Do you think we need a decentralized version of Amazon? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by qnick@lemmy.world to c/casualconversation@lemmy.world

23 comments fedilink hide all child comments

top 19 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[-] macintosh@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I have zero trust in anything decentralized in relation to money. Would definitely like a central authority to complain to when someone scams me. Implementing it like lemmy would make it impossible to effectively ban scammers and would also make searching for stuff annoying as hell. I already hate how annoying it is to search for things on different instances for this stuff.

[-] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Wouldn't that just be ebay? Or ebay before they began expanding? In most instances nowadays you can buy direct from manufacturer as well, and that's becoming more common as time passes and companies invest in their own distribution infrastructure

[-] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That's still centralized the same way that Amazon is, they just don't use the same aggressive affiliate program.

A federated marketplace would be like if you could go to one portal and see posts from Target, eBay, craigslist, and Etsy all side by side, and the user could control their search and ranking algorithm instead of the marketplace selling the top spots. I would like that a lot.

[-] Briguy24@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Also Etsy.

[-] 4am@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Fedsy

[-] lagomorphlecture@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Right, I wasn't sure exactly what OP is trying to say and a little more explanation for what they're thinking would be good. But I was thinking the same thing. "Like Walmart, Target, Kmart, the mall..but online?"

[-] macisr@lemmy.fmhy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

I don't know man, I think that the realm of money and commerce does need some higher regulation, at least for security. But I don't know, maybe my brain is still too primitive to get something like that. I would first try social networks and then see if it can be done with money and physical goods.

[-] PlanetOfOrd@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I tried this as a startup (sort of) years ago. A privacy-friendly alternative to Amazon for small businesses. Built the entire thing...nobody was on board. 3 months of development! Wasted!

[-] WheelcharArtist@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Oh you mean something like online shopping in general?

[-] Briguy24@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Or Pinterest / Etsy

[-] a_good_hunter@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Came to say just that...

[-] Yubishi@lemmy.one 1 points 1 year ago

So something like https://github.com/OpenBazaar ! Though it looks like they are moving forward with OpenBazaar 3.0.

[-] DrSanta@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I'm a bit iffy on the idea, but not strictly opposed to it. How would scammers, returns, payment issues, etc be handled without a strong central authority?

Seems like a smaller, weaker local administration might not be able to handle such.

Legitimate curiosity on my end. I'm open to interpretation and suggestions.

I'm new to this federalized system in terms of social networks. It's been interesting so far.

[-] odium@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

wouldn't that be mostly an insurance company? The 2 main things that Amazon delivers are fast delivery and hassle free service. ordered? At your doorstep in a day. not happy? send it back, no worries broken after 2 years? Send it back, no worries

I can't see that delivered decentralised without a massive insurance or CoC behind it. But if: Would be awesome

[-] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 year ago

I think decentralizing Amazon is more possible than you think.

The main first step would be breaking apart functions. Amazon controls posting, search and rank, storage, and delivery. You already have many sellers, multiple storage locations, and multiple shipping companies. If posting listings and ordering the search results was out of Amazon's control, and Amazon couldn't wield their power to compel sellers to store at their locations or use their shipping services for a huge fee then we'd already be most of the way there.

[-] psivchaz@reddthat.com 0 points 1 year ago

A big part of it is logistics. Amazon lets sellers stash things in their warehouses for matching buyers to products and getting it in their hands quick. This is a role that a forward-thinking UPS or FedEx or, if God were real, the USPS could have filled in America.

[-] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 year ago

They also force people into these programs though and take a huge cut of the revenue.

Imagine if there was a second Amazon. Now imagine if both Amazon one and Amazon two were on the same marketplace, and neither had enough power to force sellers to use their services and take whatever deal they offered. Can you imagine how much that would give sellers the power to set their own prices and control their operations and logistics?