade-Style Jugs
98. Office Space
99. Isolation Tanks
100. Tanning Beds

Looking forward to what you come up with. Go as big or small as you want. As wild or reserved too.
WOW, what a list! Thanks Lex. I tumbled on number #9-extra room in your home- last year...It's sooooo good. The 2 spare rooms I have in my house bring me extra $20,000 p/y.
 

DustinH

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Just wanted to share this.

One of friends here in the area is building his own rental platform. It's called AirGym (AirGym) and it's targeted at people who:
a) have home gyms and want to let someone from out of town use it, or
b) small, local crossfit/regular gyms who want to let someone from out of town come and use their gym for the day. All for a small fee.

So, if you are traveling and want to find a local gym then you could go through AirGym. It's still pretty new and not sure how much reach it has across the US yet.

So, connecting people to use rental stuff is also a good avenue to keep in mind.
 

Tossek

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What I have seen in my business area is that there is always a demand for ... climate test chambers (humidity and temperature). I already made some estimations on how this business would scale and it does not look to good.

Climate test chambers cost like 10 k each. They are extremely bulky and eat up electricity as hell (starts at ~ 2kw/h).

My idea would be to build up infrastructure and rent just the space for doing the testing. This would solve the "problem" the companies have for finding distinct spaces for them. However, you still need (at least) someone to carry out the testing and supervision. And this would mean you need >> 10 chambers and orders equivalent. I do not see how this can work out in the end :-(
 
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clickninja

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here's another rental idea: roof boxes for your car.

they can match your car's color (some colors) and can be rented out in winter (ski) and summer (longer trips)

You can run some Ads to people interested in traveling that are also parents (because kids need lots of stuff when they travel)

You could get $25-$45 / day for something like this.
Add the bars ($10-15/day) if the car doesn't have any.
roof-box-category-image.jpg
 

Jeff Noel

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Just got this idea from reading this thread. Never dealt with this type of business before, but it's really interesting. Hope to get a response on my math below to see (not great at it), if it makes sense.

I found a niche product. Cost is $1100. Multiple companies are renting this out, some focusing only on this product, others as just another product of their equipment available for rent.

The daily rate to rent this goes from $40-$75 / day.

My idea is this:
It's possible to get a loan for $1100 with a 5% interest on a 3 year periode. I've never taken a loan before, so I don't know if this is good or not. I guess it means I will pay the person back $1265 after the three years. It's around $35 / month in payments (correct me if I'm wrong).

Since I'm traveling at the moment, I can't personally be there. Thinking about offering a friend 20-50% of the company for doing the manual work with the product and customers.

I think it's possible to lower the daily rate magnificent, so I will have a price advantage. Could be $20-25 / day.

I will then have to rent the product out 2 days / month to break even. Everything else is at least 50% profit for me.

Does this make any sense?

Do you have hot leads, people ready to put down the cash to rent the item and maybe the worker that comes with it (at another $60+ hourly rate) ? How many customers or days rented do you need to make profit ? Is there enough need to justify an employee ?

Check your numbers, it'll give you a good idea on how long it would take to repay the loan and become profitable.

Edit: Sorry, I just realized the post I replied to is 2 weeks old.
 

93world

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Not sure if previously mentioned, but could you not run the whole idea through an app where you own none of the stuff?

Similar to a market place app, you allow members of the public to list items they don't mind renting or hiring out (drills, lawn mowers etc) and people can make offers on what they want.

People make spare money on items sitting unused, people get tools they need without paying, app owners/developers take a small percentage..

Maybe im being naive!
 
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Lex DeVille

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Not sure if previously mentioned, but could you not run the whole idea through an app where you own none of the stuff?

Similar to a market place app, you allow members of the public to list items they don't mind renting or hiring out (drills, lawn mowers etc) and people can make offers on what they want.

People make spare money on items sitting unused, people get tools they need without paying, app owners/developers take a small percentage..

Maybe im being naive!

You mean like Fat Llama?

Sure, you could do that. It's a different route to profit and there will be some special considerations. How will you handle insurance? How will you keep their property safe? Things like that. But someone could definitely start a similar website.

