When my co-founder James and I started Rinse in 2013, the “on-demand” economy was starting to emerge.

VCs were excited to find the next Uber and companies were launching on-demand services in all verticals imaginable (more broadly known as “Uber for X” companies). Fast forward to today where a few companies have found success with the on-demand model, but many more have struggled. In the past several months, we’ve seen a handful of well-funded startups with strong teams either going through layoffs or shutting down entirely. The natural question to ask is why?

The short answer is that “on-demand” is not the optimal solution for most customer needs.

Clothing care: The case for “smart scheduling” vs. “on-demand”

The announcement a few months back that Washio was shutting down led many to ask the question: “Is on-demand dry cleaning and laundry dead?” The answer is…yes. In fact, on-demand dry cleaning and laundry has been doomed from the start. Any consumer business that optimizes its business model around an edge case, and ignores the primary pain points of its customer, is destined to struggle.
Clothing care is no exception.

At Rinse, our approach from the beginning has been needs-focused and solution-agnostic. The challenge in 2013 when Rinse, Washio, and Prim were getting started, was that just about every new venture assumed that on-demand was the solution for the consumer problem they were trying to solve. But the reality is that none of the pain points in dry cleaning, laundry, or any other form of clothing care require an on-demand solution.

Uber solves an important acute pain point. When you need a taxi, you need it now. Offering an on-demand solution removes that friction and meets the immediate demands of the customer. Rinse is solving an important chronic pain point. Customers need their clothes cleaned in a recurring and predictable pattern and almost unanimously prefer high-quality cleaning and great service over speed and urgency.

Quality is the most important component in clothing care to earning a customer’s trust. On-demand emphasizes speed and faster turnaround times and comes at the expense of quality, because items are pushed through the cleaning process too quickly.

Smart scheduling, which is what we have developed at Rinse, prioritizes quality over speed. It optimizes turnaround time for each service type to ensure we always provide the highest-quality clothing care. In addition, our consistent pickup and delivery times are well-aligned with our customers’ schedules, which has led Rinse to become a regular part of our customers’ weekly routines.

Our focus on “smart scheduling” has helped us create a high-quality clothing care platform with best-in-class retention. Our customers love us and they keep coming back. Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) for regular customers is in the 50’s, in an industry where negative NPS is common.

Smart scheduling has also positioned us well for future expansion. We aren’t held to a rigid 24-hour turnaround time, so we will continue to extend our services to address every item in your closet (including Shoe Repair, Tailoring, Alterations). Our model addresses universal pain points and will work in big cities and suburbs alike. The extra time we’ve dedicated to high-quality cleaning has also allowed us to collect robust brand data. We plan to use that data to create a platform that manages the entire life cycle of your closet, helping you procure new clothes and retire existing clothes.

Other verticals where “on-demand” might not make sense

The success and prominence of Uber and Lyft  has led to “on-demand” services across all verticals, but based on the customer’s pain points, that might not be the best approach. Below are a few examples.

House Cleaning

In 2013 (when we were starting Rinse), Handy, Homejoy, and Exec were the big names in “on-demand” house cleaning. The space has received significant investment interest and media attention, and also featured one of the more prominent shut downs we’ve seen in the “on-demand” economy.

If we look directly at the customer pain point, it’s chronic and recurring in nature, meaning smart scheduling makes more sense than on-demand. In fact, if you look closer at Handy, the only one in the list above still operating today, you will see they are not on-demand. Their sign up flow currently asks you to choose between a weekly or bi-weekly plan and they default to a cleaning date that’s a few days away.

Storage

Storage is another vertical that has received investment interest in the past few years. Companies like Clutter, Makespace, and Omni have received funding to tackle the pain points of storage in different ways. Omni brands itself as “on-demand storage and delivery” and takes a different angle than Clutter, which appears to focus more on a scheduled approach. From an outsider’s perspective, self-storage comes with significant friction, but it’s rarely acute.

