SOMA — The Social Marketplace
From the early days of history, trading has been a social phenomenon. Historically, people have assembled into the marketplaces and bazaars in order to exchange pleasantries and trade with items that were imported from the different parts of the world. Today, the situation has changed remarkably. The majority of the C2C-trade happens in internet platforms, such as eBay, which offers its users a ”onestop-shop” platform to list items for trading and bartering. However, the contemporary platforms have deviated from the historical standpoint of trading as the people are usually hidden behind the anonymous usernames. Thus, the current platforms merely offer a forum for trading without any features that would facilitate social interaction. The lack of social interaction between the users removes an important element, something which has been a natural part of trading and exchange since the beginning of the economic activity between human beings. This does not reflect the current marke...