Your rates have gotten more expensive than traditional car rentals - WHAT GIVES? You guys have less overhead - no counter people or paperwork and yet you can't keep your prices down. I was renting a car almost every weekend and I stopped cold turkey when i saw the raise. Hope you know what you are doing...if i had that much money to spend i would just buy a car which is, at this point, looking like a viable option

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2003

Answers

Zipcar uses its pricing structure to balance member demand for the cars, which includes both hourly and daily use. At some times of the year, our daily rates are slightly more expensive than car rental, and at other times slightly cheaper (do the comparison again in August!). We're always more convenient than car rental and our cars are more fun. That has value to some people in some circumstances.

As to cost structure, until we match the Big Boys' volume (hundreds of thousands of cars and self-insured), we aren't playing on a level playing field with them. Solution: more Zipcar members NOW!

-- Anonymous, June 16, 2003