Having a shipping container available offers a wide variety of benefits when it comes to the storage and transportation of goods. Yet you may be wondering which offers the best advantages: container hire or buying a container outright. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to factors such as cost, flexibility and what you are allowed to do with the containers. This article compares both the benefits of shipping container rental to making a full purchase and owning one.
The Pros and Cons of Container Rental
The Pros
Container hire offers a lot of advantages when it comes to temporary storage and transportation options. For example, shipping container rental allows you better flexibility when it comes to disposing of a container you no longer need. Instead of the hassle of trying to find another buyer you can just return it to the shipping company you hired it from. Another big advantage is that you can have lower upfront costs with container rental, which makes it a much better choice for short-term rental. Shipping companies tend to rent containers rather than sell them, so you may find a better range of rental options if you are looking for a container at short notice. Many companies also offer technical help and support for rental containers should anything go wrong while you’re renting the container.
The Cons
There are some drawbacks to renting a container rather than owning one. While renting is great in the short term, you may find yourself paying higher costs if you plan on renting one long term. You could also end up with a lower-quality container depending on what the shipping company has available and how often they are maintained. Sometimes there are fewer choices of container types due to limited stock available for rental. Finally, renting means that you do not have the option to customise or modify your container, forcing you to use it as is.
The Pros and Cons of Container Purchasing
The Pros
For long-term usage, buying a container outright offers several advantages. Owning a shipping container gives you full freedom when it comes to modifying and customising it to meet your specific needs. You may even gain a higher resale value for modified containers, and you can even rent them out yourself when not in use. There are no contract restrictions on shipping containers you own, so you can move them around, use them for temporary accommodation or for pop-up stores, and more. Finally, you can often find a more extensive choice of container types when you opt for buying rather than renting.
The Cons
Before purchasing a shipping container, you should consider the following potential downsides. Purchasing containers outright will usually mean a larger upfront cost compared to rental. In addition, as the owner you are responsible for all maintenance and repairs, along with logistics and transportation. You also need to consider that it might not be easy to sell your container when you are finished with it, whereas returning a rental is easy as is renting again if needed.
If you’re looking for container rental or contains for sale then get in touch with us today.
