TRACING THE EVOLUTION OF ECOMMERCE: HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS, IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Abstract

Electronic commerce, or ecommerce, has been a topic of interest particularly in the last years. While ecommerce activities are notably facilitated today, it has gone through notably different forms since its first seeds were planted. The COVID-19 pandemic was a crisis for most businesses but also an opportunity for some, especially for those who were able to pivot or transform their businesses with respect to the new needs of consumers. With the positive impact of the pandemic on ecommerce sector observed especially as of the second quarter of 2020, its trend has surpassed the expectations. This overperformance came with numerous sceptical questions about the future of ecommerce. This study investigates the historical evolution, pandemic-induced transformations, and future trends of ecommerce. It conveys a compilation of milestones through systematic literature review with a focus on the practicality. This paper provides with a timeline of the ecommerce history to bridge its evolution in the last 80 years by visualizing the phases it has been through along with its anticipated trend in the upcoming years. The studied data reveals how COVID-19 accelerated ecommerce growth and highlights its implications for global retail. The growth of ecommerce may slow down but it will endure its growth as online shopping has already become an indispensable habit.

Keywords

• Ecommerce
• online shopping
• retail
• sales
• COVID-19

E-TİCARET GELİŞİMİNE BAKIŞ: TARİHSEL TEMELLER, PANDEMİNİN ETKİLERİ VE GELECEK YÖNELİMLER

Öz

Elektronik ticaret veya e-ticaret, özellikle son yıllarda ilgi çeken bir konu olmuştur. Günümüzde e-ticaret faaliyetleri önemli ölçüde kolaylaştırılmış olsa da, ilk tohumlarının atılmasından bu yana oldukça farklı formlara bürünmüştür. COVID-19 pandemisi, çoğu işletme için bir kriz olsa da tüketicilerin yeni ihtiyaçlarına göre işlerini dönüştürebilenler için bir fırsat olmuştur. Pandeminin e-ticaret sektörü üzerindeki olumlu etkisi, özellikle 2020 yılının ikinci çeyreğinden itibaren gözlemlenmiş ve bu yükseliş beklentilerin ötesine geçmiştir. Bu yüksek performans, e-ticaretin geleceği hakkında birçok kuşkuyu da beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu çalışma, uygulama odaklı sistematik bir literatür taraması yoluyla önemli dönüm noktalarını derleyerek e-ticaretin tarihsel evrimini, pandemi kaynaklı dönüşümlerini ve geleceğe yönelik eğilimlerini incelemektedir. Bu makale, e-ticaretin son 80 yıldaki gelişimini ve gelecekteki olası yönelimlerini, geçtiği aşamaları görselleştirip bir zaman çizelgesi sunarak ortaya koymaktadır. İncelenen veriler, COVID-19’un e-ticaretin büyümesini nasıl hızlandırdığını göstermektedir ve küresel perakende üzerindeki etkilerini vurgulamaktadır. E-ticaretin büyüme hızı yavaşlayabilir ancak e-ticaret alışverişçiler için vazgeçilmez bir alışkanlık hâline geldiğinden büyümesi devam edecektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• E-ticaret
• İnternetten Alışveriş
• Perakende
• Satış
• COVID-19

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