Motivations for and barriers to the use of social exchange in online communities: Case Kassi Meri Kuikka Aalto University School of Economics, Finland Meri.Kuikka@student.hse.fi Virpi Kristiina Tuunainen Aalto University School of Economics, Finland Virpi.Tuunainen@aalto.fi Emmi Suhonen Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Finland Emmi.Suhonen@tkk.fi Abstract. This paper focuses on the motivations of users for the exchange of favours and items in an online community. Based on content analysis of survey data collected from 72 users Kassi, of an online gift exchange community, this study attempts to identify some of the motivations for its use, as well as reasons for its disuse. Using a classification based on earlier research, we attempt to understand why and how users engage and interact with the services supplied by Kassi. Keywords: social media services, user acceptance