The recent emergence of internet-based electronic market places is changing the structureof traditional marketing channels in a fundamental way. Collaboration may increase because of lowertransaction costs related with increased information availability. At the same time these same factors,through the effect they have on mutual dependency and uncertainty in the buyer-seller dyad, areconsidered to be key drivers of a shift towards a market-type of governance of buyer-sellerrelationships. Understanding the impact Internet based electronic marketplaces have on buyer-sellerrelationships is of crucial importance for the success of such market places as well as for buyers andsellers to fully exploit the benefits. In the present paper a theoretical framework is presented toinvestigate the main effects of internet based marketplaces on the governance of buyer-sellerrelationships