They can calculate how long rented equipment lasts, and at least for electric scooters, the time they last is pretty short. 28.8 days and 92 trips. I don't know how long the average non-shared scooter lasts but if I paid $300+ for my own electric scooter I'd want it to last much longer and go on more trips than that. https://qz.com/1561654/how-long-does-a-scooter-last-less-tha...

Time will tell, of course.

You might be right... but I’m pessimistic here. Renters and leasees take less good care of the items they let or rent. The clothes will have a faster velocity to the waste dump, etc. manufacturers and purveyors will cater to this increased velocity...

People are worried about drinking straws. Imagine all the new plastic items to cater to this new usage pattern...

As someone who just recently stopped being a "landlord"...I very much agree that renters put a magnitude more wear and tear on things. The wear and tear people put on things when they don't own them...and without even being consciously aware of it.

I know now that anything rented should maximize durability while minimizing cost. Time will tell which one weighs heavier, but I'm pessimistic also, and guess that minimizing cost is overall cheaper than durability.

Indeed, and the difference with the "craigslist" model is I'm incentivized to keep the value of my goods as high as possible to maximize my return. Rental, I'm incentivized only to keep it in "good enough" shape the owner will take it back. Maybe some sort of value-share program where you get a rebate on your rental fees the better condition you keep your stuff? Aligned interests, and still automated.

Considering the way people often abuse rentals I think the extra durability will mostly cancel out and there are other costs like energy efficiency that I doubt they will optimize for the end user.

It may be a boon for repair-ability though if they see it's economical to have in house fixers.

>I can imagine these types of companies buying more durable goods so they can rent them out to multiple people back to back instead

Again, Rent-A-Center has existed for decades already, and their goods are certainly not more durable than standard consumer goods.