Exploring blockchain’s role in enhancing marketing strategies within the sharing economy

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to examine how blockchain technology can influence and transform the marketing processes of platforms within the sharing economy (SE). It addresses a gap at the intersection of blockchain, SE and marketing, particularly regarding how decentralized technologies reshape institutional trust, transactional transparency and value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a systematic literature review combined with thematic analysis to identify and analyze peerreviewed publications that intersect the three domains of interest. The selected articles are examined using a marketing framework that organizes functions into three dimensions: institutions, processes and value creation. Within this structure, recurring themes were identified and interpreted to capture both theoretically grounded and emergent insights. Findings – The study finds that blockchain offers significant potential to enhance marketing in SE platforms by enabling decentralized and tamperproof reputation systems, automating service delivery via smart contracts and supporting token-based loyalty and branding mechanisms. It also facilitates new forms of user-driven value appropriation and governance. Nonetheless, the review highlights ongoing challenges related to technological scalability, ecological impact and regulatory ambiguity. Originality/value – This study provides a thematically organized conceptual framework that bridges marketing theory, blockchain innovation and platform governance in the SE. It advances understanding of blockchain as a driver of trust-building, participatory branding and decentralized value co-creation. The findings offer both theoretical insight into the evolution of marketing in decentralized environments and practical guidance for managers seeking to enhance transparency, user engagement and ethical value distribution.