# Lendr

## Team
We are a group of 4 master students: Defne (Electrical Engineering), Erik (Computer Science), Josua (Cyber Security), and Lukas (Cyber Security). Together, we created **Lendr**, a tool sharing platform.

## Pitch

Lendr is the ultimate tool lending app that revolutionizes the way you access and share tools. Say goodbye to expensive tool purchases and hello to convenient borrowing. With Lendr, you can easily find the tools you need, connect with trustworthy lenders, and enjoy a seamless borrowing experience. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, a handy homeowner, or a graduate in need of specialized tools, Lendr has got you covered. Simply search for the tool you require, connect with a lender, and arrange for a hassle-free pickup. Join the Lendr community today and unlock a world of tool-sharing possibilities.

Lendr offers a range of features to enhance your borrowing experience. From a searchable register of all available tools to user profiles with rankings and reviews, you can trust in the reliability and quality of the tools on the platform. Additionally, Lendr provides a streamlined handover process, ensuring that both lenders and borrowers have a clear understanding of the tool's condition before and after the borrowing period. With Lendr, you can save money, contribute to a sustainable sharing economy, and build connections within your local community. Join us and start borrowing tools with ease through Lendr!

## Features

Lendr has many features that serve its motivation of promoting sustainability, saving money, and building community. With these features, Lendr enhances the borrowing experience, facilitates resource sharing, reduces waste, and connects users within a community-driven tool-sharing platform.

- **Searchable register of all posted tools:** The searchable register feature of Lendr allows users to easily find and browse through a comprehensive list of all the tools available for borrowing within the platform. By accessing a wide range of tools through Lendr, users can save money and reduce their environmental impact.
- **Search for task that needs to be performed:** This feature helps users identify the specific tools they need based on the tasks they want to accomplish. Lendr suggests recommended tools for various tasks, ensuring that users find the most suitable tools for their projects. By recommending appropriate tools, Lendr simplifies the borrowing process, saving users time and effort while also preventing unnecessary purchases.
- **Search by zip code:** Allowing users to search for tools by zip code ensures convenience and accessibility. Users can find tools available within their local area, which reduces the need for traveling long distances or paying for shipping. This feature promotes community building by connecting users within the same geographical region, fostering local connections and enabling the sharing of resources.
- **User profiles with ranking:** User profiles with rankings (similar to Ebay) provide a sense of trust and reliability within the Lendr community. Borrowers can view the profiles of lenders, including their ratings and feedback from previous borrowers. This feature helps users make informed decisions about whom to borrow from, ensuring a positive borrowing experience and building a sense of accountability among community members.
- **Reviews of users:** The review feature allows borrowers to provide feedback and share their experiences with lenders and the tools they borrowed. Reviews serve as valuable information for other users, helping them make informed choices about lenders and the quality of tools available. This fosters transparency and builds a reputation system within the Lendr community, ensuring the reliability and quality of tools offered.
- **Sponsored (affiliate) links if a tool is not found:** In situations where a particular tool is not available for borrowing, Lendr may provide sponsored links to affiliated partners where users can purchase or rent the tool. While the primary focus of Lendr is tool sharing, these sponsored links serve as an alternative resource for users, ensuring they can still access the tools they need while supporting the platform. The users can then add the items they purchase through these links on the app.
- **Streamlined handover process:** The streamlined handover process feature simplifies and clarifies the process of transferring tools between lenders and borrowers. It involves clear communication and agreement on the tool's condition before and after borrowing. This feature reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings or disputes, fostering positive interactions and maintaining trust within the Lendr community.
- **Deposit storage within the app:** Lendr may offer a deposit storage feature that allows lenders to securely store a deposit within the app during the borrowing period. This feature adds an extra layer of security and assurance for lenders, protecting their tools against potential damage or loss or late return. It encourages responsible borrowing behavior and promotes trust between lenders and borrowers.
- **Follow an item if not available at the moment:** This feature allows users to follow specific tools they need, even if they are currently unavailable for borrowing. By following an item, users receive notifications or updates when the tool becomes available. This feature promotes user engagement, encourages patience, and fosters a sense of community as users eagerly anticipate the availability of their desired tools.

