Product details

In April 2000, Stelios Haji-Ioannou launched easyRentacar, his latest Internet-based business. EasyRentacar was just one of several companies operating under the UK-based parent company, easyGroup, which also manages easyJet airlines and easyEverything, a chain of Internet shops. Stelios, chairman and owner of easyGroup, was a charismatic and wealthy entrepreneur known for his down to earth, ''no frills'' style that had come to exemplify the easy brand. After signing a deal with DaimlerChrysler to lease 5,000 of its Mercedes A-Class vehicles, Stelios entered the rental car business dominated by companies, such as Budget, Avis and Hertz, that had formed a cartel that fed off the corporate client. He aimed to provide a low-cost alternative for consumers who paid out of their own pockets. The easyRentacar case illustrates how Stelios has once again entered a new business with the goal of re-defining the existing industry business model to add shattering value for the customer. Instructors should note that easyRentacar is the third case in a series that includes ''easyJet: The Web''s Favourtie Airline'' (IMD-3-0873), and ''easyEverything: The Internet Shop'' (IMD-3-0874).