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Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

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61–70 of 127 posts

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#61
post #57

A decentralized marketplace could avoid the problems with near-monopolies like Amazon because the cost overhead on transactions could be made minimal. The problem is that in order to not become the black market like OpenBazaar, the decentralized market would need to be able to comply with local and regional laws and regulation; laws and regulations which change over time. That is a tall order, and in not easily recon…

How does a decentralized marketplace make transaction fees minimal? Currently transaction fees are the hot topic and seem exorbitantly high. I guess both customers and merchants want to buy or sell stuff and not read about things like the lightning network.

You could be right, but I was mostly referring to the Amazon take.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#62
post #41

A lot of people here have jaded views. Perhaps because they feel like they missed an opportunity. I believe that the Eth rocket is just about to launch. I recommend jumping aboard. Don’t fall for the sunk cost fallacy. Just because you started walking in the wrong direction doesn’t mean you have to keep walking in the wrong direction. Go to Coinbase.com if you reside in the US. Get in now. Go long, I do believe. You’…

> I believe that the Eth rocket is just about to launch. Why do you believe that?

Because of the value that the platform offers the world.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#63

There are four reasons I think decentralized marketplaces are inevitable: 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. 2) Blockchain technology gives us a censorship resistance. Not only from governments that like to ban certain type…

I consider network censorship to be a feature, not a bug. I want airbnb to be able to enforce that hosts are not able to deny service to black people. I want my uber driver to have insurance and a quick background check. From the perspective of somebody in the marketplace I prefer having people who break the social contract removed. Now there can be marketplaces that screw this up and perhaps there is some place for…

My experience with Airbnb is that they overlook some nasty, inappropriate behavior that hosts exhibit in favor of profit. Companies like Airbnb and Uber aren't self-regulating at all.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I consider network censorship to be a feature, not a bug. I want airbnb to be able to enforce that hosts are not able to deny service to black people. I want my uber driver to have insurance and a quick background check. From the perspective of somebody in the marketplace I prefer having people who break the social contract removed. Now there can be marketplaces that screw this up and perhaps there is some place for…

The feature you are looking for is not "censorship" but "reputation metrics" (in fact, they should be "uncensorable reputation metrics"). If a trusted third party (not necessarily Uber) told you whether a given driver had insurance, then your decision to transact with the driver could be based on that. (More likely, whoever made the app you use would do the "has insurance" check for you, and not show you any drivers…

Can a blockchain like steem be used to solve the reputation problem?

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#65

There are four reasons I think decentralized marketplaces are inevitable: 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. 2) Blockchain technology gives us a censorship resistance. Not only from governments that like to ban certain type…

> 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. Capitalism takes care of this. Through a competitive marketplace of marketplaces, marketplaces are forced to reduce middlemen fees to the lowest necessary. Even a block-chain middlemen-l…

To be honest, the cryptocurrency movement feels like an attempt to shift the power from people who control money to people who control the technology.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#66
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. Capitalism takes care of this. Through a competitive marketplace of marketplaces, marketplaces are forced to reduce middlemen fees to the lowest necessary. Even a block-chain middlemen-l…

To be honest, the cryptocurrency movement feels like an attempt to shift the power from people who control money to people who control the technology.

In time the the “early” crypto people will just become the new rent seekers.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#67

There are four reasons I think decentralized marketplaces are inevitable: 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. 2) Blockchain technology gives us a censorship resistance. Not only from governments that like to ban certain type…

> We can redistribute value to the people who actually contribute the most value in the network.

Actually that is how I envision people becoming self-reliant in a post-job society. Being jobless and with little money means you got: 1. free time, and 2. needs to fulfil. But jobless people are not without skills - we don't suddenly forget everything we learned when we lose our jobs. There's plenty of skilled people with time and a motive to work.

So why not get services in exchange for services, from jobless person to jobless person? In order to do that we'd need a "human coin". Humans can make a lot of what they need directly - grow food, build houses, repair cars, supervise and educate kids, make clothes. These services should be obtained in the service-for-service system, without money. It leads to a more self-reliant society that doesn't depend on state money, or worse, on transferring money from corporations to people - we all know it's going to be hard to part corporations from their money in the name of social good.

UBI is demeaning and robs people of agency, self-reliance is the exact opposite. Using a "human coin" we could create a marketplace of skills and services without corporate money. Self-reliance should exist at all levels - personal, family, social group, city and country. Each level should be as self-reliant as possible, reducing the need for international commerce and dependence on external factors. When self reliance reaches 100% there would be almost no need to use money, perhaps just for raw materials, so we should be researching new materials that are plentiful and can be produced locally.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#68
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be honest, the cryptocurrency movement feels like an attempt to shift the power from people who control money to people who control the technology.

In time the the “early” crypto people will just become the new rent seekers.

Yep, question is will they be able to update the prevalent system while doing their rent seeking or just succumb to the same problems that plague the system now.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#69
post #56

There are four reasons I think decentralized marketplaces are inevitable: 1) Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. We have a chance to cut out the rent-seeking middlemen, with revolutionary new business models that allow fees to go to ~zero. 2) Blockchain technology gives us a censorship resistance. Not only from governments that like to ban certain type…

>Throughout history middlemen have suffered a common fate. They get squeezed out at every opportunity. This is just... Absolute nonsense. Just factually incorrect. Middlemen, example Amazon, have never been stronger. People complain about it on HN all the time. Anyways, people use middlemen and are happy to pay the cost because they provide a useful service. They aren't just arbitrarily injecting themselves into tran…

The only trend of ending middlemen is that small middlemen are being replaced by large middlemen.

Re: Decentralized Blockchain-Based Electronic Marketplaces

#70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I consider network censorship to be a feature, not a bug. I want airbnb to be able to enforce that hosts are not able to deny service to black people. I want my uber driver to have insurance and a quick background check. From the perspective of somebody in the marketplace I prefer having people who break the social contract removed. Now there can be marketplaces that screw this up and perhaps there is some place for…

The feature you are looking for is not "censorship" but "reputation metrics" (in fact, they should be "uncensorable reputation metrics"). If a trusted third party (not necessarily Uber) told you whether a given driver had insurance, then your decision to transact with the driver could be based on that. (More likely, whoever made the app you use would do the "has insurance" check for you, and not show you any drivers…

To get a bad reputation some people must be burnt first.

And when the rep gets bad enough, no worries if it's a censorship/ban free platform. Just start over.

So there are some moral hazards. (Not that they can't be overcome.)

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