Global E-Commerce: North America - Early History, Explosive Growth, Dot.com Fallout

The development of e-commerce varies widely in different regions across the globe. Factors that impact e-commerce include the technological expertise of residents, which affects both the ability of e-commerce companies to find qualified workers and the ability of citizens to engage in Internet-related transactions; funding available for e-commerce ventures; and the technological infrastructure of an area. In the late 1990s, e-commerce grew most quickly in North America, particularly in the U.S., due to the increasing number of Internet savvy shoppers there, as well as the world's largest base of technical experts, who not only were available to work for e-commerce ventures, but who also, in many cases, launched their own firms. Also fueling the North American e-commerce boom was the unprecedented level of funding available from a variety of sources. Moreover, many analysts believed that the time savings afforded by shopping online appealed to U.S. residents, who were considered more time conscious than individuals in other parts of the world, such as Europe or Asia.