| On eBay in December 2009, a woman auctioned off | | | | the eBay website so that other members can decide |
| the copyright for a never before seen four minute | | | | who they can trust. There are three possibilities a +1, -1, |
| home video of Marilyn Monroe smoking a joint. Rare | | | | and 0. Negative feedback is given for issues such as: |
| items like this that have been left up in the attic for | | | | late shipping, non-delivery, or non-payment. This |
| decades are available to millions of people through an | | | | reputation system assigns a reputation to all the |
| online auction. However, some purchasers may | | | | participants. |
| question the trustworthiness of the seller. How can | | | | Whether or not this trust is reliable is questionable. |
| purchasers decide if the seller is trustworthy? | | | | There are benefits from the Feedback Forum, but this |
| Reputation Management systems determine | | | | system does not provide any real protection against |
| trustworthiness. The online marketplace, eBay, was | | | | fraudsters. Most users are very reluctant to receive |
| founded in 1995 and started out trading things like Pez | | | | negatives ratings. In many cases users go to extreme |
| dispensers. Since then it has moved to selling larger | | | | lengths to avoid them. The success of an eBay trader |
| items like electronic garages available to millions of | | | | depends on his or her virtual reputation. Hence, earning |
| people around the globe. What is it that has contributed | | | | and maintaining a good reputation is vital. |
| to this company's great success? Part of the secret is | | | | Knowing the importance of positive feedback, |
| in its reputation management | | | | fraudsters can blackmail traders to perform acts they |
| The feedback reputation forum induces trust between | | | | are not legally obliged to do. After winning a bid, a |
| internet buyers and sellers. The highest bidder wins the | | | | fraudster can, for example, deny the receipt of an item |
| auction and the winner and seller complete the deal. | | | | and threaten the trader with negative feedback unless |
| After every deal made on eBay, members can rate | | | | the seller fully reimburses the fraudster. Results of the |
| others' performances. A member's profile shows the | | | | eBay reputation management system show that |
| rating and comments. Some eBay users create | | | | generally buyers and sellers are honest, but there are |
| fantasy names for their identity, like | | | | still abuses. |
| "shellylovesshopping". This fantasy ID is all that the | | | | A more elaborate and more highly developed |
| seller sees. | | | | reputation management system is needed in order to |
| After every transaction these ratings are published on | | | | create a trading environment that is truly safer. |