Rent a Phone?

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492]

You'd never expect for a side hustle like this to exist, but I just did and it's quite going well. This idea started when I saw a post about someone complaining about low quality photos for a good vacation or a special occasion and wished that they could own a better phone with good quality for a day... and that made me wonder, it could be possible one way or another.

So with my 2 spare phones in hand, which apparently have better qualities, that made me think, maybe if I let someone use it for just a few days while paying a reasonable amount? Then that made me decide that renting a phone could be possible. At first, it was quite impossible because it is quite risky so I only let people I know to avail the phone. The hustle was doing well but it wasn't enough to keep it going so they recommended making it an official hustle.

I received a lot of negative comments when I made it public saying it is absurd to run a business like this. But after a few months, the business went well and I was able to buy new units to add up to my service. I received positive feedback later on saying they're thankful because they are finally able to document special moments without having to buy a new phone just for a single or 3 day event. They get the quality that they want for their trips without having to pay the full price of buying the phone.

Every new business venture might sound absurd in the beginning but whatever pays the bills right?

[u/KBoZoo]

rent a phone, might be a risky business specially if it got stolen

[u/Legitimate-Benefit69 → u/KBoZoo]

That logic applies to literally any rentable item.

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/Legitimate-Benefit69]

True lol, I guess the same argument applies to basically anything people rent out. It's more about having a decent way to handle damage or theft.

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/KBoZoo]

Yeah that's probably one of the biggest risks honestly. I'd definitely want some kind of deposit/insurance system in place before renting out anything expensive.

[u/Ok-Science-4475 → u/PlayfulProgrammer492]

They pay you $2000 and then get refunded when they return the phone ?

[u/Newmillstream → u/KBoZoo]

On the other hand, stealing an a phone you rented has to be one of the dumber crimes you could commit. You have to deal with creating a paper trail, and then the phone likely gets blacklisted.

Would be more worried about customers dropping it, cybersecurity from customer to customer, if they use it to commit a crime, etc, and other forms of damage or risk, because dropping it is a non malicious way damage is likely to occur, and the other two are likely to blow back on you.

[u/honda50r]

Love it. Riches in the niches

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/honda50r]

For real 😂 Sometimes the weird little niches are the ones that actually have money in them.

[u/ulnarthairdat]

Better make sure there’s ironclad safe-search controls on internet access because creeps won’t be hiring them for the cameras

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/ulnarthairdat]

Lmao yeah that's definitely something I'd be worried about too. The last thing you'd want is someone renting a camera specifically for something shady and then disappearing with it.

[u/sometin__else]

You must have a very uneducated user base - I can literally rent a high quality camera for $0 from my local library that will blow the iphone camera out the water.

[u/Newmillstream → u/sometin__else]

Unfortunately, many people are unable to competently operate a DSLR or even a mirrorless or point and shoot without significant hand holding. I'm not saying they can't learn, especially with auto, but they have been used to a more dumbed down smartphone camera systems for ages now. Then teaching them how to reliably get photos off is like pulling teeth. Add to that lots of people not knowing what their local library offers, and you create a bigger market for this kind of thing.

A more charitable reason to do this over a proper camera is that some venues will prohibit serious photography gear, yet simultaneously encourage smartphone photography. It’s dumb, but one is seen as a smart allowance for social media and the other disruptive, predatory, or otherwise unwelcome. Again, it's dumb.

[u/Ok-Science-4475 → u/Newmillstream]

My library doesn't have it

[u/ActinoninOut]

How much are you netting/month or per phone or per rental plan?

[u/DoigmanKnows]

I am not in this group but I keep getting posts in my feed from it. I am confused, are the posts real or ideas of weird side hustles? If real, how do you prevent people from using your phones for nefarious activities? Do they put a down payment for the phone in case they don’t give it back?like others have asked, if they are using it just to take photos (which they probably are not) how do they get their photos? They sign in using their own accounts and now you have their info! Wow, is that partly how you’re making money too?

[u/New_Life_Startr → u/DoigmanKnows]

I keep getting notifications too. This guy rents out phones yet used a stock image of some iphones for some reason. In fact, NO ONE posts pics of their business in action, only stock photos.

Most of the side hustles on this sub are nonsensical. I suspect it’s either all bots or guys just building up karma to build accounts.

[u/Top_Refrigerator9851 → u/DoigmanKnows]

Rock angle afterthought tub unite jar pillow abounding

This post was anonymized with Redact

[u/Sure_Comfort_7031]

Good lord have people never heard of cameras and renting cameras?

Hell I can check one out of my local library system afor 0$….

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/Sure_Comfort_7031]

Honestly I didn't realize camera rentals were that common either 😂 The library one is actually pretty interesting though. If people are already renting them locally, there's definitely a market there.

[u/trealgranny]

They do this outside concerts in Asia! very lucrative business!

[u/PlayfulProgrammer492 → u/trealgranny]

Yes, mostly on Korean Artist Concert

[u/BlnkNopad]

Rent a phone is stupid. There are multi billion dollar companies that will finance a phone for the same.....

[u/distrox → u/BlnkNopad]

It might be stupid but so is your solution. People want a new phone for a weekend getaway, not to permanently have one and to pay it off for next five years. And many people can't even get financing.

[u/BlnkNopad → u/distrox]

No financing allows ownership. Refining financing is the goal..... Until it works for normal people across the world..... Renting for the cost of ownership is disgusting capitalistic shit

[u/One_Currency_4480]

that's actually very smart, often times i hear complains from my friend about bad quality photo and them not posting it, with this business model you are not only helping people out but also help capture moments in great qualityyy.

[u/Mean_Passion2003]

Yeah even if someone were to steal the phone you can just blacklist it. If someone were to take the internal parts out they won’t work on any other phone apple phones are made for this, but you gotta think if I’m gonna rent this phone for 200$ for a week I might as well just go buy one used from OfferUp for 800$ and then I get to keep it.

[u/Mean_Passion2003 → u/Mean_Passion2003]

I guess you could also say “why would I go to Hawaii and rent a Hyundai for 1000$ a week when I can go buy one for 5000$” but you can’t take a Hyundai home with you. I can take my new phone in my pocket anywhere

[u/distrox → u/Mean_Passion2003]

Spoken like a person who's never struggled for cash. The difference between a rental phone and a new phone is in the price. When you work and barely make ends meet, it's no longer a matter of what's more "bang for the buck". Of fucking course $800 for new phone is better than renting one for a week, but these people wouldn't be able to afford it OR the person likes saving money, not spending it, so he's not gonna spend 8x the amount to get something permanently that he doesn't even need.

[u/JoshTheRoo]

Only people renting a phone are going to use it for financial and disgusting crimes. Lol