## 2 Theoretical Framework
### E-Marketplace  
The e-marketplace is an online infrastructure that allows a community of merchants to conduct commercial transactions [18], such as selling goods or services [19]. This model allows both sellers and buyers to connect in the same digital ecosystem [20] that works as a meeting point or a virtual place [21; 22] and facilitates the communication and efficiency of transactions between both parties [19; 23]. These e-marketplaces are often Business to Consumer (B2C) virtual markets, although they also work for Business to Business (B2B) and Consumer to Consumer (C2C) that operate as a neutral intermediary between two parties [22]; the business model is based on charging fees within the platform [24]. These charges, defined by each e-marketplace, can be product listing fees, commissions per sale, processing fees, sign up fees, advertisement (such paid promotions), subscription plans, or events, workshops, and partnerships. Figure 1: Proportion of persons aged 16 to 74 years using e-commerce in 12 months prior to the inquiry, Portugal and EU-28, 2010–2019. National Statistical System (NSS), 2019. Consumers willingly buy from unknown sellers since they trust the institutional mechanisms of the e-marketplace platform [23]. This concept is far more familiar and less intimidating to the artisan community for its resemblance to traditional physical fairs and dyadic relationships. [PERSON] [19] defends that, although hosting multiple participating agents, it is easy to build trusting relationships. Consumers also find this model more beneficial to shop comparatively among multiple sellers without leaving the same website [25], having access to numerous products in one place [24]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [24] listed a series of advantages to the sellers, such as the \"marketplace brand recognition\" that helps build trust, the \"higher number of clients\" concentrated in one place, the \"additional channel of sales and source of revenue\" for handcrafters, \"better conditions to promote products\" for not being required to invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or advertising, and \"access to innovative solutions and analytical and benchmarking data. In this same study, [PERSON] and [PERSON] also mention advantages for buyers, such as \"higher safety transaction, higher credibility of sellers, possibility to compare prices and offers of various suppliers, feedback on the seller from previous customers\" [24]. However, these authors also discuss a series of disadvantages for sellers, such as disproportionate competition from numerous merchants in one place, frequent changes of fees or service costs, and restrictive requirements concerning guidelines with the risk of having their store shut down unexpectedly. Possibly, sellers frequently neglect the option of growing their own e-commerce website on the side, even if performing well within the e-marketplace. From the perspective of a buyer, the main disadvantage is having \"shipments from different sellers\" that incur in additional fees and different delivery times [24]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [26] reinforce these disadvantages because, in this context, the high level of competition might lead to rivalries and lower prices in order to compete against other offers; this might lead to challenges of sustenance. While an e-marketplace offers products and services from numerous sellers [24; 27], e-commerce is a virtual store of a single brand that extends the sales channel of a particular single business. However, the main advantage of an e-marketplace for a seller is that it does not have the costs incurred in conventional e-commerce, such as bureaucracy and large-scale investments related to hosting, domain, inventory management, marketing, search engine optimization, and payment processing. In e-marketplace, it is essential to build trust and brand loyalty, therefore creating a set of terms and conditions to protect both parties.