26 years of e-commerce: what changed and what never did

When I started, an online shop was a small miracle. Today it is the default. What changed over two decades is obvious. What stayed the same is the more interesting question.

What changed

The technology is barely recognisable. Payments, logistics, personalisation, speed: everything got orders of magnitude better.

What never did

1. Trust sells. People buy where they feel safe.
2. Speed beats perfection. Whoever learns faster wins.
3. The customer is rarely wrong. Complaints are the most honest feedback there is.

Tools change. Principles do not.