Adding a stand-up sunbed to your existing business is a great way to boost your services and increase revenue. Whether you’re in the beauty industry, running a gym, or managing a spa, a sunbed can be an attractive addition to your business. This investment will not only cater to a wider customer base but also increase footfall and customer retention.
With many flexible options available for purchasing or renting, businesses can choose a solution that aligns with their financial plans. Let’s dive into why buying or renting a stand-up sunbed can be an excellent choice and explore which option might suit your business best.
________________________________________
Why a Stand-Up Sunbed?
Before we delve into the pros and cons of purchasing versus renting, it’s important to understand why a stand-up sunbed in particular is an appealing option for your business.
1. Space Efficiency: Stand-up sunbeds take up less space compared to their lie-down counterparts, making them ideal for businesses that might be tight on room. You can offer a high-value service without sacrificing too much of your available space.
2. Faster Sessions: Stand-up sunbeds tend to offer faster tanning sessions, typically around 6-12 minutes, which means you can accommodate more clients in a day. This translates into more revenue.
3. More Hygienic: Many customers prefer stand-up sunbeds because they are seen as more hygienic. Since no one touches the surfaces directly, it offers a more sanitary option compared to the traditional lay-down models.
________________________________________
Renting a Sunbed: The Advantages
Renting a sunbed can be an excellent option, especially for businesses that are looking to minimise upfront costs. Here are the primary benefits:
1. Lower Initial Investment
Renting a stand-up sunbed is perfect for businesses that want to test the market without making a hefty financial commitment. With renting, you can spread the cost over the 12-month rental contract, making it easier to manage your cash flow.
2. No Maintenance Worries
One of the biggest advantages of renting is that the maintenance and servicing of the sunbed are usually included in the rental agreement. This means you won’t have to worry about unexpected repair costs or dealing with faulty equipment.
3. Flexibility
If you’re unsure whether a stand-up sunbed will be a long-term addition to your business, renting offers more flexibility. You can start with a 12-month term agreement and, if the sunbed proves to be popular with customers, you have the option to either extend the rental or transition into purchasing.
4. Constant Upgrades
Many rental agreements include the option to upgrade your sunbed to a newer model after a certain period. This allows you to always have the latest technology without needing to make an outright purchase every time a new model is released.
________________________________________
Buying a Sunbed: The Advantages
On the other hand, purchasing a stand-up sunbed outright has its own set of unique advantages. If you’re confident in your market, this could be a highly lucrative move.
1. Ownership
The most obvious benefit of buying a sunbed is ownership. Once it’s paid off, the sunbed becomes an asset to your business, and you won’t need to continue making monthly payments. This can significantly increase your profit margins in the long term.
2. Financially Beneficial Over Time
Although the initial cost of purchasing may be higher than renting, over time it can prove to be more cost-effective. When you purchase a sunbed, you eliminate ongoing rental fees, and after the sunbed has paid for itself, your only costs will be maintenance and electricity.
3. Customisation Options
When you own your sunbed, you often have more flexibility in choosing the exact model, features, and additional options. With rental agreements, you may be limited to a specific range of models and features due to availability, but when purchasing, you have the freedom to pick the perfect sunbed for your business.
4. Potential for Increased Revenue
Owning your sunbed means you have the potential to generate higher profits, as you won’t be paying a monthly rental fee. More profits mean more flexibility to reinvest in your business or offer additional services.
5. Build Equity
When you buy a sunbed, you’re building equity in your business. You can use the sunbed as collateral for future investments or even sell it later if you decide to upgrade to a newer model. Ownership gives you a financial stake in your equipment.
________________________________________
Financing Your Sunbed Purchase
While purchasing a stand-up sunbed can be a significant investment, there are flexible financing options available to help businesses spread the cost.
For example, you could purchase a sunbed on finance with the following terms:
• Three months deposit, followed by £160 per month + VAT over three years.
This financing option makes the purchase far more affordable and allows you to reap the long-term benefits of ownership while keeping your initial outlay low.
________________________________________
Why Adding a Sunbed Can Transform Your Business
Regardless of whether you choose to rent or buy, introducing a stand-up sunbed to your existing business can have transformative effects. Here’s why:
1. Increased Foot Traffic: Tanning services are always in demand. Whether it’s summer and people want to get a base tan or it’s winter and they’re looking for a healthy glow, offering sunbed sessions can draw in more customers.
2. Upsell Opportunities: You can offer sunbed sessions as a standalone service or combine them with other services like beauty treatments, massages, or fitness plans. Offering packages that include sunbed sessions can significantly increase your average sale per customer.
3. Diversify Your Revenue Stream: If your business relies on a single service, adding a stand-up sunbed can help diversify your income and protect against seasonal slowdowns in your core offering.
4. Attract New Customers: With the right marketing, adding a stand-up sunbed can attract a whole new demographic to your business. Customers who might not have come in for other services may be drawn in by your tanning options.
________________________________________
Conclusion
Adding a stand-up sunbed to your business, whether through buying or renting, is a fantastic way to diversify your offerings, increase revenue, and build customer loyalty. Both renting and purchasing come with their unique benefits: renting provides lower upfront costs and flexibility while buying can deliver long-term financial gains and ownership advantages.
By carefully considering your business’s needs, financial situation, and customer base, you can make the best choice to ensure your investment pays off. Whether you’re looking for flexibility or a solid long-term asset, a stand-up sunbed could be just the thing your business needs to take it to the next level!