The amazing and authoritative story of e-retail: its origins, evolution and astonishing ascendance. Meet the pioneers and businesses that explored the possibilities of the emerging virtual world, review the technology innovations that paved the way, and journey the rocky road to domination for the online shopping industry. As the founder of the UK's industry association for e-commerce (IMRG), author James Roper was there from its inception 'An important and well-timed book about how the humdrum business of shopping was reinvented online. James Roper is a persuasive advocate for the role of collaboration in innovation, who was instrumental in jumpstarting the e- retail industry by methodically tackling every obstacle that blocked its early progress In this book, Roper offers a fascinating glimpse at how a motley assemblage of inventions evolved, often in surprising ways, into today's staggeringly powerful e-retail industry. Stuffed with eye-opening facts and statistics The Rise of e-Commerce is an essential read for anyone who is interested in the evolution of modern retailing.' Nick Robertson, Co-founder and Ex-CEO, ASOS AUTHOR: James Roper is the Founder of IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group), the UK e-commerce industry association.  He served as IMRG's Chief Executive Officer from its formation in 1990 until May 2013, and then as its Chairman until May 2018. James was formerly vice president of EMOTA, the European e-commerce industry association, and was frequently a keynote speaker and chairman at conferences worldwide relating to the e-commerce industry and its effect on trade, finance and society. IMRG is a community of more than 17,500 individuals from over 3,000 organisations who lead UK and global online retailing. 40 b/w illustrations