From catalog to artificial intelligence - why the story of e-commerce is really about people
How did we go from mail-order catalogs and telephone sales to artificial intelligence that can recommend products, answer questions and build shopping carts for us? This series is about the technological shifts that have changed e-commerce and customer experiences for more than three decades. Drawing on our own experiences, studies at BI Norwegian School of Business and professional seminars in Oxford and San Francisco, we explore how technology, people, innovation and customer experiences have together created new expectations, new business models and new value creation – in both the private and public sectors.
Introduction
When we hear the word e-commerce , many people think of online stores, payment solutions and logistics. Others think of Amazon, artificial intelligence or mobile apps. But e-commerce is much more than technology. The story of e-commerce is first and foremost the story of how people discover, evaluate, buy and use products and services.
Technology has changed dramatically in the last thirty years. The internet has made information accessible to everyone. The mobile phone has moved commerce into the pocket. Artificial intelligence is turning searches into conversations. Yet there is one question that has remained the same throughout the journey:
How do we create greater value for the customer?
This is what this blog series is going to be about.
Technology is only part of the story
The history of e-commerce did not begin with the internet.
It started long before.
Mail-order catalogs made it possible to shop without visiting a store. Telephone sales made it possible to order products from the kitchen table. Physical stores developed new ways of presenting goods, and customer service gradually became a competitive advantage.
The Internet did not change our needs.
The internet changed the way we could cover them.
Therefore, this series is not primarily about technology.
It's about how technology changed our expectations as customers.
Every technological shift changed customer expectations
When a new technology is introduced, it's easy to focus on the technology itself.
But history shows that there is something else that really matters.
The Internet made information accessible.
Search engines made it searchable.
The mobile phone made it available everywhere.
Cloud services made digital services easier to deliver.
Artificial intelligence is now making information personal and conversational.
Each of these changes created new expectations among customers.
What was once impressive quickly becomes a given.
From products to experiences
For many years, businesses competed primarily on products.
Then service became more important.
Today, customer experience is often the most important competitive factor.
Two businesses can sell exactly the same product at roughly the same price.
Yet customers choose one over the other.
Why?
Because they remember how the business made them feel.
A good customer experience is not just about a nice website or fast delivery. It's about trust, security, competence, accessibility and the ability to solve the customer's needs.
These are values that are rarely included in the accounts.
Yet they are often crucial to whether the customer returns.
The invisible capital behind e-commerce
When we talk about e-commerce, we often talk about technology.
But the most valuable resources are often invisible.
The competence of the employees.
The culture of the business.
The ability to collaborate.
The innovation that happens every single day.
Leadership that builds trust.
Knowledge about the customer.
This is the invisible capital.
It is this capital that makes the technology valuable.
Technology alone rarely creates lasting competitive advantages.
It is the people who develop, improve and use
the technology.
A series about technological shifts
In this series, we will follow the most important technological shifts that have shaped today's digital society.
We will take a closer look at, among other things:
Internet
Email
The browser
The online store
The search engines
The online newspapers
The mobile phone
The cloud services
Social media
Omnichannel
Digital payments
Logistics
Artificial intelligence
But we are not just going to describe the technology.
We will examine how each shift changed customer expectations, business practices, and the development of society.
Why this story is important now
Artificial intelligence represents perhaps the biggest technological shift since the internet became common knowledge.
Again we see the same tendency.
The focus is on technology.
But the most important questions remain the same.
How do we create better customer experiences?
How do we use technology to create value?
How do we build trust?
How do we develop organizations that learn and improve?
continually?
History does not repeat itself.
But it often rhymes.
Therefore, knowledge from previous technological shifts can help us understand what is happening right now.
Termination
This series is therefore not just about e-commerce.
It is about how technology, people, innovation and value creation have developed side by side over several decades.
Technology was never the goal.
It only became valuable when people adopted it, changed their behavior, and created new ways of working, acting, and collaborating.
It is this story that we will explore – one technological shift at a time.
Further knowledge journey
San Francisco – where technology took shape
Through several study and professional trips to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, I got to experience the technology environments that helped shape the internet, digitalization, and many of the innovations that later changed business around the world. The experiences from here provided insight into how new technologies emerge, how businesses scale ideas, and how innovation becomes part of the culture of organizations. Many of the perspectives from these seminars will be repeated throughout this series.
