Renting Equipment: Viable Enterprise?

[KD5MDK]

I was thinking about the problem many fencers face, of finding their gear to suddenly (i.e. after months of no maintance) failing at equipment control at a competiton. Or, having forgotten or otherwise been unable to obtain their body cords, etc.

Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps vendors might consider for some things (like sabres, body cords, mask cords, etc) which you need (particularly the spare weapon & BC, but may not want to buy (you've got plenty at home, etc), having them checked by control and then rented to fencers in sudden need for a reasonable fee, with security.

Take a nice decent bodycord. You can buy it for $25, or if you suddenly need it because yours failed, don't own a second, etc you can rent it for $6 today, with you leaving your driver's license or a credit card perhaps as security. Do that 3 times, then sell it as "slightly used" for $15 and have made $33 off the $25 item.

Maybe $25 for a mask, or $50 for a Lexan one (saving someone who won't go to many World Cups the $300 or whatever it would cost to buy their own)?

I know vendors make lots of sales because of these emergency buys, but I wonder if this way of making extra money might work out. Responses?

[poskat]

incredibly sneaky idea. i should have come up with that.

but as far as it goes over here in ireland, we all rent each other stuff, because its such a small community. plus the coach we have teaches nearly all other clubs aswell, and supplies all of us with missing things.


but id so start a buisiness like that if i had the moneys.

[yeoldearmourer]

It's been tryed in the past and the cost of maintain the equiepementwas out of the world. Manily because the fencers didnt care and woulod abuse it. Not a new idea at all.

[remise]

We actually had a fencer at our club that would do that...but when the foils he was leasing out came back snapped in half - one after the other - he decided that the cost of replacing them was just too high.

[oso97]

Weapons, yea, that wouldn't be something I'd get in the business of renting. But body cords, jackets, masks, lames... that strikes me as being possible.

[jrgunn]

That's the upshot at our club. We have some loaner weapons/lames/bodycords for those that don't have them, but we also sell them on site. Rental sounds good, but just looses money. Better to sell at an affordable price, then its the fencer's problem.

[Mr Epee]

I've thought this one through in a club setting, and realized it wouldn't be feasible due to the time expenditure/revenue potential. Of course it's a slightly different story if you are dealing with a few hundred members. Most clubs aren't like that though.

And also what would you do about people who simply loan a team mate an extra body wire? Would you ban this common and friendly gesture? Probably not - but why would people rent something if it's available for free.

That said. If you think you can make it work, take a shot and let us know how it works out for you.

[oso97]

Well, in my club, I provide all equipment for anyone who needs it, as part of the fees they pay for the classes. Competitive members (those taking private lessons) are required to have their own equipment. Its a good model and it works for my particular situation, your millage my vary.

But I was talking about at tournaments, in line with the original poster.

[Eduardo]

depending on how much money you got to invest, consider getting a few copper pistes. those should be reasonably easy to rent for clubs trying to improve their local competitions.

[KD5MDK]

I'm not so sure about the economics of piste rental. To make back your money over any reasonable period of time you'd either have to charge a lot, or have a lot.

Anyway, I was just thinking of it as a small sideline, to make a few extra bucks. Body cords, lames or masks could be rented for a decent fraction of their cost, and shouldn't be too easily damaged.

oso97 - One of the biggest drawbacks to sabre fencing is the high upfront cost of equipment. If you offered mask/lame/cuff/sabre rental or rent to own it might make things more viable for fencers looking to be competitive, spread out the costs a bit without risking too much damage.

[yeoldearmourer]

Like i said go and tryed it but you will lose your shrit. Listen to the voice of experence. But try it and you will find that I am right