Car Washes

On-demand car washes gained prominence a few years back when Cherry launched, raised capital, and then shut down shortly thereafter. All that happened before we started Rinse, but almost four years later there are still companies trying to tackle this consumer pain point with an on-demand solution (including Washos, Squeegy,and Wype). I’m not the target customer (my car has needed a car wash for a while and I haven’t done anything about it), but the need for on-demand service here feels like an extreme edge case. In addition, although the service is recurring in nature, purchase frequency is limited.

There are still large consumer problems to be solved here

There has been commentary around startups in the broader “on-demand” economy catering to the lazy or the wealthy. Although some companies may have that target customer in mind, the reality is there are significant consumer problems to be solved.

Clothing care is a service that everyone needs. It represents a huge market that Rinse is actively expanding by making it more accessible and affordable to use. This leads to more customers and more frequent use by each customer (we estimate an overall market opportunity of $20–40B). It’s also a highly fragmented industry (the top 5 players have less than 2% market share) run primarily by small shops that vary dramatically in quality, pricing, and service. We are standardizing that solution and delivering quality through technology and execution.

House cleaning, storage, car washes, and most of the services that have “on-demand” options today, are all large markets as well, meaning there is a consumer need for the core services being offered. The question each company has to answer is how are they improving the existing customer experience and what pain points are they addressing.

Consumer service companies are difficult to build. On the demand side, they are often dealing with personal items from each customer, meaning expectations are always high. On the supply side, operational complexity increases significantly with scale. Given that, it’s critical that companies choose wisely up front when addressing consumer pain points and making core business model decisions. If the pain point is acute, “on-demand” might make sense. If the pain point is chronic, which is the case for most companies, a focus on “smart scheduling” and quality is almost always a better approach.

Special thanks to TechCrunch for publishing an excerpt of the above article.

Believe it or not, spring is here! Not spring-ready? Don’t sweat it. Here’s our official cheat sheet to help you say goodbye to winter, and hello to spring.

• Transition your clothes! Clear the winter wear out of your closet and dresser, and refresh with spring appropriate pieces. A leaner wardrobe not only empowers you to live a tidier, happier life, but will also save you hours of time spent searching. And less time digging through your closet means more time enjoying the warmer weather!

  Pro-tip: before packing away your winter clothes, clean them! Why? For starters, bugs are attracted to odors - even ones undetectable to us humans - and will find your dirty sweater irresistible. Those odors may also settle in over time, giving you an unpleasant surprise next fall when you pull that sweater out again. And pay special attention to stains - stains left on clothing can darken during storage and, like odors, attract bugs. Having your clothes washed, folded and dry-cleaned (especially important for winter coats) will ensure that your garments stay much safer and fresher for much longer.

• Store your seasonal stuff! ​Thanks to on-demand services like Clutter, making space in your home has never been easier. Clutter comes to you, packs your stuff, and then hauls it away to its secure storage facility. Need your stuff back? Go online to browse your photo inventory and schedule a delivery with the click of a button. Clutter is perfect for all those winter accessories you know you don’t need for awhile – from your holiday decorations and coats, to your skis and snowboards.

For $50 off Clutter, mention code RINSE50 when checking out.
 

• Anything left over? Being truly spring-ready also means spring cleaning. Open up your closets and use Post-It notes to label each item as “Keep,” “Store,” “Donate” or “Sell.” Rinse has several partnerships with local charity programs, including St. Anthony’s Free Clothing Program, Out of the Closet, and Goodwill in San Francisco.

Warmer weather means that wedding season is officially in full swing. While you want to look your best as a wedding guest—or as a member of the bridal party—purchasing a new suit or dress for every occasion this summer may not be practical. Regardless, no matter how many outfits you have to choose from, you want to keep them in the best shape possible. From wedding guest style tips to clothing maintenance, here’s a fuss-free guide to taking care of your best pieces so they last beyond the cake and champagne toast.

Invest in a timeless dress or classic suit

As tempting as it is to purchase a unique dress or suit for each event you attend, it makes sense to invest in timeless pieces that you'll use for other purposes. When choosing your wedding season attire, opt for a classic silhouette that will serve you well on date nights or other dressier events.

