[imagesource: Strapp / Konrad]

Konrad over there is visibly thrilled to be able to rent out his “barely used” push mower.

If someone takes his offer, he can make R5o a day, R185 a week, or R400 a month thanks to listing the mower on a new online rental marketplace platform called Strapp.

You may also have something lying around gathering cobwebs and dust that you’re not keen to completely throw out or sell because, you know, you might need it again one day. But at the same time, the more spiders that build a home on it, the more guilty you feel.

Darren De Abreu saw an opportunity in this problem, building a platform that allows you to rent out your personal belongings as you see fit.

Darren told CapeTalk‘s Refilwe Moloto that Strapp allows South Africans to safely monetise items they may not be frequently using, while taking advantage of the country’s second-hand economy:

There’s also the added element of getting whatever you need, whenever you want, on top of the added bonus of not buying excess stuff and adding to the waste piles later.

In a country like ours, there is the worry that what you rent could be stolen, but the platform apparently has an array of safety features to ensure this does not happen.

There’s a rating and review system, user verification, safety deposits, insurance, and quality checks to keep things above board.

Scrolling through the listings on Strapp, there’s plenty on offer:

Image: Strapp

You can try out surfing without buying a board, home DIY projects without spending a fortune on a drill you won’t use again, beekeeping without hustling too hard for a beekeeper’s suit, and you can even select from a wide range of trailers for all your moving needs.

Smaller items, like a laptop backpack, make a little less sense as a rental listing. Then again, if the internet has taught me one thing, there is always someone whose needs will surprise you.

Anyway, next time you’re racking your brain for a place to find a ladder for the day, or a dishwasher, or a wheelchair, or a dumbbell set, you might want to try Strapp.

Delivery is decided between the lender and the borrower, and payments (via PayFast or Stitch) are handled on the website.

[source:capetalk]