Peer-to-peer lending as an alternative to purchasing
Partage Club: A Revolutionary Sharing Platform for Montreal Residents
Partage Club, a groundbreaking startup launched in 2023, is making waves in Montreal by facilitating lending between city and neighbourhood residents. The platform, which currently boasts nearly 30,000 subscriptions, aims to stimulate more members to borrow items instead of buying them.
The system includes several measures to facilitate life for lenders and inspire their confidence. For instance, the Partage Club app records loans and reminds the return date, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience. The app also displays a member's profile, including recommendations, number of shares, response time, and other relevant information.
Approximately half of the subscriptions come from municipalities and organizations, with several cities and Quebec organizations having purchased licenses to offer Partage Club to their residents or customers. Desjardins is leading a pilot project with eight caisses populaires to offer Partage Club, further expanding its reach.
Partage Club offers a vast catalog of over 25,000 items available for lending, ranging from gardening tools to Halloween costumes. However, only about 10% of members currently make loans. This could be changing, as the startup is exploring the exchange of services, an option currently being tested with the City of Beaconsfield.
One example of an item that could be borrowed instead of bought is an adapter for European electrical outlets. This not only saves members money but also reduces waste. Jessica Rioux-Turcotte, a member of Partage Club, successfully borrowed an electric sander and lent a weed eater through the app. Both exchanges were "very well," and the weed eater was returned in good condition.
Rioux-Turcotte was able to subscribe to Partage Club for free thanks to Uni-Recycle. The startup offers compensation, up to $300, if an item is returned broken. This further ensures the safety and quality of the items being lent and borrowed.
The goal is to have 60,000 members by the end of 2025. The startup is focusing on seasonal needs (camping, gardening, moving, Halloween costumes, etc.) on social media and in communications to members. Partage Club is also looking to expand to the United States and Europe, with the City of Nevers in France offering the service starting this fall.
Despite its success, the search results do not provide information about the name of the person who co-founded the company Partage Club in 2023. However, one thing is certain: Partage Club is making a significant impact on the lives of its users, encouraging a more sustainable and community-oriented approach to consumption.