Style tip: For ladies, a classic choice like an LBD (little black dress) is always a great option to have in the closet, but the wedding season can be a reason to explore new styles, trends and colors that you may not wear as often. For the gents, most suits can be repurposed for all occasions—business or pleasure. Dress up each with unique accessories depending on the event.

Choose the right fabrics for a touch of personal style

Occasion dressing doesn’t have to strictly translate to formal wear (unless the invitation reads black tie). For a modern approach to cocktail attire, introduce a casual element to the ensemble through unconventional fabrics or accessories. Try mixing dressier silhouettes with more laid-back fabrics for cocktail-appropriate wear with a hint of cool. Choose fabrics that are durable, wrinkle-free and easy to clean. That way, you'll remain unfettered from the ceremony to the after-party.

Style tip: Consider an easy-care fabric such as acetate, jersey or rayon blends instead of pure silk for effortless style that will keep you feeling both polished and comfortable. These fabrics have the added bonus of being easier to clean, for either you or your dry cleaner. 

Treat stains in a timely manner

Ernest Hemingway once wrote that Paris is a moveable feast. Weddings often translate to another kind of moveable feast, so the tricky part about formal dressing is tackling the various accidents that can occur during your fine dining adventures. Whether it’s an unwanted souvenir from the reserve wine or that niçoise salad, make sure you treat any stains as soon as you get home, as they become harder to manage once they settle into the fabric. Weddings are messy business, so don’t let those stains sink in!

Style tip: If you're concerned about letting something slip, it doesn't hurt to stick to white wines or champagne. (Even though these spills are less noticable, they do still need to be treated! Apply a damp towel to absorb what you can of the stain, and then have it treated professionally when you get home.)

Employ a dry cleaning service to keep your garments pristine

Even if you've managed to leave the reception stain-free, the best way to care for your choicest pieces are to entrust them to a professional cleaner before putting your clothes back in your closet. This takes care of any potential odors or wrinkles; it also ensures that your suits and dresses are in perfect condition for your next celebrated affair.

Style tip: For best results, store your clothing in a garment bag post-cleaning. Your timeless pieces will always be good to go with these simple steps. Stay stylish throughout the season (and be ready for the next) with these tips for wedding guests. 

Photos: Josh Felise, Michal Kulesza, Milada Vigerova, Jay Wennington, Kekyalyaynen / Shutterstock.com

The perennial standard of wedding guest fashion is cocktail attire—though certain weddings do call for something a little different. While receiving a black tie invitation can sometimes induce anxiety about what to wear, dressing for the occasion doesn't need to be a stressful decision.

Here's our guide to decoding the dress code for every type of wedding this season.

You're invited to: black tie

Black tie weddings—which technically begin after 6 p.m.—are the Grand Prix of nuptial celebrations. If you have been invited to a black tie event, the expectation is that you will show up donning a tuxedo or a formal gown. But this isn't something to be afraid of. Just as there are tuxedo rentals, there are formal gown rentals as well. And if you decide to buy your gown it can be a fun excuse to hire a personal shopper for the day to make sure this extra investment is going to be the right one.

It's important to note the difference between black tie and black tie optional. While the first may come with expectations of tuxedos and floor length gowns, the second allows for more flexibility and slightly shorter hemlines.

With myriad styles to choose from, don't feel that as a female guest, you're limited to dresses. For example, a well-crafted silk jumpsuit in a sophisticated silhouette is a great alternative for some formal affairs, or pairing two chic pieces in dressier fabrics like satin or silk works, too.

For the gents, if a bespoke tux is too much of an investment, consider taking a ready-to-wear black suit to the tailor's for a customized fit. Remember that if you're opting out of the tuxedo, a formal suit is definitely the expectation and you should make sure it's as polished as possible. Also, you can add another layer, such as a vest, which can elevate a basic two-piece suit into a black tie–appropriate outfit.

Care tip: Remember that silk and water don't mix. Keep it clean by absorbing as much of the stain as possible if you encounter a little spill on your silk dress or tie. Also, gentlemen should keep in mind the following tuxedo tips: unbutton your jacket when you sit down to avoid strain on the buttons (also pull it up at the knees to avoid stretching), and be careful what you keep in your pockets to help the tux maintain its shape.