In the past I considered it and concluded that if I were going that route I'd take it local first. Start the marketplace in a single location, and draw people through word of mouth, and maybe sites like nextdoor.com. In time it can grow into a nice business, or scale internationally as Fat Llama has done.
 

Simon Ashari

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44. Video Games / Video Game Systems

I had heard of people renting video game systems. It isn't a very wise financial decision but people still do it.

I just looked up an Australian website that allows you to rent an XBOX ONE 500GB version.

[NOTE: the following numbers are in Australian dollars]

You could buy one of these brand new on sale for about $300.

You could also rent one from this site for $48.45 per month on a 48 month rental.

$48.45*48= $2146.56

It's unfortunate that people make stupid financial decisions like that... but what can you do?
 

Lex DeVille

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I had heard of people renting video game systems. It isn't a very wise financial decision but people still do it.

I just looked up an Australian website that allows you to rent an XBOX ONE 500GB version.

[NOTE: the following numbers are in Australian dollars]

You could buy one of these brand new on sale for about $300.

You could also rent one from this site for $48.45 per month on a 48 month rental.

$48.45*48= $2146.56

It's unfortunate that people make stupid financial decisions like that... but what can you do?

There's a lot of judgment in that post. You have to consider the context to say whether or not it's a stupid financial decision.

If you just wanted to try out an xbox, and you discover you hate it, then you've saved yourself $250 for the system plus however much you'd spend on games.

If you have a gaming addiction and $48 allows you to rent the system, feel the pain of making that purchase, and helps you avoid spending all your time gaming, then it wouldn't be a poor decision.

If you rented the xbox for one day to prove you could adapt to the system, and beat a top player at a game of his choosing on a bet for $3,000 and you win, then you made a lot of money. Plus, if you're smart and you made a video, you can potentially go viral and make money off ads, affiliates, or any number of other things.

So whether it's a poor financial decision or not is really a matter of context and mindset. Do you have the mindset to make it a good financial decision? If so, then it might not be such a bad deal after all.
 
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Simon Ashari

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If you just wanted to try out an xbox, and you discover you hate it, then you've saved yourself $250 for the system plus however much you'd spend on games.

The price of $48 per month assumes you are locked into a 48 month contract.

They have a 'flex' plan for $58.37 per month.

Unfortunately, none of these rental plans come with games included.
 

Lex DeVille

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The price of $48 per month assumes you are locked into a 48 month contract.

They have a 'flex' plan for $58.37 per month.

Unfortunately, none of these rental plans come with games included.

Source?
 

Kid

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Yes, I tried to keep a balance between side hustles and things that could be rented out for a lot of money to businesses, contractors, govt. etc. Even some of the direct-to-consumer rentals could be a legit business.

One thing I've considered is teaming up with a local music studio to rent my studio out. I could set up the booth in their location and share the profits. They already have the target audience and the space. They already handle customers. It's a value add for them. So they keep half and do all the work and I just collect my paycheck each week or month or whatever. I'm just the guy who fronted the cash for the studio.

There's probably a lot of different ways you could make these ideas happen. The more expensive the item, the better the opportunity for renting it (in my opinion). But the small stuff can add up with consumers. You might end up doing more footwork for less pay with cheap or easily obtainable items though.

Rent a music studio, recording studio - Studiotime
 
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Lex DeVille

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I'm adding sandbags to this list.

Just heard on the news that OKC is so flooded that they're going to Tulsa for 2,000 sandbags because they can't get them here.

So I did quick math...

2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $2 per bag = $4,000 per day
2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $5 per bag = $10,000 per day
2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $25 per bag = $50,000 per day

Uh...someone go buy some sandbags.

Hell, I'll store some in a shed outback and pounce on the next flood for that!

:cool:
 

Raoul Duke

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I'm adding sandbags to this list.

Just heard on the news that OKC is so flooded that they're going to Tulsa for 2,000 sandbags because they can't get them here.

So I did quick math...

2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $2 per bag = $4,000 per day
2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $5 per bag = $10,000 per day
2,000 sandbags x 1 day of use x $25 per bag = $50,000 per day

Uh...someone go buy some sandbags.

Hell, I'll store some in a shed outback and pounce on the next flood for that!

