Consumers are seeking increasingly greater control over their online buying experiences but do merchants have the necessary tools and platforms at their disposal to make it happen?

The trend toward consumer empowerment in ecommerce is expected to accelerate in the coming years and one of the companies positioned to immediately benefit from the shift is Ubokia, an online marketplace where users post what they want to buy and sellers respond. The company recently announced the availability of uMatch, a technology which makes it possible to match sellers with qualified buyers.

Ubokia's Want-based model has already found widespread adoption among users of traditional ecommerce sites, including Craigslist and eBay. "Many of our members have come from eBay and Craigslist, because they like the idea of posting what they want and having sellers respond,” said Ubokia CEO Mark Pine. “uMatch will make it much easier for sellers to connect with qualified buyers, and vice versa."