Why spend $1000 to occasionally lend out umbrellas on infrequent days, at a
pittance, from one location. And then customers have the hassle of returning it,
when they can buy a decent small umbrella for $10.

It’s not comparable to CitiBike because a decent bike is very expensive, and
they are offering low cost transportation (and I’m still not sure they’re all that
profitable without local government contributions of land and/or subsidies).

Why spend $1000 to occasionally lend out umbrellas on infrequent days, at a
pittance, from one location. And then customers have the hassle of returning it,
when they can buy a decent small umbrella for $10.

It’s not comparable to CitiBike because a decent bike is very expensive, and
they are offering low cost transportation (and I’m still not sure they’re all that
profitable without local government contributions of land and/or subsidies).