Most people own things they rarely use. USE IT lets them rent it out. And lets everyone else stop buying stuff they only need once.
I worked on turning the idea into a clear product experience. My main focus was understanding the needs of both renters and lenders, mapping the core user flows, and translating them into wireframes.
I also worked on the way we tell the story of USE IT, so the product would feel simple, useful, and easy to understand.
People buy things they use once. A drill gets used for an average of 13 minutes in its entire lifetime. A pressure washer sits in a garage for years between uses. A camping tent goes out once a summer.
The rental market exists, but it's scattered across Facebook groups, WhatsApp messages, and awkward meetups with no protection. No payment system, no verification, no accountability. Just two strangers hoping it works out.
A renter is paying for something they haven't seen yet. A lender is handing over expensive gear to someone they don't know.
That tension shaped the whole product. For USE IT to work, both sides need to feel protected.
So every major part of the flow was designed around trust: who the other person is, what condition the item is in, what happens during handoff, and what happens if something goes wrong.
We looked at Facebook groups, rental shops, local peer-to-peer platforms, and Fat Llama. Each one offered something useful, but none of them covered the full experience we wanted: local discovery, short-term rentals, trust between strangers, clear handoff, and protection for both sides.
USE IT was designed around that missing middle.
We identified 3 core user types. Each one interacts with trust differently. As a renter, a lender, or both.
Yael needs to feel protected before paying a stranger. Omer needs to know his gear will come back in one piece. Dana needs both sides to feel equally simple.
Trust starts with first impression. The swipe mechanic lets renters browse quickly, see ratings, distance, and price. And feel in control of what they engage with. No commitment until they're ready.
Reducing steps reduces doubt. A complicated rental process feels risky. "What am I committing to?" We made it three steps: pick dates, write a message, review and send. The simpler the process, the more likely both sides follow through.
Escrow solves the biggest trust gap in P2P transactions. The renter knows they won't lose money if something goes wrong. The lender knows the money is secured before they hand anything over. Neither side has to trust the other. The system holds the trust.
The physical handoff is where trust breaks in every P2P platform. You're standing in front of a stranger handing them your camera or your drill. The QR verification documents the moment. Both sides confirm the item's condition, and the transaction status updates automatically. No "he said, she said."
Not every user knows what to rent. Someone planning a birthday party or a home renovation doesn't think in product categories. They think in events. The AI agent translates "I'm hosting a BBQ for 20 people" into a checklist of available items nearby. It removes the barrier of not knowing where to start.
