ShareThings, a new online rental marketplace, is about connecting people who have things they’re not using, with people who need those exact things for doing, while earning cash.
The site enables ‘lenders’ to earn money by listing items like these, that they don’t mind sharing with others, to people who need them. ‘Borrowers’ in turn, get to rent an item they need but don’t want to buy, letting them do more and saving them money. There is also an important environmental benefit. By borrowing, rather than buying, you reduce your carbon footprint and save on packaging and landfill.
ShareThings founder, Simon den Bak, started the company during lockdown, but his lightbulb moment actually came a year ago from a broken one.
“A light went out in our kitchen, I needed a ladder as we have high ceilings but I didn’t want to buy one just to change a bulb” he said. “I was sure somebody on our street would have one I could borrow, I just didn’t know how to find out who.”
With more time on his hands during lockdown, the idea kept growing. ”I was talking to a friend about how much stuff we had in our garages that we don’t use; bikes, GoPros, golf clubs, and I thought this could be much bigger than just tools”.
Simon found similar sites in the UK and Netherlands which were having huge success and knew this was an idea which would work in New Zealand.
“The way it works is very kiwi, everybody here has each other’s back and are always keen to help each other out when they can. This is basically lending your neighbour a drill, but your ‘neighbour’ might live a suburb over and pays you for it.”
The site recently went live, with the (small) commission waived until the end of September, encouraging users to make the most of the next couple of months on the platform. There’s also 3 x $150 vouchers for Crave Café up for grabs in August, all you need to do is list an item and you’ll be automatically entered into the draw.
ShareThings has plans to soon launch a web app which will work alongside the desktop version.
People can get more info about how the marketplace works and sign up at www.sharethings.co.nz