CollaboraCart

Business profile registration
Dashboard
Dashboard
Submit request for item
Match results
Match results

Inspiration

Our motivation for developing CollaboraCart stems from firsthand experiences. Some of our team members have owned small businesses and understand the challenges they face, especially when acquiring supplies at cost-effective rates. Competing with larger corporations, which benefit from economies of scale, is a perpetual struggle for smaller entities. This inspired us to devise a solution that can level the playing field for these businesses.

What it does

CollaboraCart is an all-in-one supply ordering platform exclusively designed for small businesses. It acts as a bridge for these businesses, which frequently face higher per-unit costs due to their limited ordering volume. By connecting similar businesses with parallel supply needs, CollaboraCart allows them to consolidate their orders. This collaborative approach empowers businesses to achieve larger combined order volumes, translating into more competitive per-unit prices and mimicking the purchasing power of larger corporations.

Collabora harnesses the Recombee API to provide users with AI-driven product recommendations, employing an analysis of their historical purchase data and examining item characteristics, including titles, descriptions, availability, pricing, and sustainability attributes.

We've developed a matching algorithm designed to pair small businesses with others seeking the same items. When businesses complete an item request form, they provide details such as the item, quantity, and budget. Our algorithm processes this information to identify businesses with similar needs. It prioritizes matches within a 100km radius, ensuring geographical proximity, and considers industry alignment to enhance compatibility. The ultimate goal is to optimize and reduce the per-unit cost for both parties, promoting collaborative savings.

How we built it

We utilized React with Tailwind CSS for a responsive and modern frontend. Our backend was developed using Flask, seamlessly connecting with a SQLite database to store business profiles and item requests. To ensure safe financial transactions to suppliers, we integrated the Paybilt API.

Challenges we ran into

One prominent challenge was configuring and ensuring smooth communication with server endpoints. We learned the hard way that even seemingly basic frontend tasks, like centering divs, can sometimes become a headache. Moreover, charting out the app architecture and visualizing the holistic flow of the program demanded both foresight and adaptability, pushing us to think critically about each design and functionality decision.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Being developers with a heart for small businesses, we're proud of creating CollaboraCart, an app with real-world impact. It's a tool designed for challenges that many businesses, including some owned by our team members, face daily. Our frontend not only looks sleek but also offers a smooth user experience. Additionally, integrating the Paybilt API successfully adds to our list of achievements, ensuring safe transactions for all users.

What we learned

A significant portion of our time and energy was invested in designing the UI/UX, teaching us the intricacies and importance of user-centered design. Beyond just aesthetics, implementing these designs on the frontend brought its own set of challenges and lessons. Additionally, the process of communicating with a database, particularly in terms of data insertion and retrieval, deepened our understanding of backend operations and the vital role databases play in dynamic applications.

What's next for CollaboraCart

Localized Supplier Discovery: Help businesses discover local suppliers, promoting local economies and reducing carbon footprints.
Digital Contracts & Agreements: Digitalize the process of forming contracts or agreements on blockchains when businesses decide to partner up for bulk purchases allowing for greater transparency and accountability.
Supplier Rating & Reviews: Allow businesses to rate and review suppliers based on their experience, product quality, and delivery times.