Over the past few years, there has been an explosion in the number of rental sites for premium products such as luxury cars, fashion wear, designer shoes, designer furniture and essentials like home appliances, study tables and even a bean bag! It almost seems like renting is the new buying, especially for those between 20 and 40 year olds.
"I had to attend my friend's wedding for two days in Udaipur. She belongs to this really rich family from Surat and I had no clue as to what should I wear on her big day. There were going to be celebrity guests coming in for her wedding and my friend wanted me to look the best. I couldn't figure out how and from where I could buy dresses which wouldn't pinch my wallet. That's when I came across some online sites from where I could rent wedding lehengas by renowned designers for a nominal charge! Shoes, bags and even accessories were all taken care of. I finally made it to the wedding looking like a princess," says Vinya Datta, a 27-year-old advertising professional.
Just like Vinya, there are many who have rented other commodities without having to worry about burning a hole in their pocket. Sudeep Mudanna, a 32-year-old marketing professional says, "I moved in from Lucknow a couple of months back and a big project required me to go out and socialise with my clients. Since I work for a start-up, it is impossible for my company to pay for my cab expenses and thereby I had to take one on my own. Because I was responsible for their commute, I wasn't sure whether I should take a normal kaali peeli taxi. That is when a colleague told me to rent a vehicle from a website. They had a great collection of hatchbacks, SUVs and even luxury vehicles and that too at a reasonable charge. I ended up renting a car for a month for `14,000."
Gardish Naik, a manager of one such online rental site which categorically deals with wedding clothing says, "Gone are the days when people would buy expensive attires for weddings and then pass it onto their children and grandchildren. These days, youngsters prefer renting even their wedding outfits. To make it available to our customers, we make sure that they aren't charged the same as they would pay if they had to buy from a store. So, a wedding sari can be rented for `500, a bridal sari for `1,500 and a wedding lehenga for `1,000." These products are available only on a refundable deposit amount, to make sure they are taken good care of.
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
Resource: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/Rent-a-high-flying-lifestyle/articleshow/53667722.cms
