Visitors to Seoul often mistake Karrot, known locally as Daangn Market, for just another classifieds app. This comparison is fundamentally flawed. While platforms like eBay or Poshmark focus on the transaction—the item, the price, the shipping—Karrot is built entirely on the interaction. Its success hinges on a unique social mechanism invisible to outsiders: the "Manner Temperature." This system is not a gimmick; it is the core infrastructure that enables a high-trust, hyper-local community, transforming simple used goods sales into a complex social and economic ecosystem.
The Logic of 36.5 Degrees
Every user on Karrot starts with a "Manner Temperature" of 36.5°C. This number is not arbitrary. It is the average human body temperature, symbolizing social "warmth" and a neutral starting point. This single metric immediately frames the platform differently. It is not a five-star rating or a percentage score. It is an intuitive, fluid measure of a person's reliability and politeness as a member of the local community.
This temperature fluctuates based on every interaction. It is a dynamic score reflecting a user's recent conduct. This design is deeply embedded in Korean social norms, where "manner" (mae-neo) is a critical component of public behavior, encompassing politeness, social responsibility, and honesty. The temperature is a direct quantification of this social expectation.
A Social Algorithm, Not a Transactional One
The precise algorithm calculating the temperature is not public. However, its inputs are clear from community observation, and they are overwhelmingly social. While completing a sale is important, the system heavily weighs peer-reviewed feedback on the quality of the interaction.
Positive inputs that raise a user's temperature include:
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Polite and prompt communication.
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Arriving on time for a local, face-to-face meeting.
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Honoring the agreed-upon price and terms.
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Fair dealings and honest item descriptions.
Negative inputs that lower a user's temperature are severe:
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Sudden cancellations or no-shows.
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Rude or abrasive language during chat.
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Disputes over the item's condition at the meeting point.
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Reported complaints from other users.
This creates a fundamental difference from global marketplaces. An eBay seller's rating primarily reflects product quality and shipping speed. A Karrot user's temperature reflects their trustworthiness as a neighbor.
Why Social Trust Beats Transactional Feedback
Karrot operates on a hyper-local model. Transactions are almost exclusively conducted face-to-face, often within a few kilometers of one's home. This model is impossible without a powerful trust mechanism. A static, aggregate five-star system is insufficient for this context. A user could have a high rating from 50 transactions last year but have become unreliable in the past week.
The Manner Temperature's dynamic nature solves this. It reflects recent behavior, giving a more accurate, real-time signal of who is safe to meet. This system effectively outsources community policing to the users themselves. It encourages ongoing good manners, not just satisfactory outcomes.
In practice, the Manner Temperature is the first thing users check. A low price on an item is often ignored if the seller's temperature is low, signaling high risk. Conversely, a user with a high temperature (often 37°C or higher) can sell items more quickly and at better prices because buyers are competing for a smooth, reliable, and safe interaction.
The Unseen Impact on Transactions and Community
The Manner Temperature directly shapes user behavior and market outcomes. Sellers with low scores find it genuinely difficult to sell items, as buyers actively avoid them. This creates a powerful social and economic incentive to maintain a good reputation.
This system is not without enforcement. Users who consistently receive negative feedback and see their temperature drop too low (approaching 30°C, for example) can face account restrictions or suspension. This is not just about removing a bad seller; it is about protecting the safety and integrity of the local community network.
This fosters a unique community atmosphere. Transactions are generally more polite and less confrontational than on anonymous platforms because both parties know their behavior is being measured and will have lasting consequences on their public score.
The Social Pressure and Privacy Concerns
This system, however, has complex social implications. Because the Manner Temperature is public, it functions as a highly visible, quantified social reputation. This creates significant social pressure. A minor mistake, an unintentional slight, or a misunderstanding can lead to a drop in temperature, which can feel like a public shaming.
Users with consistently low scores may face social stigmatization that extends beyond the app. In a densely populated and digitally connected area like Seoul, a bad "manner score" can feel like a personal judgment.
This also raises privacy concerns. The system inherently tracks behavioral data, communication patterns, and transaction history to function. It effectively blurs the line between a private commercial transaction and a public social performance. Managing this blend of transactional and social data is a significant challenge.
The Real Business Model: Beyond Used Goods
Understanding the Manner Temperature reveals Karrot's true business model. The platform is not just a marketplace for used goods; that is merely the activity that bootstraps the community. The real product is the high-trust, verified, hyper-local community itself.
The Manner Temperature is the infrastructure that builds and maintains this trust. By solving the trust problem for face-to-face local exchanges, Karrot creates a user base that is deeply engaged with its local neighborhood. This trusted network is what allows the platform to expand into other local lifestyle services, community information, and local advertising.
Global platforms cannot easily replicate this because their models are built on anonymity and transactional efficiency. Karrot's model is built on identity and social reliability, a system perfectly captured by that single number: 36.5°C.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, investment, or trading advice; always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
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