However, by considering more interactive scenarios, e.g. window shopping, group interaction turns into a valuable and innovative element of future electronic malls. Our approach, which is overviewed in Figure 1, turns the shopper from a number in the system to an individual and allows customer and group awareness. Another objective was to add mutual customer influence to the electronic market by supporting both unintentional stimulation and intentional influence via discussion and voting. Overcoming real markets, computer-based group coordination increases team efficiency and works also over distances.
Communication enables the customer to fill individual information gaps in an efficient way.
Additionally interaction makes an electronic market more attractive for the shopper. The marketer profits from a bigger amount of customers resulting from the higher attractivity and his customers are even more motivated because the shop assistants can help interactively. Last but not least, the supplier gets a new communication channel to his customers. To sum up, with group interaction the electronic market turns from an application into a social place. At all times markets have been not only places for exchanging goods and money, but also have played a major role as a center of communication between the market participants.