Leasing a Segway

[Saul Goode]

Would anyone be interested in leasing a Segway if it were offered in a similar manner as leasing a car or computer?

[Segway City]

Rent-A-Center for Segways! 72 weekly payments of $78.50 and it's yours to keep. Special this week: rent a Segway, get your choice of end tables for just $5 per week. Check our specials on big screen TVs before the Nascar rush!

I love it!



Seg-Whey... "Atkins Friendly"

[Florida Ever-Glides]

I think it would be difficult to get a commercial lessor to step up to the plate. Factors such as demand, delivery, end-user cost are just a few. If the customer can't afford to buy one they probably can't afford the lease and 'would be' required insurance. There would be first and last as well as monthly sales tax. The only possible benefactor in a lease situation would be a business application.

Tom Jacobson

[Saul Goode]

What if a lease WAS offered though? I'm not interested in the supply side of things, just the demand. Say you could lease a Segway for $300 down and $99/mo for 3 years then trade it in and get a new one. Would you do it? Lets also assume that insurance was taken care of by the lessor. These things are pricey to buy outright. Would the option to lease encourage more people to give them a try? I understand that most of the people on this forum own them already, so the price isn't prohibitive for most SCers, but what about your friends who would like to try one but can't justify laying down $4000+ to do so?

[Segway City]

That's really where the rental/tour industry comes in. I agree with the assessment that 93% of people want to try one, less than 1% want to own one. Cost justification is the heart of it, and at $4000 it's tough to do for the majority of those who seriously consider one for purchase.

Leasing also involves a commercial tax write-off for it to be viable. Leasing would probably work on a scale of 10 units, but not on a onesy-twosy basis. And I have to believe that type of leasing is already in place for the big boys: USPS, Thrifty RAC, Boeing, etc.

I seriously expect a huge change in the way Segway markets HTs in the very near future. I believe the wave is just beginning to form and, when it's fully crested, we'll see HTs as a daily occurance and no longer an "item".

If they bump the price down to the $3500 range for i's and $2700 for p's, they will sell several hundred to consumers a week. At that price, leasing is less of a factor on the consumer level.

[Florida Ever-Glides]

I guess someone will just have to try the idea and see if it succeeds or fails. I would not open one now based on today's demand. Maybe later...

Tom Jacobson

[bobbyd]

I like the idea of leasing it at least for me. I would be easier for me to do a monthly payment for a Seg than to pay the full price up front. If I knew someone the would lease a seg I would probaly buy one from them.

[driley]

There should be some type of easy to arrange financing. There is for just about every other big ticket retail item. That includes cars, TVs, washers and dryers etc.

Devin

[SegwayUtah]

You can buy a Segway HT right now with financing, nationwide, with DCU. They offer financing to just about anyone:

http://www.dcu.org/prodserv/loans/small_rv.html

A leasing program would be a great additional option. Leasing is usually cheaper than a monthly payment, and people can "trade up" to a new unit every few years. Lots of consumers lease.

Chris

[Uki]

The only problem I noticed while looking at that site, was that if you don't work for one of the sponsering companies, then you can't get a lease. To bad its not available for the public.