The SHOP Protocol supports many thousands of buyers and sellers at the same time, and scales to match the volume of other marketplaces like Alibaba. One of the differences, however, is that some key information is maintained securely on the blockchain. To start, this allows users to share certain private data with brands/advertisers in exchange for incentives like shopping discounts and cryptocurrency. This improves the irresponsible privacy model of other marketplaces, while creating value for shoppers and brands alike in a fair and transparent way. The use of a blockchain also allows other key supply chain data to be securely held while remaining accessible to involved parties. This ability to host a common source for shared data breaks down the barrier that can cause information imbalance in a business relationship. Having information be secure, immutable, yet open to all privileged parties, can reduce supply chain overhead costs and create efficiencies that were previously impossible. These efficiencies turn into profits for brands, and competitive prices for shoppers.
So do I understand correctly that SHOP is going to be a new blockchain-powered marketplace on a website?
Sorry for such a question, but your landing page lacks a simple video/graphic presentation to make the idea clear.
We've been working hard on the tech and are just beginning to move out of stealth, but you can expect a lot more in the next few days as we announce the first DApps running on the SHOP Protocol.
You're exactly right though! We are releasing a decentralized protocol that allows mainstream brands to organize their entire supply chain, from production to shipping and shopping, in a decentralized way so that there is more freedom for brands and shoppers alike to transact openly and fairly. Brands get access to customer data directly, without needing to pay ad and data networks to broker it and charge for it, and for the first time shoppers get paid directly for sharing that information if they decide to. By cutting out middlemen at every level of the supply chain, brands and shoppers alike benefit. And the entire network is a co-op, so brands and shoppers own the network itself!
You can get a sneak peak to one of the very first marketplace DApps running on the SHOP Protocol by checking out Kanga:
https://www.kangashop.com/. We haven't made an official announcement yet, but Kanga is a perfect sneak peek into the future of decentralized eCommerce.