Method and system enabling crowdsourced peer to peer product rental

An online system, the system comprising:

• a memory device with computer-readable program code stored thereon, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to a display device, the at least one processor being operable to, at least:
• store a collection of information in a database identifying a plurality of product items submitted for rental by a plurality of lenders, the collection of information comprising a photograph of each of the plurality of product items and a geographic location of each lender in possession of each of the plurality of product items;
• receive, from a mobile device, a request to rent a particular product item and a geographical location of a borrower;
• search the database to identify one or more product items matching the particular product item within a distance threshold of borrower, wherein the distance threshold is predetermined by the borrower, wherein if the particular product item is not found within the distance threshold predetermined by the borrower, the computer processing device is configured to increase the distance threshold until the particular product item is found or the distance threshold exceeds a maximum distance threshold;
• receive, from the mobile device, a request to communicate with one or more lenders of the particular product item;
• determine, via a rental propensity model, a number of lenders to contact to evoke at least a certain minimum number of responses to a notification of a rental request, wherein the number of lenders is based on a min depth and a max depth, and wherein the min depth and the max depth are generated according to a ranking of users to respond to a previous notification;
• send, via a communication interface, a message to each of the number of lenders of the particular product item, the message comprising a notification of the request by the borrower to rent the particular product item;
• and
• receive an acceptance of the request to rent the particular product item from a lender of the one or more number of lenders of the particular product item.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a plurality of code sections, each code section comprising a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors to perform actions supporting crowdsourced peer to peer rental of products items among a plurality of users, wherein the actions of the one or more processors comprise:

• forming a collection of information, stored in a database, identifying a plurality of product items submitted for rental by a plurality of lenders, the collection of information comprising a photograph of each of the plurality of product items and a geographic location of each lender in possession of each of the plurality of product items;
• receiving, from a mobile device, a request to rent a particular product item and a geographical location of a borrower;
• searching the database to identify one or more product items matching the particular product item within a distance threshold of the borrower, wherein the distance threshold is predetermined by_the borrower, wherein if the particular product item is not found within the distance threshold predetermined by the borrower, the computer processing device is configured to increase the distance threshold until the particular product item is found or the distance threshold exceeds a maximum distance threshold;
• receiving, from the mobile device, a request to communicate with one or more lenders of the particular product item;
• determining, via a rental propensity model, a number of lenders to contact to evoke at least a certain minimum number of responses to a notification of a rental request, wherein the number of lenders is based on a min depth and a max depth, and wherein the min depth and the max depth are generated according to a ranking of users to respond to a previous notification;
• sending, via a communication interface, a message to each of the number of lenders of the particular product item, the message comprising a notification of the request by the borrower to rent the particular product item;
• and
• receiving an acceptance of the request to rent the particular product item from a lender of the number of lenders of the particular product item.