## User Scenarios

### The Graduated Handyman

Benoit, a recent graduate, wants to showcase his EPFL diploma by attaching a shelf to his apartment wall. He doesn't own a drill, so he opens the app and searches for "Drill". He finds Claire, a nearby user, who has a suitable drill available. Benoit communicates with Claire through the app's messaging feature, and they schedule a pickup later in the day. When he arrives to pick up the drill, he confirms its condition through the app by comparing the actual tool to Claire's uploaded photos. He then makes a deposit of XX.- through the app due to the drill's high value. After using the drill, Benoit takes and uploads pictures to the app to show its condition, and then returns it to Claire. Once Claire verifies the drill's condition via the app, Benoit's deposit is refunded. They both leave ratings for each other on the app.

### The Unfortunate Borrower

John borrows a sander from another user via the app. He accidentally damages the sander during use. John informs the lender about the incident, uploading pictures of the damaged sander to the app. The lender leaves a negative review on John's profile, and the app retains the deposit that John paid as compensation for the damaged sander. John learns the importance of being careful with borrowed tools and commits to gaining more knowledge before borrowing in the future.

### The DIY Newbie

Sophia, a novice in DIY projects, wants to install some LED strip lights around her room. She finds the needed electrical wire cutter on the app but isn't sure how to use it. She reaches out to the lender for advice. The lender, an electrician, gladly provides Sophia with instructions on how to use the wire cutter safely and effectively. Sophia successfully completes her project with the lender's guidance and leaves a positive review on their profile, highlighting their helpful advice.

### The Handy Homeowner

Claire, a homeowner with a collection of tools, decides to share her tools with others when they're not in use, using the app. She uploads pictures of her tools to the app, which auto-fills the details using its tool recognition feature. She sets a deposit requirement for her more expensive tools. When she receives a request from Benoit, she checks his profile and sees positive reviews. They schedule a pickup. Claire uploads pictures of the drill to the app, and once Benoit pays the deposit, she hands over the drill. After Benoit returns the drill, Claire checks its condition and confirms on the app that it's in good condition.

### The Cautious Lender

Claire receives a request from a user wanting to borrow her prized Kärcher K4. She checks the borrower's profile and notices a history of negative reviews, indicating a pattern of returning tools in poor condition. To protect her cherished Kärcher K4, she declines the request. She appreciates the app's feature allowing her to review borrower profiles and make informed decisions about lending her tools.

## Why People Would Want to Lend Their Tools

1. **Community Building:** Lending tools fosters a sense of community among neighbors or within a local group. This creates a positive environment where people feel connected and are more likely to lend a hand (or a tool) to others.

2. **Sustainability:** Lending allows for more efficient use of resources, reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle.

3. **Helping Others:** Lending tools can assist those who may not have the means to purchase their own or only need a specific tool for a single job.

## Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

A tool lending app could contribute to several [Sustainable Development Goals](https://sdgs.un.org/goals) (SDGs) defined by the United Nations:

1. **Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8):** The app can stimulate local economies by providing people with the resources they need to complete projects or start small businesses.

2. **Industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9):** The app is an innovative solution for sharing resources and can contribute to building resilient infrastructure.

3. **Reduced inequalities (SDG 10):** The app facilitates access to tools that individuals may not be able to afford or access otherwise, helping to reduce inequalities.

4. **Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11):** The app promotes the sharing and reusing of tools, contributing to the sustainability of cities and communities.

5. **Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12):** The app promotes responsible consumption by encouraging users to borrow rather than buy tools, reducing waste.

6. **Climate action (SDG 13):** The app indirectly contributes to climate action by promoting a sharing economy, reducing the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of tools​

## Social Dimensions and features (Motivations)

## Value Proposition and Pricing

### Value Proposition

Tools for Wood/Metal/Homeworking can be expensive. Most people use them very infrequently, sometimes just once. This creates a lot of consumption which could be prevented if people can easily share their tools.

The platform allows user to both lend and borrow tools.

The value proposition for borrowers is obvious. Instead of buying a tools, the user can search the registered items and borrow them from the owner.

In order for users to post their tools on the platform, a few incentives must be provided:
- Listing items and borrowing them increases profile Karma. This makes other lenders more likely to agree to a lend tools to them.
- Users can charge a fee for an item.
- Users can ask for a deposit when lending their tool. This gives assurance to the lender, and allows rarer, more expensive items to be posted on the platform.
- The handover-process is streamlined. Lenders document the condition of the tool before lending. The borrower accepts the handover in-app, and is responsible for the tool until it is returned. To return a tool, the process is repeated in the other direction.

