Internal Chat Between Users

[adamsnows]

Objective:
Facilitate direct communication between buyers and sellers within the app.

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✅ Acceptance Criteria

• Users can send and receive private messages.
• Push notifications are triggered for new incoming messages.
• Messages show read/unread status to both participants.
• Each conversation is scoped to a listing or user-to-user context.
• Chat is accessible from the listing details and user profiles.

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💡 Suggested Technologies

• Firestore (for real-time communication)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (for push notifications)
• Local database caching for offline message viewing

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📝 Notes

• Ensure moderation tools are in place for abuse reporting.
• Consider message encryption or secure delivery practices.
• Design for scalability (thousands of concurrent chats).

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📎 Related

• Hyperlocal Marketplace #2 (to initiate conversations)
• Moderation and Security #5 (for reporting and blocking)