By August of 1994, the New York Times called it: “Attention Shoppers: Internet is Open.” By that time, computers were quickly becoming commonplace in many U.S. households and a burgeoning e-commerce scene led by Amazon and several other, newly formed companies was revolutionizing shopping by making it ever cheaper, more convenient, and accessible.
Alpine Rings compiled a list of how online shopping has evolved over the past 30 years, drawing on data and research from a variety of sources including The New York Times and NBC News. From the first-ever online transaction in 1979 to today, online shopping has evolved quickly due to breakthroughs in technology, advanced monetization methods and platforms, and considerable shifts in consumer behavior. Seeing the outsized influence of online sales today, it’s hard to believe e-commerce is just over 40 years old.
Consumers were enthralled by the ease of having access to an online shopping space 24/7 at the click of a button—and even more so by the fact that they could shop without enduring the traffic. Powerhouse e-commerce sites such as Amazon and eBay emerged in the mid-90s. Google introduced itself to the world in 2000; and by 2010, Cyber Monday sales in the U.S. surpassed $1 billion for the first time.
Keep reading to learn more about the e-commerce revolution.
