The New Rental Economy租赁经济步入新阶段

The New Rental Economy租赁经济步入新阶段

作者：布赖恩·皮尔森 杨光

来源：《英语世界》2019年第06期

Welcome to retail 2019， when no sale is ever final.

From monthly rentals to circular product swapping， more retailers are catering the whims1 of

shoppers who are inclined to2 invest in what they fantasize their homes and lives to be for

occasions， but not forever.

Rent The Runway3 spotlighted this purchasing proclivity4 with its recent expansion into

reusable home furnishings through a partnership with West Elm5. Rent the Runway follows

Fernish6， whose Seattle and Los Angeles subscribers can rent， trade and buy individual

furnishings or curated collections. And companies such as Joymode7 sell rental subscriptions for

items ranging from martini kits to pizza ovens.

Big brands are eyeing the concept as well： Ikea is planning a furniture leasing program in

Switzerland.

Furniture is just an indicator， however. Borrowing is not low-rent; it’s high style， regardless

of the items changing hands. It’s swapping—a term very palatable8 in the widely accepted sharing

economy. Temporary purchasing in fact shares many characteristics of the sharing economy， which

indicates more product categories will be absorbed into this model of consumerism.

By extending from apparel to the home and beyond， retailers suggest the prognosis for the

borrowing economy’s longevity is better than that of the products involved.

That it seeks to extend the lifecycle of the products traded is fitting， considering its origins

exist， in part， in the fast-fashion craze made possible by low-priced， uber-trendy chains such as

Forever 21. Twenty years later， conscientious9 shoppers are less comfortable contributing to10 the

world’s growing waste problem. Merchants spotted the opportunity and rentals became vogue—a feel-good， feasible alternative for a post-recession population.

Psychologically， temporary ownership appeals because it feels as if we are investing in

experiences， not ownership.

And it’s lucrative11. The resale market alone is expected to generate $41 billion by 2020，

while the sharing economy is projected to reach $335 billion by 2025.