These days, many of us consume products and services through subscriptions. While the first subscriptions appeared in the telecoms and internet industries, they now reach into more and more sectors.
Why has this way of consuming revolutionised our lives?
Subscriptions come with a series of well-known advantages, which explain the growing number of customers signing up: exclusive access to content (media, news), dematerialised products (music streaming), personalised offerings (Netflix), access to one or more additional services (Amazon Prime), discovery offers (beauty or food boxes) and much more.
So we asked ourselves: what benefits could a subscription bring to the furniture sector?
1. First of all, it is extremely practical
The whole principle of a furniture subscription or rental is being able to use a product or service for a set period, according to your own needs.
What could make more sense than using it to furnish your home when you know you will be staying 4 months, 6 months, 1 year or 2 years in a flat before having to move on for one reason or another?
And there is no shortage of reasons: your first rental after spending most of your life at mum and dad's, your first internship, your first university exchange, a flatshare, your first solo flat, your first flat with your partner — then a break-up and back to living solo — your first job and your first cravings for comfort, your first career opportunity that is too good to miss...
Life's twists and turns force us to be ever more mobile (hello Millennials and students), and we should all have access to a simple, practical furniture rental solution to support us through these stages. No more spending hours shopping for furniture, no more hiring a van or convincing a mate that ''yes, the sofa will fit in your 206'', no more moving it all yourself… in short, no more headaches!
2. It saves us money
Another advantage of renting furniture is access to a more varied offering without breaking the bank — and even while saving money.
With a well-designed subscription system, renting furniture lets us save hundreds of CHF on a move, hundreds more CHF on buying furniture (new or second-hand), yet more hundreds on buying replacement furniture because the old pieces no longer suit our new flat, hundreds because we simply cannot stand the sight of those chairs any more, or thousands of CHF because we finally want access to designer, quality furniture.
And yes, of course, you can always resell your furniture. We have all been there — offloading the bed at the last minute (''bed for 100 CHF, urgent departure, literally in 5 hours''), or eating off the ironing board for two weeks because we could not turn down that offer for the dining table (let's say, 40% of the purchase price…).
Being able to access quality furniture for an affordable monthly price ultimately adds up to a real saving.
3. It dramatically reduces our initial outlay
Let's be honest: renting a flat as a student or young professional comes with a hefty upfront cost.
With a rental, there is the current month's rent, a deposit (equivalent to two months' rent for a furnished flat) and possible agency fees. Add furniture purchases on top of that, and the bill can quickly become steep.
Renting our furniture allows us to spread out that investment — and to rent an unfurnished flat, where the rent can be up to 30% cheaper than an already furnished one (with a smaller deposit, too). That difference in rent can cover our furniture rental : jackpot!
4. It is good for the planet
And let's not forget — this really should be our priority, full stop.
In France alone, the furniture market accounts for more than 2.6 million tonnes of furniture bought every year. And every year, 1.7 million tonnes end up in the bin… The share that gets recycled is still small.
And consumption means production. The more we consume, the more we produce and the more we pollute.
Renting furniture is a first step, because it means taking part in a circular economy in which the lifespan of furniture is extended. The more we embrace this model of consumption, the more manufacturers will have to make their production increasingly sustainable (bye bye fast furniture). Welcome to a slightly better world!
5. Our tastes change, our desires evolve
The beauty of a subscription is that it can adapt to consumers' changing desires and deliver an ever more personalised service.
And that makes a lot of sense when we know full well that our own tastes change over time. What is the point, today, of spending hundreds (or even thousands) on furniture we will not be able to stand the sight of in a few months, or two years from now?
Furniture rental adapts to our ever-changing desires, because it also allows us to regularly swap our furniture for new pieces without throwing money out of the window.
6. It saves a considerable amount of time
As Millennials, we have finally understood that time is our most precious asset. And we love anything that helps us save it.
When it comes to furnishing a home, we spend hours upon hours hunting for that rare gem. Hours trawling sites like Leboncoin, made.com, But, Conforma... Wandering around homeware shops only to end up buying things we did not really need…
Renting furniture obviously cuts down the time spent on this tedious task. Not only because there is a catalogue of pre-selected furniture (that is certainly what we do at Rentli) but also because the services these platforms offer make life easier: delivery within 7 days, furniture that arrives already assembled and ready to be set up in your home (no more deciphering instruction manuals — we do it for you), and no more worries about moving or selling your furniture: your pieces are collected at the end of your subscription!
Hours and hours saved that we can put towards the many things that matter far more to us.
7. It lets us try before we buy
Renting furniture is practical, economical, sustainable and fast — but what happens if we end up staying in our flat longer than planned, or if we fall in love with the piece(s) we have rented?
We include a purchase option in all our rentals, equal to the retail price minus the monthly payments you have already made.
In a way, we give ourselves the chance to test a piece of furniture before committing to it.
At the end of the subscription, we might also be tempted to extend it and enjoy the furniture we love for a few more months. That, too, is possible with Swaap.
We have thought of everything.
8. We get access to more premium furniture
Not all of us want to — or can — invest thousands of CHF in premium-brand furniture, even if it does make us all dream a little. Today, fast furniture gives us broad access to design-led pieces, but the comfort does not always live up to expectations (and neither does the quality — though isn't that rather the point, so we replace our furniture more often…?).
Yet we should all have access to furniture that combines design, comfort and durability. And that is another big advantage of furniture rental, which puts these products within reach through an affordable monthly subscription.
9. You finally feel at home
We all know the feeling: when renting a flat, it is always hard to truly feel at home, because we know it is temporary — even when no end date has been set.
For simplicity's sake, we often turn to flats that come already furnished. But the furniture in them is very often tired and uncomfortable. So we end up paying the price of convenience at the expense of feeling good at home.
Unfortunately, in times like these, we are spending more time at home than ever. So at Swaap, we have made it our mission to ensure everyone can at least feel good at home, without compromising on comfort or anything else. And there is something for every taste (and every budget).
10. The principle? You no longer have to lift a finger
A constantly evolving platform to guarantee you the best possible user experience. A top-flight furniture selection already curated for you, with a focus on design, durability and your comfort. Delivery, assembly and installation of your furniture within 14 days. Collection of your furniture at the end of your subscription — or the option to extend it, buy your favourite pieces or swap them to try something new.
All of it in just a few clicks. So that you can calmly focus on yourself and your personal ambitions, free from the hassle of furnishing your home or moving out of it. So that you, too, can feel truly at home. That is our deepest wish at Swaap — and you can count on us to do everything we can to make it happen.
