II. Evolution of eCommerce
In 1984, EDI (electronic data interchange) was established through ASC X12 allowing companies to complete transactions reliably among one another. This marked the beginning of eCommerce as we know it today, it made it possible to send funds for purchased goods or services. In 1990 the World Wide Web was created and almost immediately in 1991 commercial businesses were allowed to operate over the internet paving the way for eCommerce. In 1994 Netscape was released. This browser had an online security technology called Secure Sockets Layer which secured the information sent over the World Wide Web. The following year, arguably two of the biggest eCommerce websites were launched; ebay.com and amazon.com. In 1999, Business.com reported retail spending over the internet crossing $20 billion. (Sharma)
eCommerce began by large retailers offering their customers another outlet to their products. To this day, this concept of B2C stands, and is a large part of the eCommerce sector but two other models of eCommerce have become more popular; B2B and C2C. Businesses are using the web to sell their products and services to other businesses through secure automated systems. Consumers have also joined the eCommerce frenzy through websites like ebay.com, kijiji.com, and are selling their products and services. Today the internet is used for anything and everything one can imagine, it has changed the way we operate and this is said to be the beginning.
