Here at Insteading, we like to explore alternatives to the status quo…especially when those alternatives help us save money, live smaller, get around more efficiently, or reduce waste. Instead of buying new things (even “green” things) we opt for bartering, making, or sharing.
This mindset has grown into its own industry, often referred to as collaborative consumption, or The Sharing Economy.
Times are tough for millions of people around the world, and even those that aren’t struggling are looking for a way off the merry-go-round of consumerism. This need for something different sparked explosive growth among companies and online communities hoping to facilitate more bartering, making, and sharing in 2011…and that growth shows no signs of stopping in 2012.
To help you explore this new and exciting economy, we’re sharing the four collaborative consumption trends poised to explode in the next year. If you think there’s something missing, please share it in a comment!
1. Ridesharing
With dozens of new startups popping up around the world matching drivers with riders, and market leaders like Zimride and Carpooling.com making massive growth strides, ridesharing will start to go mainstream in 2012 (especially around events). Keep an eye on – Zimride, Carpooling.com, and Ridejoy.
2. Unique Experience Marketplaces
Whether it’s scouting for street art or finding hidden culinary holes-in-the-wall with an authentic local guide, unique experience marketplaces will be the first port of call this year. Keep an eye on –Vayable, Gidsy, and Sidetour.
3. Errand Networks
Outsourcing your personal workforce through errand or task marketplaces helps you to get things done faster and better – delegate is the buzzword for 2012! Keep an eye on – TaskRabbit, Zaarly, and Agent Anything.
4. Product Rental
The idea of renting ‘stuff’ has been around a while, but with mobile, location and social tech now in the mainstream, we’re about to see a radical reinevntion of the rental experience. Keep an eye on –Rentcycle, Snapgoods, and AnyHire
List via Collaborative Consumption.com
I love that Collaborative Consumption is getting so much attention these days. There are now 7 billion people in the world and we certainly don’t need 7 billion lawnmowers – which is why we created https://freegler.com for product rental.
RentMyItems.com, which we launched in September 2011, is similar to freegler as it’s an online UK marketplace that facilitates person to person renting of items owned among friends, family and communities. Our aim is to allow users to make money by renting out household items, save money by not spending on new products and to be “green”, as the fewer products consumers buy the less the impact on the environment caused by waste. With the current economic challenges that many households in the major consumption countries are experiencing making and saving money seems a good idea, and using fewer of the world’s limited natural resources to make new goods obviously is!
I love all of these ideas. I have started a website to support Australian food gardeners – the people growing their own food in their back yards, front yards and balconies. It’s an online community where the members can share their abundant produce, experience, ideas and inspiration! It’s at http://www.swapshuffleshare.com if you want to take a look.
Hi Beth! You should also taka a look at MyGuidie (https://myguidie.com), a marketplace for experiences and activities from Poland. Congratulations on the article, you touched on a very interesting topic! Cheers!
http://www.rentstuff.com is another big player in the product rental category. Site recently launched in major cities across the US!