Ruckify: Rentals in Austin with Sustainability in Mind

The coronavirus pandemic is bringing communities together, as people collectively navigate a world where supplies are in shorter demand, unemployment is rising, and the geographical boundaries of our lives are mostly limited to home or essential work. During this time, most people want to help. Steve Cody, the founder of Ruckify, has created a platform that is allowing people to do just that – not only for themselves, but also for one another.

Ruckify is the world’s largest online rental marketplace for individuals, and it’s actively renting in Austin, facilitating our city’s local sharing-economy. Founded in Ottawa, Canada, the word “ruck” means “to exchange” in German. As shelter-in-place orders temporarily shutter businesses, people are exchanging everything from supplies to information and support. Ruckify’s platform opens up more possibilities to find necessary items immediately available for rent in hundreds of categories like electronics, fitness, outdoor, office, tools and many more. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors while also creating opportunities for people to make money at a time when many can use the extra income.

“If there has ever been a time for Ruckify – the time is now,” says Cody.

The process of posting and renting on Ruckify is straightforward, and the protections are extensive. There’s a full screening process that eliminates those with a criminal record, product and user reviews for quality recommendations, as well as insurance for theft and damage. Ruckify also has online webinars available to coach users through the process of creating compelling posts. While Ruckify does not set pricing, it closely monitors for price gouging.

Ruckify chose Austin as the U.S. city to kick off marketing efforts – you may have seen ads on the back of local buses – in part because of the city’s green initiatives. The company is based on a premise that helps the environment.

“When people are sharing, they aren’t buying, and that’s a lot less going into landfills,” Cody explains.

As an example, maybe you’re putting extra time at home to good use and working around the house more. You need an aluminum stepladder for some jobs, but not many, so it makes sense to rent.

“Think about the hardship the planet has to go through to get rid of something like ,” Cody says. Borrowing and lending a single ladder to multiple families decreases demand and eventually results in less discarded ladders.

Cody and his team are confident that Ruckify will be one of the top 10 global disruptors creating a positive impact on the environment – and not only in their efforts to promote a more sustainable sharing-economy. Ruckify has also set a goal of planting a billion trees. The mission of their Tree Project is to plant a tree for every signup, app transaction and review created on Ruckify.com.

While Ruckify’s significance is relevant for necessary items, it’s also a way to explore new ways of having fun and sharing personal hobbies. People still want to be distracted – they are still pursuing joy. Why buy when you can try? If you’re interested in canoeing or paddle boarding, you can check out Ruckify for a rental now, even while traditional rental companies are closed. You will be helping someone in the Austin area make money while giving yourself a much-needed break during this stressful time.