The Zilok website has created a unique type of marketplace for individuals. Here, visitors can post their belongings for rent and find rentals from others. Businesses can also offer their items for rent as well. Zilok does not limit the type of rentals available. Users can find everything from cars and electronics to vacation homes and venues for large events. The idea is to help users find the best deal to meet their needs while providing both individuals and businesses another audience to service. Zilok was founded by Marion Carrette, Thibaud Elziere, and Gary Cige. The site was intended as a new form of ecommerce that allowed users to rent out their belongings. Zilok, based in Paris, came to be in October of 2007, with launch in the United States occurring the following month. The service has grown in popularity as more users learn about the benefits of renting versus buying or selling merchandise. Most ecommerce websites go one way or the other. Users are either buying or selling items, there is no in between. While this makes for an easy transaction most of the time, it can also be a less cost effective choice for some users. Those who need an item for a short time, or those who wish to make some extra money without actually selling of their belongings, can benefit from the service offered on Zilok. Rentals offer a budget friendly alternative to actually buying merchandise, no matter how big or small the item may be. The Zilok website offers a pleasant blue, white and pink color scheme, contrasted by light gray. A new user may find the site a little busy at first, but they son feel comfortable navigating the various item categories. Each category option is prominently displayed in a tab across the top of the homepage, with top categories highlighted along the left hand side bar. Users who know exactly what they want can instead turn to the search feature, positioned conveniently at the center. Whether interested in renting an item or renting out an item, new users must register for a Zilok account. The sign up link can be found along the very top of the homepage in the left hand corner. The new user is taken directly to the registration form, which can be quickly completed by registering through an existing Facebook account. Users who do not have (or do not wish to link) a Facebook profile can instead fill out the requested fields. Information including a gender, first and last name, address, city, state, phone number and user type are required. After submitting the account information, the user is taken directly to the account page and can begin posting. Zilok is currently offered for free to all users. Anyone can post or rent merchandise through the site. It should be noted that Zilok is relatively new and information stating that the free postings will be changed during 2010 indicates that it will not remain free. Whether an account fee will be required remains to be seen, however listing fees are a strong possibility. Anyone in need of temporary use of an item or location can really appreciate what Zilok has to offer. Sometimes, rentals are much more cost effective than outright purchasing something, even a small item. In other cases, a purchase may simply be unreasonable. Zilok users can browse everything from large scale items, such as vehicles and venues, to much smaller merchandise, such as digital cameras and gaming systems. Those looking to make some money without actually giving up their possessions can also benefit from Zilok.

• Easy bill management through the Zilok invoicing system
• Convenient item search to find a specific item
• Helpful item categories for users who want to see more options
• Booking management features through the user profile
• Professionals area for businesses using Zilok

http://zilok.com/