One of the first contenders in the online shopping sector was Amazon.com. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, it was originally just an online bookstore that claimed to let you buy a book from anywhere and have it delivered to you. This was not something new, though, since it had been done by other companies such as Computer Literacy and would soon be implemented by Barnes & Nobles, an elite bookstore company. Although for the first few years it had trouble making a profit, it soon surged to 1 million accounts by 1999 and through this surge, allowed Bezos to expand the company in some of the ways we see today. For example, in 1998 came the selling of music and videos and next year came the selling of consumer electronics, toys, video games, tools, and more.
From the inception of Amazon, other online vendors such as eBay, and the transition of many brick and mortar stores to an online platform helped to create a surge in online shopping throughout the 2000s and 2010s. This has even led to the point where, according to CNBC, online shopping sales were higher than those of brick and mortar store sales in early 2019.
Naturally, after such a massive shift in how shopping is done, there will be many winners and losers. Stores that haven’t been successful in setting up an online platform have been quick to die, such as Blockbuster and Sears. However, even stores that have been able to stay afloat due to online shopping have still suffered some damage—online shopping doesn’t require that many workers. This has led to a lot of layoffs as brick and mortar locations have closed over the years which leaves many looking for jobs. However, there is an argument to be made in the other direction: some areas have been witnessing an increase in jobs due to the creation of warehouses by these retail giants so that they can ship your goods faster. It is clear that online shopping is here to stay, so, like many major changes, most of us will just have to go along for the ride and see where it takes us as a society.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amazoncom
http://lcweb2.loc.gov:8081/ammem/amrlhtml/inhisov.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/02/online-shopping-officially-overtakes-brick-and-mortar-retail-for-the-first-time-ever.html
This is a really interesting and relevant topic! The surge in online shopping is especially beneficial to clothing companies and has given way to the rise of fast fashion, which includes companies like Forever 21, H&M, and many other online-only retailers. These types of stores manufacture inexpensive clothing items at an incredibly fast rate, often use underpaid labor overseas, and having an immense effect on environmental pollution. However, online shopping has still manifested itself as a societal norm due to its quick accessibility and low prices, causing consumers to turn a blind eye to its negative impact. In America, investigations into unethical practices and inadequate pay have only started recently in companies like Fashion Nova, meaning that there is still a ways to go to accommodate to the underpaid workers impacted by this branch of the fashion industry.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/2/3/21080364/fast-fashion-h-and-m-zara