Twilio Decodes Online Marketplaces explores how marketplaces operate, focusing on two distinct business models: on-demand services and listing or directory services. On-demand services, such as Uber, use swipe-away frontends and sharing economy backends to connect buyers and sellers, with transactions taking place daily/weekly and requiring friction-reducing communication functions. In contrast, listing or directory services, like the yellow pages of yesterday, offer higher value products/services with longer transaction cycles, often charging subscription fees and using programmable phone numbers for each listing. Twilio's Communications Blueprint for Marketplaces aims to help marketplaces attract users, build trust, and deliver exceptional service by integrating communications building blocks into their platforms.