“I would love to pay €50 a month at Apple and have a new computer every 3 years,” says Nina, (33), in Paris. Mia, (24) lives in Copenhagen. “I buy jeans for €60 at Dr. Denim. I would like to return my old jeans to the same store and claim a discount on the new pair I’m buying from them.”
We met the so-called “Millennials”, born between 1982 and 1996, who are now starting their careers. For many of them, “Less is more”. High-end brands and quality appeal most. They reject the pressure to purchase more than they need, already sharing goods such as clothes, cars or vacuum cleaners with friends and neighbours. They want retailers to offer rentals and unlimited subscriptions services with purchase options. In France, Decathlon offers rental services of a “Go Pro” camera from €15 per day. At Leroy Merlin, people can rent D.I.Y. tools via the Facebook account and pick them up in stores. At Fnac, smartphones rent from €32 per month, including Samsung and iPhone, with the option to change the model, keep it or return it at the end of the 24-month contract.