In the U.S., startups have used a similar strategy by piggybacking on Craigslist. The new platform starts by “scraping” Craigslist, using automated data-gathering software tools to obtain information about merchants and service providers. It then posts this information on its platform, giving consumers the impression that these merchants are actually participating on the platform. When a consumer requests a certain service provider, the platform passes on the lead while inviting the merchant to join the platform.
