Commodification

From MarxWiki

Commodification: To turn into or treat as a commodity. To make commercial. Placing an exchange-value on an object. Example: If a student makes a purse and keeps it for their own use, the purse retains its use-value without having an additional exchange-value placed upon it. However, if the student was offered money for the purse or began making purses to sell, the purses would gain exchange-value in addition to its original use-value.

Articles exploring this concept include: John Berger, Ways of Seeing; Marx, Commodities; Benjamin, and `The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.`