:cool:

Bob's Barricades: The man behind it all

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohYkQP3zyf0
 
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itfactor

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In my city, there are lots of new power companies popping up.

Recently, they're leasing out air conditioners at around $20/unit/month for 72 months.

Not sure if it includes the power bill or not though.
 

George Appiah

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Have rental agreements just like any rental company, or use a third-party rental platform like Fat Llama who has their own agreements and insurance.

That gave me a chuckle... you certainly know nothing about Nigeria, or even my own Ghana :hilarious:

Not saying it cannot be done... but for small items, your only security down here would be to take a refundable deposit -- large enough to cover the cost of the item in case it's never returned or it gets damaged. And, unless you want to run a tiny operation only catering to your immediate locality, you also have to worry about payment infrastructure and delivery (again, not so trivial down here as it might be in the western world.)
 

Lex DeVille

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That gave me a chuckle... you certainly know nothing about Nigeria, or even my own Ghana :hilarious:

Not saying it cannot be done... but for small items, your only security down here would be to take a refundable deposit -- large enough to cover the cost of the item in case it's never returned or it gets damaged. And, unless you want to run a tiny operation only catering to your immediate locality, you also have to worry about payment infrastructure and delivery (again, not so trivial down here as it might be in the western world.)

Yeah! I can see how that would be a problem!
 
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The biggest problem with renting things with a low value of goods is the cost of oppression. At the agreed time, someone has to hand over the belongings, take them back at the agreed time and check their function. Of course, if you're not honest with yourself, it's worth it. If you are honest enough to set a reasonable hourly wage, it is usually a minus business. Alternatively, would you have to raise the business so big that it is worthwhile to put somebody full time?
 

Lex DeVille

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The biggest problem with renting things with a low value of goods is the cost of oppression. At the agreed time, someone has to hand over the belongings, take them back at the agreed time and check their function. Of course, if you're not honest with yourself, it's worth it. If you are honest enough to set a reasonable hourly wage, it is usually a minus business. Alternatively, would you have to raise the business so big that it is worthwhile to put somebody full time?

So rent high value goods. Problem solved.

:cool:
 
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reedracer

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I like combining things. An event space with a custom home theater, soundproof recording studios for video and audio, garage with a lift, and meeting spaces would make life a little less boring.
 

MJ DeMarco

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Bump.
 

Bhanu

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Few things which can be Rented :
-Medical equipment .(Like my cousin rent Oxygen Cylinder)
-Coat/Gown for marriage (I feel the coat we buy for Marriage is just used once in your life.At least in my country we wear it once and that's it. Big waste of money)
-Person who can help old people in buying grocery,take them to Hospital ,Do small errands for them etc.
-Your car (in my country we have concept of Zoom cars quite interesting)
 
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Thoelt53

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There is a company near me that “rents” construction labor. No skilled jobs. Mostly demo, clean up and other types of manual grunt work.

They pay well, have 200 employees, gross ~$20-30M per year (as of 2 years ago, and grown since), and the company is only 10 years old. A bit of math (I’m in the industry) leads me to believe they have about a 30-35% profit margin. Pretty damn good business.
 

foodiepersecond

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22. Ski Gear

Someone had this in a recent Shark Tank episode. Seemed like he was doing well with it. Heard of a dude renting dorm furniture to students or anyone who has had to move in a quick manner in one of @JScott 's podcast. Wish I had thought of that one.
 

Jeff Noel

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Someone had this in a recent Shark Tank episode. Seemed like he was doing well with it. Heard of a dude renting dorm furniture to students or anyone who has had to move in a quick manner in one of @JScott 's podcast. Wish I had thought of that one.
So now that you're thinking about it... what is stopping you ? McDonald's wasn't the first restaurant ever.
 
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YoungPadawan

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Grain bin rental space. $0.02 per bushel per month, build a 100,000 bushel grain bin, sit back and watch the checks roll in.
 

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To piggyback this idea, where you can rent, you can flip.

Renting merely implies that someone only needs the good for a limited amount of time. This means that of any of these products people would rent, there are likely people who bought these tools and no longer need them. You could buy & flip these products, or just buy and rent them as Lex suggested.
 

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