Is it permissible to deal with e-commerce companies that act as intermediaries between giant corporations and merchants, coordinating between sellers and buyers to provide preferential prices, with subscribers confirming purchases in exchange for a commission paid by the platform?

Brokerage is a contract by which the broker receives a fee in exchange for their service and effort. The amount paid to the platform must be in exchange for a permissible service provided by the platform to the subscriber, and not for paying commissions under the guise of brokerage, as this involves an element of gambling. This is because the subscriber pays money hoping for profits and may lose what they paid. If the subscription fee is for this purpose, then the transaction is prohibited, especially if the probability of loss is greater than the probability of gain, as this falls under the prohibited gharar (definition) (excessive uncertainty). However, if the subscription amount remains in the subscriber's account for use in purchasing goods or to guarantee their financial ability, then the ruling differs. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the purpose of the subscriber's payment of money to rule on the transaction.