Haggl.ing: an App and Movement for a Future Cashless Economy
"When I designed Haggl.ing, I envisioned a world where people can easily acquire things in exchange for skills, goods, or services they already have."
Haggl.ing is a network and app that creates an ecosystem for people to facilitate transactions in their neighborhood using negotiations and trade—all without cash. The project imagines a future cashless economy while building social capital and connections within one's own community. Second-year student Siddhant Goyle created Haggl.ing as part of his MFA thesis—an exploration into the grey market (or the informal economy) and building systems for cashless transactions.
Haggl.ing is a mobile application that allows people to trade and negotiate in a cashless economy while building social capital and producing less waste. Siddhant says that it’s more than just an app—it's a movement: "Haggl.ing is a gathering of resilient people with a common purpose: to upgrade their businesses and lives through the power of negotiation and trade."
"People working in the informal sector mostly transact in cash, often lacking social security or benefits," Siddhant explains. "In a future cashless economy, Haggl.ing provides a platform where people can exchange goods and services without money. When I designed Haggl.ing, I envisioned a world where people can easily acquire things in exchange for skills, goods, or services they already have."
So, how exactly does Haggl.ing work? The app is simple and straightforward. First, the user signs up using the Freemium-based application. Next, customers can list the items and services that they want to offer and haggle with other members as they post their offers. Customers can trade using one or more products or services they have to offer by bidding on other people's listings. Users can get rid of their extra things at home or help someone by providing a skill or a service in exchange for something more valuable. The Haggl.ing app additionally incentives users with it’s point system.
