Analytics, Algorithms, and Value Creation in Digital Markets and Platforms

Dear Colleagues,

Platform-based electronic markets have become the backbone of contemporary digital commerce, fundamentally reshaping how exchange of goods and services are organized, how participants interact, and how value is created and captured. These markets are increasingly driven by data-intensive and algorithmic mechanisms that govern matching, pricing, visibility, participant behaviour and exchange.

Advances in analytics and artificial intelligence are no longer simply enabling technologies; they are core market design elements embedded within platform infrastructures. Algorithms determine which products are seen, how prices evolve, how trust is established, and how participants coordinate within complex ecosystems of buyers, sellers, and complementors.

This special issue aims to advance scholarly understanding of platform-mediated electronic markets as data-driven socio-technical systems, focusing on how analytics and algorithmic mechanisms shape market outcomes, participant behavior, and value creation. In doing so, it moves beyond general discussions of digital platforms to provide a focused, theory-informed exploration of electronic commerce environments.

A distinguishing feature of this special issue is its emphasis on the integration of data analytics and gamification within market mechanisms, particularly in contexts such as B2C and B2B electronic marketplaces that involve exchange of goods and services, multi-sided platforms, and emerging industrial and service-oriented electronic markets.

Objectives of the Special Issue

The primary goal of this special issue is to develop a coherent and analytically grounded perspective on the role of platform design, data and algorithms in platform-based electronic markets. Specifically, it aims to:

• Deepen theoretical and empirical insights into data-driven value creation and capture in electronic markets
• Examine how analytics and algorithmic mechanisms shape pricing, matching, ranking, and exchange processes
• Explore algorithmic coordination and governance among market participants
• Novelty in gamification and design in influencing participant behaviour
• Analyze data sharing, incentives, and value appropriation within platform ecosystems
• Investigate issues of transparency, bias, trust, and accountability in algorithmically mediated commerce
• Provide managerial and policy insights on the design and regulation of analytics-intensive electronic markets

Core Themes and Topics of Interest

We welcome high-quality contributions employing diverse methodologies (quantitative, qualitative, conceptual, or mixed methods) that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

1. Analytics-Driven Market Design

• Pricing algorithms, dynamic pricing, and auction mechanisms
• Recommendation systems and personalization in electronic markets
• Matching algorithms and search optimization
• Data-driven demand estimation and forecasting
• Gamification and techniques to influence participant Behaviour.

2. Algorithmic Governance and Control

• Ranking, visibility, and reputation systems
• Platform control mechanisms and automated decision-making
• Algorithmic enforcement of rules and standards
• Power asymmetries driven by data and algorithms

3. Data, Incentives, and Value Appropriation

• Data sharing strategies among market participants
• Incentive design for buyers, sellers, and complementors
• Monetization strategies based on data assets
• Distribution of value and issues of fairness in electronic markets

4. Trust, Transparency, and Ethics in Algorithms

• Algorithmic bias and discrimination in commerce platforms
• Transparency and explainability of commercial algorithms
• Trust-building mechanisms in data-driven marketplaces
• Ethical implications of automated decision systems

5. Managerial and Policy Implications

• Regulatory challenges in algorithm-driven markets
• Antitrust and competition issues related to data and algorithms
• Governance of data access and digital sovereignty
• Strategic implications for firms operating in analytics-intensive markets

Application Context

To maintain coherence, contributions should be grounded in platform-based electronic market contexts, including:

• Online marketplaces (B2C and C2C)
• B2B digital marketplaces and procurement platforms
• Service platforms and App ecosystems (e.g., Educational Content, Mobility, Freelance and digital services, healthcare services)
• Data-driven and industrial electronic markets

Expected Contributions

This special issue seeks to provide:

• Theoretical advancements in understanding electronic markets as algorithmically mediated systems
• Empirical insights into the role of analytics in shaping market behavior and outcomes
• Design implications for platform architects and digital market operators
• Policy-relevant knowledge for regulators addressing data-driven market power and fairness

Dr. Aneesh Zutshi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• digital platforms
• platform ecosystems
• value creation and capture
• artificial intelligence and data analytics
• platform governance
• social networks
• digital market competition and regulation
• ecosystem coordination and co-creation
• platform innovation and business models
• societal and ethical implications of platformization
• digital manufacturing