The 'Buy Nothing Generation' focuses on being debt free. With that in mind, Kristine Everly Smith co-founded Brevvie, a digital retail marketplace connected to physical locations and enabling on demand renting and sharing.
We are in the midst of a Buy Nothing movement. Buy Nothing offers people a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through a worldwide economy network. The belief is that communities are more resilient, sustainable, equitable, and joyful when they have functional sharing and economies. The movement also quotes ideals of the new rich that include being carefree about houses, cars, and designer brands. The Buy Nothing generation focuses on being debt free, and believe that investing time well means investing in experiences.
This movement paved the way for a well-curated service called Brevvie, which stands for Briefly Rent Everything. The service is packaged in app controlled kiosks that users can gain access to on demand. Everyday items such as vacuum cleaners, tools, ladders, camping gear, beach gear and games are located inside and available for use by simply renting and returning.
The ingenious tech service takes the onus out of peer-to-peer exchange, where the back and forth can be tedious. It also allows for accountability on the part of the renter. The autonomous system works unlike any other because of the return technology. Upon returning a rented item, the user must rank the product. They must also disclose if they lost a part or broke an item and take a product “selfie” to show how they are returning the item.
“Autonomous renting and returning is a new consumer behavior,” said company COO Kristine Everly. “We are educating on the importance of taking care of items for the next user as a sustainability model.”
The service includes a two-way rating system which ensures positive renting habits from users.
“Our goal at Brevvie is to provide a sustainable alternative to overconsumption. We charge a nominal fee to rent items in order to keep renters accountable. Should an item not get returned, the user is financially responsible for replacing it. This process helps ensure products stay in good condition. Not to mention – Brevvie checks and cleans products in between each use.” said Everly
Kristen Everly Smith with a Brevvie LockerMany are calling this new service offered by Brevvie a product of the new rich, providing users the ability to use products without large upfront costs to own them, or the hassle of storing them.
“The less I own the better. I move around and travel a lot for my job and trying to sell items before I move is always time-consuming.” said Stacy Eley, a Brevvie client. “I also love this as a try before you buy service. If I ever do buy a vacuum for my home it will be a Dyson because I’ve rented it and it’s awesome!”
Currently the top rented items are the Dyson vacuum, Black & Decker tool kit, Little Giant Ladder, Yeti cooler, moving gear, various camping and beach gear, as well as a Bissel carpet and upholstery cleaner. Those statistics show us that people will regularly rent items they use infrequently and do not want to store.
The overall vibe as we move through the pandemic is that less is more, and that life’s experiences can and will never be replaced by things. From practical household items, to things meant for entertainment usage, Brevvie offers users the gift of access to the items they are in search of without long-term strings attached. What will you do when you Briefly Rent Everything?
For more on Kristine Everly Smith, click here.