The Software as a Service model has taken the tech world by storm, as businesses shift their models to favour subscriptions over sales. This model favours consumers, giving them access to experiences that’d normally require large, upfront payments. That old payment structure made experimenting difficult, it committed you to a longer-term agreement than most would be comfortable with. Subscriptions make trying things out much easier, allowing you to cancel quickly, normally within a month, without major penalties.
Where You Might Have Seen This Model Before
The shift in business models has been widely adopted. On May 6 2013, Adobe – the gold standard in creative software – announced that they would no longer be releasing annual versions of their Creative Suite as they had done for many years before that. Instead, they would be focusing their attentions on Creative Cloud. This was big news at the time, a significant shift in both their product development cycle. It meant customers didn’t need to wait until the next year’s release to get new tools and updates, they’d get pushed live to all subscribers as and when they were ready.
As this model spread into other industries, it has had an interesting impact on consumer behaviour. In some cities, there had been people who could not afford cars but felt unsafe using public transport. Companies like Uber stepped in and have been so successful that now even car owners are considering selling their vehicles to avoid some of the hidden costs of car ownership. Netflix, as another example, has completely changed how people consume media, and their subscription-based streaming service has impacted the cinema, TV and physical media industries.
Helping Others Get Out on the Water
You may be thinking – but what does this have to do with kitesurfing? We at Salty Lemon aren’t just surfers, we’re forward thinkers. We’re problem solvers that want to share the amazing world of kitesurfing with as many people as possible.
Knowing what gear is right for you if you’ve never kitesurfed can be difficult, which makes buying anything on your own very risky. Even if you aren’t new to the sport and have an idea of what you want, there aren’t many opportunities for you to use the gear while you decide if you want to keep it or not – selling your gear on the second-hand market uses up your time and creates a lot of admin. All of these factors led us to create the unique Salty Lemon experience, where our kitesurfing experts help you build the perfect package for you, and you’re able to get out on the water with your rented gear!
Rent, Don’t Buy!
By renting through Salty Lemon, you’re getting the latest gear for a fairer monthly cost. We see this as being a huge step forward for kitesurfing, lowering the barrier of entry and letting more people fall in love with the freedom that kitesurfing brings.
Another added benefit is how we’ve cut out the admin of replacing your gear. We all like using the latest gear, but when most people rely on the sale of their old gear before they can buy the new. Second-hand sales can be a serious inconvenience – people try to knock your price down, and it can be risky dealing with someone you don’t know. Through Salty Lemon, all those concerns are gone – your gear is returned at the end of your contract, and you get newer gear at the start of your next one!
Who’d have thought that changes in the tech world would ripple out to us kitesurfers? Here’s to the future, made easier through renting from Salty Lemon!