BI Norwegian Business School – eMarketing and innovation
The studies in eMarketing and later Innovation and Commercialization at BI Norwegian School of Business provided a theoretical foundation for understanding how technology affects marketing, customer journeys, business models and value creation. Here, research and practice were connected, and many of the models we will look at in this series have their origins in this academic tradition.
Oxford – the customer at the center
The seminars at the Oxford Institute of Retail Management shifted the perspective from technology to people. Here, the customer, the customer experience, the trade and value creation were at the center. Through lectures from leading researchers and practitioners, it became clear that businesses do not succeed because they have the most advanced technology, but because they understand the needs of customers and translate this understanding into better experiences, higher trust and stronger loyalty.
The common thread
This blog series builds on experiences from practical work with digitalization, studies at BI Norwegian School of Business, professional seminars in Oxford and San Francisco, international research and more than three decades of work in digital services. The goal is not just to tell the story of e-commerce. The goal is to show how technological shifts, human competence, innovation and customer experiences together create value .
Because that's exactly where The Invisible Capital becomes visible.
The knowledge behind The Invisible Capital
Invisible Capital is not built on one book or one idea. It has been developed through many years of study, research, international seminars, and practical experience from working life.
The books below represent some of the most important professional sources of inspiration behind the project. They have shaped the way I think about leadership, innovation, digitalization, customer experiences, value creation and – not least – the importance of the people who create the values.
Each book has contributed new perspectives. Together, they have helped develop the knowledge base for The Invisible Capital and the book project Value-Creating People.
I hope they can give you the same professional inspiration that they have given me.
Academic background and further reading
This series also builds on my own professional journey through the Web Design study , the eMarketing study , Innovation and Commercialization and professional seminars in San Francisco and Oxford . Here you will find the background, professional environments and experiences that have followed the development from the early years of the web to today's digitalization.
Recommended books from our library
Content Strategy for the Web (2nd Edition)
Author/authors: Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach
Short review
How do you create content that actually helps people – and at the same time supports your business goals? Content Strategy for the Web is considered one of the most influential books in the field of content strategy and digital communications. The book shows how good content does not arise by chance, but through a deliberate strategy where user needs, the organization's goals, structure, work processes and management are closely linked.
The authors take the reader through the entire process – from planning and organizing to publishing, managing and continuously improving content on websites and digital services. Although technology has evolved since the book was published, the principles of quality, relevance, management and long-term content work are at least as relevant in an era where search engines and artificial intelligence assess the credibility and usefulness of content.
Why we recommend the book
At The Invisible Capital, we believe that good content is one of the most important forms of invisible value creation. A website is far more than design and technology – it is the content that builds trust, creates great customer experiences and helps people find the answers they are looking for.
This book is perfect for leaders, communications consultants, content producers, web editors, UX designers, and anyone working with digital services. It shows why a clear content strategy leads to better user experiences, more effective interactions, and stronger digital results over time.
In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly important in how information is discovered, understood, and communicated, this book is more relevant than ever. It reminds us that technology alone never creates value – it is good, structured, and relevant content that makes the difference.
Don't Make Me ThinkAuthor: Steve Krug
Short review
Don't Make Me Think is one of the world's most influential books on usability and web design. Since its first edition in 2000, the book has helped designers, developers, content producers, and managers understand a simple but powerful principle: Good digital services should be intuitive. The user should be able to complete their task without having to stop and think about how the website works.
Why we recommend the book
This is one of the books that has had the greatest impact on my own work with digital services. Over the years – from SAS and the Norwegian Opera & Ballet to working on Bærum Municipality’s website – the principles in this book have been an important reminder that technology is never an end in itself. The goal is to make everyday life easier for the people who use the services. Despite the fact that the book was published many years ago, the message is just as relevant today.
Internet Marketing & eCommerce
Authors: Ward Hanson and Kirthi Kalyanam
Short review
Internet Marketing & eCommerce provides a thorough introduction to how the internet has changed marketing, commerce, and business development. The book combines theory and practical examples in digital marketing, e-commerce, customer behavior, value creation, and digital business models. Although written at a time when the internet was still in its infancy, many of the fundamental principles are still highly relevant.
Why we recommend the book
This book was an important part of my own learning journey in digital marketing and e-commerce. It helped build my understanding of how technology, customer experiences and business strategy are interconnected – an insight that later became very important in my work with SAS, the Norwegian Opera & Ballet, Bærum Municipality and eventually the project The Invisible Capital. Many of the ideas about customer value, digitalization and innovation presented on the website have their roots in the knowledge this book conveys.