The invitation reads: cocktail attire

Keep in mind that ivory or cream are off limits—that's the bride's color palette it is therefore not appropriate for any wedding dress code. Instead, consider branching out to jewel tones such as navy, emerald or even ruby hues, which can look stunning for the dinner reception and a night of dancing. You're also free to break out your favorite black dress. Though it used to be a taboo color choice for a wedding, it's now perfectly acceptable.

For the dapper gentlemen, switch up your 9 to 5 suit with a few choice accessories for a touch of personal style. Cuff links, pocket squares or a bow tie are simple ways to update a basic suit. Try switching from a black bow tie to a colorful one for a fun accent. (Note that for cocktail attire receptions, a jacket is still required.) Also remember: the navy suit is the "new tux".

Care tip: If your cocktail attire uses a bolder palette, keep in mind that these pieces require special care. Consider hand washing garments separately with a gentle detergent to prevent color transference. You can also go to a professional dry cleaner who's experienced in formal wear. For gents, consult our complete guide to caring for your suit.

What to wear: casual is the new cocktail

Whether the wedding takes place in the backyard, at the beach or in the park, some newlyweds prefer a more laid-back approach to their special day. This can make things easier for the guests, but don't forget there's a fine line between casual and sloppy. While a suit jacket may not be required, you'll want to sport something more sophisticated than a polo shirt. Make an effort to stay stylish even though the invite suggests a pared-down dress code.

For the ladies, don't rule out long hemlines even though the dress code is informal. Maxi dresses are a great way to play with length while keeping is casual. The key to making dressier silhouettes work for casual events is to choose lightweight fabrics or whimsical prints (and accessories go a long way). Alternatively, consider pairing a flowing skirt with a lighter top for a two piece that will look great when you're toasting the happy couple.

A note for the men: this is the only time you won't be expected to wear a suit jacket, so have fun with it. A tailored shirt can be key, or try playing around with a fun sport coat.

Care tip: To keep your casual pieces in tiptop shape, handle them with extra care. Place them in a laundry bag before washing them—on the gentle cycle—in the machine. Hang or flat dry to maintain the shape and fit.

Outfitting yourself for an upcoming wedding should be a rewarding experience. Whether black tie or casual, weddings are a time when you can justify buying that dress or suit that really makes you stand out from the crowd. So read up, get shopping and remember to have fun.

Made a slip with that red wine? Don't worry, no one saw that. Check out our guide to on-the-go stain removal for wedding guests..

Photos: Sweet Ice Cream Photography, Mélanie Villeneuve, Andreas Rønningen, Suhyeon Choi

While there may not be a one-size-fits-all rule for occasion dressing, destination weddings call for some additional considerations. Here's your guide for selecting and caring for your next destination wedding attire.

What to Wear: The garden wedding

Think fairy lights and champagne over freshly cut grass—there's nothing quite like a garden wedding during the warmer months.

Keep it romantic yet practical. Pair floaty dresses with flat sandals or wedges; try a dress with texture so you won't be fussed about keeping it wrinkle-free. If floral motifs are too literal for you, opt for neutral lightweight fabrics with interesting details such as a lace overlay or an embroidered collar (but be careful not to encroach on the bride's exclusive color palette). The discerning gentleman looks for a slim-cut suit with well-ironed details. Pants should be slightly tapered but still comfortable; same goes for the suit jacket.

What to Wear: The beach wedding

Whether you're in Bali or St. Bart's for the summer, a beach wedding makes for a memorable trip. Pull together a look that's both laid-back yet polished for a great seaside ensemble.

If you've been eyeing that bohemian dress for months, here's the time to scoop it up. Play with longer hemlines and go for midi or maxi lengths; they're ultra chic and highly beach appropriate. Don't be afraid to try something new—beach weddings are easy (and fun) to dress up for. For the men, lighter options such as cotton, linen or seersucker are your go-tos for the ceremony.

