CHAPTER 2

The Age of E-commerce

Mary loves to shop. Easy access, limitless variety, easy payments—online connectivity has been a blessing both for consumers and online companies. Consumers like Mary are the engines of e-commerce, which has grown ­exponentially in many countries. Omnichannel business is a reality, and in poor countries, connectivity has meant bringing millions of disadvantaged people into the mainstream.

As people spend most of their lives fiddling with their connected devices, it was only natural that commerce moved there as well. People love to try out and buy new things. In the age of e-commerce, they get the means to do so at their finger tips. The long commute, the wait, and even the monotony of fiddling with online devices—all ...

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