How to Start a Dress Rental Business: $150k Renting Out Dresses


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In 2022, Summer Fisher discovered the world of renting out dresses.

“Oh, well, I have all these dresses. Let me just put one up,” she told Yahoo Finance.

Now with a streamlined inventory of around 200 pieces, she made $150,000 last year using what she calls a “double-dip profit strategy” — renting dresses multiple times before selling them for more than she paid.

(Check out her free masterclass at theprofitcollective.co/RookieResellerMistakes.)

Tune in to episode 652 of The Side Hustle Show to learn:

  • Summer’s favorite brands to rent out.
  • Her pricing and profit margin math on her inventory.
  • The logistics of shipping and selling dresses.
  • and more.

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The Accidental Dress Mogul

Summer Fisher didn’t start in the dress rental business. She began as a reseller, flipping thrift store finds for profit. But it was a conversation with a model at her agency that opened her eyes to the rental market.

She decided to test the waters by listing just two dresses. That first month, she made $160. Not exactly life-changing money, but it was enough to know she was onto something.

Today, Summer’s scaled down to 200 dresses after hitting a peak of 300. And she pulled in $150,000 last year. How? Through what she calls her “double-dip profit strategy.”

The Math Behind the Money

Summer’s “double-dip” strategy works like this:

  1. Buy dresses at 10-20% below retail (using coupons and deals)
  2. Rent them out 5-10 times
  3. Eventually sell the dress for more than she paid

Most dresses pay for themselves within 3-4 rentals. After that, it’s pure profit — both from additional rentals AND the eventual sale.

We’re talking rental prices ranging from $80 minimum up to $350 for dress pieces that retail for $2,500.

Summer also capitalizes on currency and geographical arbitrage and buys dresses cheaper in Australia and sells them to U.S. or U.K. buyers for a markup.

Brand Recognition

It’s impressive how brand-dependent this business is. Summer says about 80-90% of customers come looking for specific brands they’ve seen on celebrities or influencers.

Top performers include brands like Zimmermann, Aje, and Alemais (these are popular brands in Australia).

But Summer says you don’t necessarily need to compete with everyone carrying the same dress. Instead, look for gaps in sizes.

While many rental businesses focus on smaller sizes, Summer’s found success with mid-size options that aren’t as readily available.

Platforms and Marketing Strategies

Summer started her business using marketplaces like The Vault in Australia, which charges a 16.5% commission, and By Rotation, a peer-to-peer rental platform. Her ability to streamline operations played a significant role in her success.

Summer also uses Instagram to market her rentals. Some renters set up IG storefronts and handle bookings directly to avoid platform fees.

She’s found that featuring customer photos and engaging with followers boosts trust and visibility.

Dealing with Damage & Risk

“ It’s exactly like shoplifting,” Summer said. You have to expect some losses. She’s tried both approaches:

  • Platform insurance (costs $5-10 per rental)
  • Self-insurance (her current preference)

Why self-insure? The platform insurance required jumping through too many hoops — multiple dry cleaner statements, seamstress evaluations, and tons of documentation.

And for her, it’s not worth the hassle.

The stories she shared about returns were wild. Some customers are amazing — she’s had people include cash with their returns to cover minor repairs.

Others returned the dresses like “they’ve rolled around in the mud, jumped in the fire, howled at the moon.”

Managing Repairs & Cleaning

While platforms recommend dry cleaning everything, Summer only dry cleans about 20% of items. She’s strategic about which pieces she buys, focusing on:

  • Machine-washable fabrics when possible
  • Items that don’t require special care
  • Durable materials that can handle multiple wears

Techs/Tools

You might think running a 200-dress rental business requires sophisticated software, and Summer started out thinking the same thing. But she found that simpler often works better.

With around 200 dresses, she knows her inventory like “a teacher knows their students.”

Listing Best Practices

Unlike typical reselling where your own photos matter, Summer says rental listings work best with stock photos from the brand’s website, 3 simple screenshots, and basic descriptions.

She keeps it minimal because customers usually know exactly what they want.

When to Exit a Dress

The sweet spot typically comes around April or May, after the busy season.

At this point, Summer evaluates which pieces might not make it through another season.

She looks at multiple factors: style currency (anything over 18 months old starts losing rental appeal), number of rentals completed, and current market conditions.

If a dress has recouped its initial investment and shows signs of wear or declining demand, it’s time to list it for sale.

She uses international market knowledge to maximize her exit strategy. A dress that’s losing rental appeal in Australia might fetch a premium price from a US or UK buyer.

“The biggest downside is probably the damage to the dresses,” she explained. When wear starts showing, she’ll list them with clear descriptions of any issues, often finding buyers who don’t mind minor repairs in exchange for a designer piece at a good price.

A Typical Day in the Business

Here’s how Summer spends her day:

  1. Receive and inspect returned dresses. Some go into the washing machine; others are sent to the dry cleaner.
  2. Package dresses for shipping. It takes about an hour to prepare 7-8 dresses.
  3. Drop off packages at the post office.

“It’s not a time intensive [business]. It’s more of a capital-intensive business, I would say. But there are ways you can start with no money down, she says.

She also dedicates time to monitoring marketplaces for new inventory and tracking trends in dress rentals, ensuring she stays ahead of demand.

Starting Your Own Dress Rental Business

For those interested in starting a similar venture, Summer offers two beginner-friendly approaches:

  1. Consignment Model: Borrow dresses from friends and family to rent out. Share the profits with them.
  2. Return Policies: Purchase dresses from retailers with generous return policies. If they don’t rent, return them within the allowed window (though this might be a bit controversial).

Both strategies allow you to test the waters without significant upfront costs.

What’s Next for Summer?

Summer has shifted her focus to helping others succeed. Through her courses, Pre-Loved for Profit and Rental Riches, she’s teaching aspiring entrepreneurs how to replicate her methods.

Summer’s #1 tip for Side Hustle Nation

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.”

25 Other Unconventional Rental Ideas

What else could you rent out for a profit? Here are some ideas!

Enter your email to download the full list now:

You'll also receive my best side hustle tips and weekly-ish newsletter. Opt-out anytime.

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Nick Loper

About the Author

Nick Loper is a side hustle expert who loves helping people earn more money and start businesses they care about. He hosts the award-winning Side Hustle Show, where he's interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs, and is the bestselling author of Buy Buttons, The Side Hustle, and $1,000 100 Ways.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo Finance, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times, Bankrate, Hubspot, Ahrefs, Shopify, Investopedia, VICE, Vox, Mashable, ChooseFI, Bigger Pockets, The Penny Hoarder, GoBankingRates, and more.

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