IDG Contributor Network: Could web rental efficiency gut DIY chains?

Of the many startups that materialize on the U.S. business landscape every year, most enter an existing space, with very few offering a product/service that no one has yet seen. When entering an established market, most have a differentiator, such as a way to price lower or a patent that allows them to ship much faster.

But when Elias Chavando launched his startup, Rentus.com, last year, his sole major differentiator was simply technology. He knew that there are many businesses in the rental business, but they're overwhelmingly antiquated, with many still using paper and pencil to track inventory and revenue. Even worse (or, from Chavando's perspective, better), these rental stores have a hyper-local mentality, selling only to a handful of nearby neighborhoods. The rental business is a vertical that the web forgot.

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