The Chainlink

Like a couple of you out there, I use the car-shares so I can avoid car ownership and rely on biking everywhere.  So I find that car-sharing does enable the bike lifestyle to some degree.  It's an issue of convenience as much as ideology, but this buyout certainly does bring Zipcar down a notch in my opinion. I'd like to know how others feel. 

In case you blinked last week and missed the acquisition of yet another start-up company by a mega corporation, the car rental mogul Avis Budget Group, Inc bought out Zipcar, Inc for $500 million.  

Though currently under investigation, the transaction is expected to be completed by this spring.  Here's the official press release.

While some concern has been voiced around the web that Avis will "ruin" Zipcar (the company, but especially the user experience), I'm wondering about something else entirely. 

Does this merger render irrelevant Zipcar's long-touted "green benefits"?  The fleet whose list of eco-savvy taglines includes Fewer cars. Way fewer. is about to acquire one million additional vehicles.  Does anyone else find that funny?  

Or is it okay, since Zipcar's goal has always been to rent you a car - with any sort of environmental or societal benefits being merely incidental, though perfect for marketing purposes? 

In the mean time, I-Go take note: if the predictions manifest and Zipcar makes some less-than-pretty changes, you may have a fresh shot at the market. 

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I didn't realize a non profit could sell to a corporation. 

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