What to Wear: The city wedding

Your best friend just booked her dream wedding at the Met—attending a reception against a backdrop of Rembrandt paintings requires flawless attire that's on par with the artwork.

The art of mastering black tie dressing is simplicity: less is more. When in doubt, opt for black or muted tones. Look for a gown or suit with a simple silhouette: off-the-shoulder or side drapings are particularly striking for this occasion. If your hemline is too long, take it to a tailor for a custom fit, or invest in some heels. And ladies—it's time to bring out the heirloom jewelry (only a few carefully chosen pieces, of course). Dressier options such as a tux or three piece suit are classic choices for gentlemen.

How to Keep Your Outfit Wedding-Ready

Traveling with formal wear can be challenging, but following these storage tips can help reduce the chance of wrinkles or stains on your carefully selected new outfit.

Packing

• Keep dresses pristine by rolling them up and tucking them away in a garment bag
• Purchase a packing envelope for suits
• Pack heavier items on the bottom of your suitcase to help avoid wrinkling
• Roll ties around your finger (starting with the narrow end) and slip them into a sock before packing
• Use hard case luggage if possible to avoid damage from outside pressure
• Keep finer fabrics such as silk and chiffon in a separate compartment—and away from liquids—during travel
• Pack all liquids in separate plastic bags to contain any possible spills
• Pack rolled clothes tightly so they don't unravel

On arrival

• Hang your clothes immediately upon arrival
• Place your clothes on the back of the bathroom door and run a hot shower for a quick steam clean
• Consider purchasing a portable steam cleaner
• Look into the services available at your hotel, such as suit pressing

Heading home

• Travel with extra plastic bags to separate dirty and clean clothes (consider an odor eliminating laundry travel bag)
• Visit your try cleaner to help your clothes recover from their long journey

Destination weddings are exciting, but they're also a big investment; from the plane ticket, to the hotel, to the outfit. But by packing and caring for your clothes correctly, you can make sure that at least one of those investments outlasts the journey.

Made a mess out of your cocktail dress? Head over to our cheat sheet for stain treatments on-the-go for an instant remedy.

Photos: Nick Karvounis, Haystaak Sweet Ice Cream Photography, Scott Webb

People often say your eyes are the window to your soul. They offer another person insight into your mind, your true feelings, and your personality. That may be true, but what if we told you there was another way in?

A recent study suggests that the crazy socks you choose to wear provide others with a glimpse of who you really are, and help shape how others perceive you. Sounds ridiculous, right? Allow us to explain.

Identifying with a group or a community is an instinctive behavior that has been instilled in us over thousands of years. When you don’t fit in with the accepted norms of society people often view you as an outsider, a loner, or treat you differently. However, this doesn’t necessarily hold true with socks.

Think about it. Socks are often overlooked, hidden under your pants, and at the bottom of your outfit. How often do you concentrate on someone’s feet? They aren’t the most in-your-face article of clothing, but that is what makes them a perfect item for self-expression.

A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people who wear eccentric socks on purpose are viewed as being more creative, smart, successful, and had increased status. While we feel it is important and just not to judge others on their clothing, it is interesting that socks are linked to this viewpoint. Imagine a successful executive or politician dressed in a fine business suit with a subtle hint of flair in the form of crazy socks. You may think they are bold, rebellious, and possess extreme self-confidence. They certainly would stand out from everyone else!

A Northwestern University study demonstrated that our clothing choices (including socks) affect the way we think, act, and feel. When you choose to wear crazy and colorful socks you are most likely exuding confidence and are feeling good about yourself. Therefore, this self-confidence helps you accomplish your goals in life and at work whether you are cognitively aware of it or not. Your attitude and bold clothing choices are also visible to those around you. Choosing unconventional socks is definitely the opposite of what is considered to be the social norm.

We encourage you to embrace the ability to wear fun and crazy socks and express yourself. It will show others that you are a unique personality, and perhaps you’ll find more success along the way!

During the first half of December, we are hosting #12DaysofRinsemas on all social media. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to win prizes daily!