Ebay competeitors getting more press lately... Looks like maybe people who don't agree with ebaY's lopsided 'feedback' policies/situation may like this.
If you've ever gone shopping on eBay, you know how important seller ratings can be - take a stab with someone who has less than a 90-something approval rating, and you're testing your luck. And even when you've found someone with a satisfactory rating, the descriptions left by other buyers tend to be mostly useless (A++++, anyone?), which makes the whole thing feel a little risky regardless. Oh, and sellers can always get scammed by buyers, which makes it even more fun.
Addoway is an e-commerce site that looks to help reduce these feelings of anxiety by using Facebook Connect to help you find sellers that your friends have had good experiences dealing with in the past. The site launched eight months ago, and is currently drawing 90,000 uniques a month.
The premise is simple: when you run a search on Addoway for whatever it is you're looking to buy (say, an Xbox), the site will let you sort listings by your social connections. If you know someone who has interacted with a certain seller before, then they'll show up at the top - and you can talk to your friends about their experience with that seller if you're still hesitant.