How Savvy Online Entrepreneurs Can Find a New Use for Self-Storage Units

Self-storage units have traditionally been used for keeping your possessions safe in between house moves, but more recently entrepreneurs have seen metal container self-storage units as an affordable alternative to bricks and mortar business premises. But why is this and what are the benefits?

Easy expansion and other benefits

As the High Street sees more and more leasehold shops remaining empty, the self-storage unit market is positively booming. Initially, e-commerce entrepreneurs recognised that self-storage containers presented a convenient and economical facility for stock storage, but there are other benefits to be had too.

Storage centres are usually found away from town centres in cheaper areas, and are therefore able to keep their rental costs to tenants down. Many are sited on large retail parks which means that customer parking is free of charge, and much more convenient than in the city centre.

Many self-storage centres offer a reception desk at front-of-house which will take deliveries for its tenants, sign for them, and place the goods in the tenant's rental unit. This is a major attraction for work-from-home online retailers as this service means they can spend more time out on the road visiting clients or suppliers without having to worry about missing important deliveries.

Expansion is not a problem either. There's no need to undertake the hassle and cost of relocating to another shop premises once your e-business begins to boom or at busy seasonal times; you simply rent another self-storage unit as you need one. 

Business rates

Paying business rates on an expensive warehouse storage facility for your stock can really eat into your bottom line. Self-storage containers do not attract business rates as the self-storage facilitator is actually liable for this charge, and that means a further important saving for the small business owner.

In addition, renting a storage container means that you only pay for the storage space you actually need, rather than for a warehouse that could be half empty one day, then packed to the rafters the next. The arrangement is flexible and fluid; you only pay for what you need, and you're not tied into a lengthy potentially expensive rental contract.

As the boom in online entrepreneurial business ventures continues, savvy small business owners are turning to a novel new way of facilitating their businesses. Self-storage units are now more popular than ever for use not only as storage space for stock, but as an office-base and shop window too.


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