Merit was made to determine one's post quality.
If someone buys and sells merit it means that he abuses the system.
I can guess that Merit trading is forbidden and those who try to trade Merit will probably get their thread to be deleted.
Merit also very helpful as it gives users the option to thank other users for their posts.
An ability that wasn't available before.
Like with many other things invented with good reasons this one will be a subject of many speculations and manipulations. In my opinion many of us are giving the best we can, who is that judge to say that we have enough quality to get merit? Until now I didn't give and I didn't get any merits, I don't have enough merits to reward many great comments, and in same time I think many of my comments pass unnoticed here, who will reward me? My English is far from perfect, I'm trying to elaborate my thoughts in the best possible way, but does that means anything to anyone?
People will trade with merits, here or somewhere else, doesn't matter. When everyone is allowed to be a judge of comment quality I doubt in fair system.
Even myself I don't really bother or thinking up too much on how to earn smerits from other people as long you are doing fine on what you post as long it is not spam and having really a contribution then it should be fine but we cant really accept the situation on where there are post of ours which aren't considered by some people that haven't given any merit which isn't really a surprising thing. Abusing the system is possible because people would really make things that will really benefit them even post are not worth it to get merits but yet they are still getting more than on those deserving ones.