Nowadays sellers expect real-time publishing of their sales ads. It’s also critical that the quality of the ad is high and that items are categorized correctly. Both buyers and sellers expect a safe and pleasant experience in the marketplace. Unfortunately, at the same time, scammers are around, trying to take advantage of trustful marketplaces users, and this fraudulent behaviour can be hard to detect.

To ensure high-quality sales ads, good user experiences and safe interactions, many classified marketplaces have relied on a team of human moderators, constantly reviewing new ads. Unfortunately, manual moderation, even when combined with rule-based moderation tools, is time-consuming and costly, and in many cases it lacks consistency.

Now a new generation of intelligent automation is available, and it addresses the shortcomings of earlier moderation methods. Advanced AI-based moderation works in real time, increases the quality of ads, reduces operational costs and prevents fraudulent behavior. This raises the customer experience to an entirely new level.

There are 10 things that classified marketplaces can now automate using an Advanced AI moderation solution.

1. Text moderation of ads
Moderation of sales ad titles and descriptions and all other ad content – such as price, product labels, etc. – ensuring full compliance with marketplace rules.

2. Chat moderation
Real-time moderation of chats between buyers and sellers safeguarding them not only from scam and spam but also from hate speech and abuse.

3. Image moderation
Moderation of images to detect text on images, catalogue pics, barcodes, nudity, drugs, watermarks, phone numbers, links, etc.

4. Correct categorization
Detecting wrong categories – e.g., a mobile device listed in ”Electronics” when it should be listed in “Cell Phones.”

5. Alert users about missing information
Notifying sellers in real time when sales ads are missing information that is required to be published.

6. Duplicate detection
Instant detection of duplicate ads.

7. Suspicious activity recognition
Recognising patterns of suspicious or potentially fraudulent user activity on the platform.

8. Improper content detection
Detection and removal of illegal or otherwise disallowed content, prohibited links to competing platforms, etc., both in ads and chats.

9. Identification of payable or corporate ads
Identification as to whether an ad actually belongs to a company instead of to a person, and as to whether the account should be paying for the ad.

10. Correction feedback
The provision of reasons and instant feedback to the user describing blocked ads and ads that require updating.

Automating even some of these 10 areas can have a remarkable impact. Adevinta, Schibsted and TX Group are already using Advanced AI for their online marketplaces. This enables (1) automated pre-moderation of 100% of ads or chat messages, (2) real-time publishing for up to 100% of approved or chat messages, and (3) a greater than 80% reduction in manual moderation labour.

Besides automation and reduction in operational costs, Advanced AI can differentiate an online marketplace from its competitors, and improve the daily life of employees, reducing the need for late shifts and repetitive manual tasks.

The great thing is that Advanced AI isn’t reserved only for large online marketplaces. Small national classified marketplaces, too, can incorporate automated moderation in every aspect of their operations – from real-time moderation of new ads to safeguarding users against fraud in chats.

Utopia AI Moderator is the only advanced AI moderation solution for online marketplaces. It perfectly understands the relevant context and works in any language, slang or dialect. Even languages that are almost impossible to analyze automatically through rule-based systems are easy for Utopia AI to handle. Our solution also learns the specific applicable legislation and cultural nuances for each country and marketplace.