Outdoorsy RV Creates a Rental Business for Vehicles Not in Use

There’s opportunity for America’s 10.5 million RV owners. And go getters can turn side hustles into small businesses. But first you must find a niche.  Outdoorsy RV offers a great example. It allows RV, travel trailer and campervan owners to rent out their RVs to Millennials and GenXers.

And remember, 22 million Americans will be RVing this summer.

Jen Young is Outdoorsy’s co-founder. And she answered some email questions about the company. But she also responded to the company’s new vehicle purchase program with Mercedes.

Two Way Street

Young started by explaining how a venture is really a two-way street.

“Outdoorsy is the largest, most trusted RV rental marketplace,” Young wrote.  “We give everyone the opportunity to access the outdoors in an RV, campervan or pop-up. We also unlock economic opportunity for our owners who can use their often-idle asset to gain income.”

How Outdoorsy RV Rentals Work

The company offers a peer to peer marketplace. And travelers who want to rent a vehicle should make a request through the website. So the owner waits at the other end to review and approve.

“When departure day arrives, the traveler and owner meet and exchange the keys. They do a walk-through of the vehicle and the traveler is off to their destination,” Young writes. “Once the rental is complete, the traveler and owner meet again, exchange the keys and the trip is complete.”

This company offers a few features that make it special. All drivers get a DMV check. And Outdoorsy offers 24/7 roadside rental assistance. The company partners with Liberty Mutual. And they offer a $1 million liability insurance policy.

Generational Lines

The idea appeals to folks across a few generational lines. And Young explains:

“More than 40 percent of our renters are under the age of 40. That shows us that millennials and Gen Xers are increasingly turning to RV travel.”

She adds the company see it as a way to explore in a cost-effective and flexible way.

“For owners, Outdoorsy is particularly appealing because it allows them to use an often-idle asset and earn additional income.”

Other Advantages

And RV owners get some other advantages too.  According to company data, owners can make up to $32,000 per year renting out their units.

Like a lot of other good business ideas, Outdoorsy RV capitalizes on supply and demand in a niche market.

So it comes as no surprise they are looking to grow. And recently, the company introduced a Vehicle Purchase Program. It gives owners the exclusive ability to access, purchase and finance popular Mercedes-Benz Campervans. And these help to build their RV fleets.

Start Small Businesses

But Ourdoorsy empowers other entrepreneurs to start their own small businesses too.

“At Ourdoorsy our goal is to empower owners to build the business they want. The Vehicle Purchase Program, is for owners who have used Outdoorsy for at least 90 days.

They can purchase and finance Mercedes-Benz Campervans and add to their RV fleet for either personal or business use.”

Age-Old Adage

The company satisfies that age-old adage. It gives people what they want. And Young explains:

“We believe the RV rental market will continue to grow as travelers seek more experiential, personalized travel,” Young says. “We’ve seen global trends towards minimalism and preferring experiences over things. That should continue to fuel peer-to-peer sharing platforms.”

Image: Outdoorsy

This article, "Outdoorsy RV Creates a Rental Business for Vehicles Not in Use" was first published on Small Business Trends