### Pricing

Generally the platform is free to use for both borrowers and lenders. To generate revenue for the operation of the application, we intend to create two revenue-streams:

1. Take cut of lending fees
2. Offer targeted advertising

For the design of the revenue streams for the platform, our goal is to make the funding sustainable, independent and user-funded. This can ensure longevity and the unhindered pursuit of the original mission of the app.

The main source of revenue should come from the cuts of lending fees. Although advertising can provide steady revenue, we do not want to rely on it, since it is out of our control. Additionally, our platform would go against the business interests of manufacturers and vendors of tools offered on our platform, so we cannot count on them coming and staying on our platform.

#### Fee-Sharing

Generally, the fee-sharing model is very flexible and can be adapted to development stage and size of the platform.

As an initial idea, we plan taking a 10% cut on lending fees above 10CHF. Generating revenue this way, makes the platform independent and user-funded. We think can run the initial service on two small rented servers. So just a handful of transactions a month can fund the server-costs, even for a mid-sized user-base (~10'000 monthly users).

The rest of the revenue can be used to pay off developers cost and customer service, which would be the main costs.

#### Targeted Advertising
Companies can advertise tools in the search functions. If a tools is not available for borrowing their product is placed right there. If a user where to buy a product through this referral, and subsequently offer the tool as a lender, the user gets 40% of the referral fee back. Since the platform goes against the business-model of the producers, we don't expect too much revenue through this channel. It's main purpose is to get more tools on the platform, and offer a one-stop-shop for all tools.

#### Emergency Replacement Service
The platform could partner with local hardware stores to offer an emergency replacement service. If a tool isn't returned when needed, the lender could have the option to pick up a replacement from a nearby partner store. The cost of this service could be covered by the delinquent borrower's deposit.

## Mockups

Find the mockups of Lendr in the appendix or get them [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M9Occkm4_GTwplOBuo6h8XqrLRyHuMPy/view?usp=sharing).

## Usability evaluation

- Visibility of system status: Our app does a good job displaying current system status of available and non-available tools. It provides a searchable register of all posted tools, displays links to sponsored websites if a tool is not available.

- Match between system and the real world: For borrowers, the app filters users by localization and inactivity. For example, if a user hasn't been active for many months, their tools do not have the priority in display.

- User control and freedom: Lenders are free to choose if they want to lend their tools or not to certain users, based on their schedules, borrowers' ranks, the duration someone wants the tool etc. They can choose the place and time of exchange on the app within the chat.

- Error prevention: In order to avoid people having their tools stolen or damaged, the app puts in place a security deposit system. Specifically for expensive tools, before borrowing it, the user needs to pay a security deposit to the app and fill out a document highlighting what was broken or not regarding the tool. If they return the tool in its original condition, they will get the deposit back. And in case of loss or damage, they will fully or partially (depending on how much they damaged it) lose their deposit. The deposit will be trasferred to the lender in this case.

- Recognition rather than recall: The platform displays a user guide when a user first registers. However, the interface is very intuitive and design is simple, reducing the need for users to remember specific actions or instructions.

- Flexibility and efficiency of use: Thanks to the filters and ranks by location and recommendations of tools depending on tasks users want to perform, the app makes it very efficient for users to find tools they want. The interface also offers shortcuts for specific tasks to rank users, request a product etc.

- Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors: In case of an accidental damage of a product, the users can recover from their ranks if they return products in good condition in other encounters.

- Help and documentation: The app provides a comprehensive help center and support system, making it easy for users to find answers to common questions and issues.

- Aesthetic and minimalist design: App's minimalist design and use of icons makes it easy for users to navigate and use the app without being overwhelmed by clutter.

## Conclusion & Self-Reflection

We think this platform fulfills a need and purpose in a society which wants to be more sustainable and curb it's consumption. It does so by directly lower the number of tools produced, as well as enabling people to build and repair their own stuff.

We think the platform can run with very low overhead, and once established, run mostly by itself, funded by the users.

Developing the app was a new challenge for all of us. By brainstorming and coordinadting together, then splitting the work-load, and collecting and integrating our results, we think we have come up with a useful and feasible product, which is ready to be built.