YARD SALE OR... A NEW CONSUMER TREND: CROWD SHARING
It used to be a way to drum up business was to hit yard and garage sales. It made sense and perhaps still does. But who has the time to go from sale to sale in hopes to get a lead or a sale. Now with the internet it makes sense to use technology and sharing instead of wasting vital time driving from place to place on your dime alone. Check out the hints below and use it to your advantage if it is available.
As more and more consumers get connected and with smart phones glued to our ears, the net is powering news ways for consumers to engage in a "shareable" world. We are used to the concept of car rentals but this new collaborative trend is fueling all sorts of possibilities to rent, share and go green. Social media is also adding to the rapid expansion of the trend.
Today if you have an "asset", a boat, car bicycle, 2nd home etc., there is bound to be a place on the web where you can go and let everyone know it's available for rent. From garden tools to a exotic homes, the web is making it easier to conduct commerce in ways that were non existent years ago.
About 5 years ago, in large cities, a concept called Zip Car came about.
(http://www.zipcar.com) This service allows city dwellers to rent a car, in their neighborhood, just for an hour or two. This idea makes sense and is very cost effective but recently the trend is getting more pervasive.
In the same space as eBay, a site called Swap Your Stuff (http://market.swap.com) allows easy interaction to buy, sell or rent personal items without going through eBay.
But one area that can use some modernization is children's clothing. Estimates are that about 1/3 of children's clothes never get used. Now there is a market where others might take a shot at buying gently used clothing. A site called Threadup http://www.threadup.com powers this trend. For the giddy teen who must always have the latest, trendy clothes, there ishttp://www.swapstyle.com. This site lets you take a picture of clothing you no longer want and upload it to the web, sharing it with others who want to cut a "Swap Deal".
Dream Vacations By The Night.
Crowd sharing has not left out the vacation industry. Now it's possible to rent wonderful properties by the night. This site, http://www.airbnb.com has some great ideas for domestic and international get-aways.
Hail a Bike, Not A Taxi" One of the fastest areas where this crowd sharing is seen is bicycle sharing. It started in Washington, D.C. and now is rolling out in New York ( http://a841-tfpweb.nyc.gov/bikeshare and in Houston http://www.bcycle.com and to much smaller cities. Instead of taking a cab 15 blocks, swipe your debit card and jump on a bike. There is an obvious savings in terms of dollars but also the trend creates a positive impact on the environment.
How To Get The Trend Going Locally:
With the pervasiveness of social media there are organizations in your area that would probably help you create a space on their website to share, swap or sell just about anything. Your local newspaper is a good start. Also, in some Connecticut town, Patch.com would offer great placement opportunity.
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