As espoused by the Ubuntu philosophy, no Human is an Island. Thus, although the objects of our sociality are vast and varied; that said, the basic foundation still centers on the pursuit and/or delivery of products and services.
Today, the we put stuff on the Web because we want it do be discovered as part of a "sharing act". Likewise, we make regular use of Search Engine Services because we want to "Find" stuff in a productive manner.
Putting, the above in context, you don't need to be Einstein to figure out that to date the Web hasn't enabled vendors to describe their products and services clearly. Likewise, it hasn't enabled us to describe what we want, when we want it, and how much we are willing to pay etc. Basically, the SDQ of Web Content is excruciatingly low!
The Linked Data meme is about using the essence of the Web -- HTTP URIs -- as the mechanism for conducting data across the Web that unambiguously unveils basic things like:
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Using a personal profile to describe exactly who I am, my interests, favorite things, what I want (wishlist), what I have to offer (offerlist) etc.
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Using an company profile to describe my entire product catalog, inventory levels, store locations, distributor and reseller networks, feature specs, price specs, deal terms and duration, and even opening and closing hours.
Conclusions
A Web of Linked Data enables a complete redefinition of eCommerce, and that's just for starters :-)
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