Platform Fees as Mediators of Digital Ecosystems: A Value Exchange Perspective

To overcome the limitations of the discourse surrounding platform fees, which often remains confined to the perspectives of 'price' and 'cost', this study reconceptualizes the fee as a 'socio-technical coordination mechanism' that constructs an ecosystem. To this end, by applying Actor-Network Theory (ANT), this research proposes an analytical framework that views the fee as an active 'mediator' and analyzes its role in network formation through the four moments of 'translation'. Through an analysis of real-world cases of major platforms, this study confirms that the fee structure is not merely for imposing costs but is a key mechanism for providing a 'value bundle' composed of tangible benefits, such as 'logistics and risk management,' and intangible benefits, such as 'trust and brand value.' This study makes a theoretical contribution by shifting the focus of the fee debate from the issue of a unilateral 'cost' to that of a reciprocal 'value exchange'. This suggests that future regulatory discussions should move beyond simple rate control and toward securing balance and transparency between fees and the benefits provided in return.