This document summarizes a case study of an online gift exchange system called Kassi used within a geolocated university community. The study found that while attitudes towards the system were generally positive, several factors inhibited greater participation. Users were motivated to participate for social reasons like helping others, but listing items or favors for exchange and coordinating offline exchanges could be difficult or awkward. The researchers concluded that balancing an understanding of existing social cultures with efforts to encourage a culture of online gift exchange was important for the system's success.

1. Everyday Favors: A Case Study of
a Local Online Gift Exchange System
Emmi Suhonen, Aalto University School of Science and Technology
Airi Lampinen, Helsinki Institute for Information Technology
Coye Cheshire, Berkeley School of Information
Judd Antin, Yahoo! Research
November 8, 2010
GROUP’10: Create, Donate, Collaborate

2. We all have skills and possessions that others need
but do not have. At the same time, we often lack
some resources ourselves, and can benefit from
seeking others who can help…

4. 1. A geolocated community:
students on a university campus
2. Online – offline interaction
3. Generalized exchange
4. System allows many different
ways to participate in collective
action
Aspects that render Kassi interesting

5. Profile
Listings
Favors Items
What can we do?
How can we help each other?
What items can we lend?
What is sold or given away?

8. • What reasons do people have for participation?
• What affects the quantity of participation?
• How can gift exchange systems be designed to encourage
positive participation?
USERS' MOTIVATIONS TO CONTRIBUTE TO
AN ONLINE GIFT EXCHANGE SYSTEM
WITHIN A GEOLOCATED COMMUNITY

9. Two-wave survey
• September 2009 (N=72) & March 2010 (N=84)
• Open ended questions “Why did you or didn’t listed favors in your profile?”
• Likert-scale questions “Kassi is a useful service in a campus setting”
RESEARCH MATERIAL
Usage Logs

10. User activity Favor Item Other
Posting a listing
(N=459)
38 (8%) 362 (79%) 59 (13%)
Adding a profile
offering (N=330)
120 (36%) 210 (64%) N/A
Completing an
exchange (N=103)
34 (32%) 68 (65%) 3 (3%)
Total (N=984) 192 (22%) 640 (72%) 62 (7%)
USAGE PATTERNS

11. Statement All (N=84)
Frequent
(N=19)
Infrequent
(N=28)
Kassi is a useful service in a campus
setting.
88% 95% 82%
Kassi is a useful service for me
personally.
39% 56% 18%
I wish Kassi had more users. 87% 100% 82%
I think Kassi is easy to use. 71% 84% 61%
ATTITUDES TOWARDS KASSI

12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcinmoga/4240686102/lightbox/
REASONS TO USE KASSI
1. “Just for fun”
2. “It’s nice to help”
3. The service is local: trust and
ease of exchanging with one’s
community

13. Reasons related to user
Number of instances
(N=181)
Difficulty of figuring out what items and
favors to list.
71
Nothing to offer (no items or skills). 42
Difficulty of completing the exchanges
offline and not worth it.
19
Doesn’t live close enough. 11
Reasons related to service
Not interested in the service. 26
Uncertainty of the service. 5
Not knowing this is possible. 7
USERS’ REASONS NOT TO USE KASSI

14. REASONS THAT INHIBIT
THE USE OF KASSI
©DrJohnBullas (Flickr)
©DrJohnBullas (Flickr)
1. Lack of practices and social
culture for gift exchange with
strangers
2. Lack of operational information
3. Lack of examples
4. Social inconvenience

15. 1. Problematic for research
and design
2. …but not necessarily for
end-users – their goals can
be achieved effectively
3. Challenge: How to give
people feedback & show the
activities in the system
without complicating use?
INVISIBLE EXCHANGES
http://www.flickr.com/photos/supersonicphotos/4483487579/

16. 1. Generalized exchange can
feel puzzling – incentives?
2. Asking for help may feel
awkward even when others
have explicitly stated their
willingness to help
3. Contextual interest and/or
geo-location helps, especially
when completing exchanges
requires meeting face-to-face
RECIPROCITY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeff-bauche/2230236391/

17. INTERPRETATION & INTERVENTION
1. How the existing culture should
be taken in account?
2. How can we create a culture of
generalized gift exchange?
 Balance between interpreting and
changing culture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/m0php/530526644/

18. 1. Online exchange is a rising phenomenon
and attitudes towards it are favorable but
there are challenges to tackle
2. Interplay of online and offline interaction
3. Participation requires learning and shared
understanding
– Items vs favors
– Generalized exchange may feel puzzling
or awkward
– Feedback and examples
CONCLUSIONS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcinmoga/4240686102/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/supersonicphotos/4483487579/

19. THANKS!
Emmi Suhonen, Aalto University School of Science
and Technology, emmi.suhonen@tkk.fi
Airi Lampinen, Helsinki Institute for Information
Technology HIIT, airi.lampinen@hiit.fi
Coye Cheshire, UC Berkeley, School of Information,
coye@ischool.berkeley.edu
Judd Antin, Yahoo! Research, jantin@yahoo-inc.com