Micromania-Zing, a franchise specializing in video games, now offers PS5 and Switch consoles on long-term rental (LLD). A good or a bad deal? Very bad, answers the UFC-Que Choisir, which has analyzed the offer in detail.
From 17.49 to 24.99 euros per month, depending on the formula chosen, to go home with a Playstation 5 or a Switch: on paper, the Micromania-Zing Rental Packages have it all. The franchise specializing in video games (more than 400 stores in France) was launched in early June this new long-term rental offer (LLD) of game consoles. In this way, it joins brands such as Boulanger or Cdiscount, which already offer their customers the opportunity to equip themselves with household appliances or electronics, no longer by buying them, but by renting them.
Benefit of the formula: at the end of your engagement period (here, 18 36 months), you can easily return the rented equipment, without having to resell it on occasion. A feature that may be of interest to those who wish to constantly benefit from a recent console. This asset, however, is paid at a high price, as shown by UFC-Que Choisir.
TV, smartphone, household appliances: the limits of long-term rental
Rental more expensive than buying
The Consumers Association did the math. Even by opting for the cheapest packages, the cost of the rental over the duration of the engagement reached, or even exceeded, the price of the console:
- 489.75 (69.99 down payment + 24 x 17.49) for a Playstation 5 with a suggested retail price of 499.99;
- 359.81 (44.99 + 18 x 17.49) for a Switch sold 329.
Your projects at the best rate thanks our comparison of consumer loans
And you cannot, of course, rely on the second-hand resale price of the console, since you are never an owner, unlike a credit purchase. The choice of Micromania-Zing to embark on long-term rental is all the more absurd as the site already offers the possibility of paying in 3, 4, 5, 10 or 20 times! notes the UFC, which also points out the hidden costs of the rental formula: Not returning the console at the end of the subscription, or making it damaged, entails penalties of up to 205.19 euros.
Ultimate grievance: opacity of the general conditions of sale. The numerous exclusions from breakdown and breakage guarantees offered by the most expensive packages empty them of their substance (), judges the association. This breakdown guarantee has, moreover, the basis of a marketing interest: in fact, in any rental, the lessor must guarantee the product in the event of breakdowns! Some clauses even appear to be abusive, according to the UFC: The termination indemnity is () presented as equal to LTC * 0.5 * DA DC - 4 (). As a reminder, an incomprehensible clause is an abusive clause.
