Realizing the Essence of the Sharing Economy: A Case Study of Drop-In Economy

This study explores the core values of the sharing economy (SE) through the lens of the "Drop-In Economy," emphasizing non-economic motivations such as altruism, community support, and mutual aid. Using the "Send Luv Box" initiative, which provided meal deliveries to vulnerable communities inconvenient to transport between the mountains and the cities, the research demonstrates how sharing delivery fosters intergenerational support and strengthens social bonds. It seeks to reconnect with the original intent of SE by shifting away from profit-driven models to community-based practices that prioritize sustainability, social responsibility, and genuine resource sharing. Additionally, the paper proposes the use of an API-based system to integrate sharing delivery into a variety of everyday applications, allowing the drop-in economy to seamlessly function across multiple contexts and scenarios, enhancing accessibility and community engagement. Importantly, this research does not aim to criticize the economic aspects of the sharing economy but rather to develop a more sustainable model that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, helping them experience the true joy of sharing. By examining the impact of non-economic motivations and the practical implementation of sharing delivery, this study offers insights into how the sharing economy can evolve to retain its foundational principles in a modern context.