In a similar way that companies often use some kind of credit rating to decide whether to give you a mobile plan, or the rate of a mortgage, marketplaces that depend on transactions between relative strangers need some kind of device to let you know that Sebastian and Chris are good eggs, and that device is reputation.
Ligesom firmaer bruger en eller anden kreditvurdering for at afgøre om du skal få et mobilabonnement, eller hvilken rente på banklånet, så behøver markeder med transaktioner mellem fremmede et værktøj som kan sige at Sebastian og Chris er okay, og dette værktøj er omdømme.