The history of retail — from marketplace to shop and online
How our way of shopping has changed over time
Retail trade is about selling goods to the end consumer. The way we do it has changed dramatically over time — from market stalls to the modern shop and online shop. When you understand this development you also understand why the trade today contains so many different specialties.
§Square and merchant
Trade began in squares and markets, where seller and buyer met face to face and often negotiated the price. Later came the fixed merchant with a shop, who had goods in stock all year and a personal relationship with customers.
§Large warehouses and self-service
With the growth of cities large department stores with fixed prices and a large selection under one roof emerged. A major change came with self-service: instead of asking the assistant for each item the customer themselves took items from the shelf. This fundamentally changed the store's layout and the staff's role.
| Period | It happened |
|---|---|
| Early commerce | Squares and markets price negotiated |
| The merchant's time | Fixed shops with personal service. |
| Large warehouses | Large selection, fixed prices |
| Self-service | The customer takes the items themselves, new store layout |
| Digital trade | Webshops, delivery and experiences across channels |
§Digital commerce
Today many shop online and the line between physical shop and webshop becomes increasingly blurred. Customers research products online and pick up in store or vice versa. This places new demands on the person working in retail — both technically and service-wise.
The history of retail shows that the trade has always followed technology and customer habits. This is part of what makes it a trade in constant development.