whatsapp : +31 6 373 391 43 Inputs: expected number of shows per year, activation value, freight cost per move, storage cost per year. Output: break-even point in number-of-shows beyond which buying outright costs less than renting.
Buying isn’t always wrong, but the break-even point sits further out than most exhibitors estimate, especially once you factor in storage, refurbishment, and the activation’s natural obsolescence cycle.
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What this calculator answers
At how many shows per year does buying an activation start to cost less than renting it per-show?
How this is calculated
The calculator is fully transparent. The math behind every result is below.
Formulas
annual_rent_cost = shows_per_year * (rent_per_show + freight_per_move)
annual_buy_cost = (purchase_price / amortization_years) + storage_per_year + (shows_per_year * freight_per_move) + (refurb_per_year)
break_even_shows_per_year = solve(annual_rent_cost == annual_buy_cost)
Assumptions
- Amortization default is 4 years — typical activation hardware refresh cycle.
- Storage default is a flat per-year rate; volumetric storage is not modeled.
- Refurbishment default is 8% of purchase price per year (averages refresh cycles).
Sources
- Made for Arcade rental-vs-purchase ledger, internal data.
- EU activation hardware refresh-cycle observations.
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