The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth
Authors: Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor
Short review
In this sequel to The Innovator's Dilemma, Clayton Christensen shows how businesses can translate innovation theory into practical strategy. The book explains how companies can identify new growth opportunities, develop disruptive innovations, and build organizations that thrive in rapidly changing markets.
Why we recommend the book
While The Innovator's Dilemma explains why established businesses are often challenged, The Innovator's Solution provides concrete advice on how to meet the challenges. The book is therefore a natural next step for anyone who wants to understand innovation, strategy and long-term value creation.
The Innovator's DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators
Authors: Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen
Short review
What characterizes people who create groundbreaking innovations? The authors identify five key skills – observation, questioning, experimentation, networking and association – that are common to the world's most innovative leaders and entrepreneurs.
Why we recommend the book
This book shifts the focus from organizations to the people behind innovation. It shows that creativity and innovation can be developed through deliberate training and experience. The perspectives align well with the philosophy behind Invisible Capital, where human competence and curiosity are the most important drivers of development.
Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice
Authors: Clayton M. Christensen, Taddy Hall, Karen Dillon and David S. Duncan
Short review
In this book, Clayton Christensen further develops the theory of Jobs to Be Done – the idea that customers do not primarily buy products, but "hire" them to solve specific needs. Through practical examples, the authors show how businesses can develop products and services that address customers' real-world challenges.
Why we recommend the book
For anyone working in customer experience, service design, and innovation, this is one of the most insightful books ever written. It reminds us that value creation always starts with understanding the people we are developing solutions for – a fundamental principle of Invisible Capital.
The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
Author: Clayton M. Christensen
Short review
The Innovator's Dilemma is considered one of the most influential books on innovation and technological change. Clayton M. Christensen introduces the theory of disruptive innovation and explains why even the most successful businesses can fail when new technologies and business models challenge established markets. Through a series of examples, he shows how companies often focus on today's customers and incremental improvements, while overlooking innovations that later change entire industries.
Why we recommend the book
This is one of the books that has had the greatest impact on modern innovation thinking. When I first read it, it gave me a whole new perspective on why some businesses succeed in transformation, while others lag behind – even when they are well led. The insight has been an important part of my own understanding of digitalization, innovation and change management, and many of the reflections in The Invisible Capital build on the ideas Clayton Christensen presents in this classic. The book is as relevant today, in the face of artificial intelligence and digital transformation, as it was when it was published.
Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology
Author: Henry Chesbrough
Short review
Henry Chesbrough introduced the concept of Open Innovation and changed the way many businesses think about research and development. He shows how companies can create more innovation through collaboration with customers, universities, start-ups, suppliers and other external partners.
Why we recommend the book
Open Innovation has had a major influence on modern innovation thinking and was also an important topic during the seminars in Oxford and San Francisco. The book shows why future value creation occurs in the interaction between people, businesses and knowledge environments – not within closed organizations alone.
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant
Authors: W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
Short review
Blue Ocean Strategy challenges businesses to shift their focus away from fierce competition and instead create new markets with little or no competition. The authors present strategies and models that help organizations develop innovative products, services, and business models.
Why we recommend the book
This book has inspired leaders around the world to rethink strategy and innovation. Instead of competing for the same customers, it shows how businesses can create new value through creativity and differentiation. The perspectives align very well with the themes of innovation, digitalization, and long-term value creation in Invisible Capital.
Outside Innovation: How Your Customers Will Co-Design Your Company's Future
Authors: Patricia B. Seybold
Short review
Patricia Seybold shows how businesses can create better products and services by actively involving customers in the innovation process. The book describes how dialogue, co-creation and close collaboration with users can provide better solutions and stronger competitiveness.
Why we recommend the book
Customers often hold the most important insights into how products and services can be improved. This book emphasizes the importance of listening, involving, and learning from users – a perspective that is echoed in many of the articles on The Invisible Capital. Innovation rarely happens alone; it is created in the interaction between people.
Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information Transforms Strategy
Authors: Philip Evans and Thomas S. Wurster
Short review
This book analyzes how digital information is changing competitive conditions, markets, and business strategies. The authors explain how the internet is disrupting established structures and creating new opportunities for businesses that are able to think differently.
Why we recommend the book
Although written early in the internet revolution, the book describes many of the developments that still characterize business today. It provides valuable perspective on how digitalization affects value chains, competition, and innovation – themes that are central to Invisible Capital.
Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
Authors: Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams
Short review
Wikinomics shows how openness, sharing and collaboration across organizations create new forms of innovation and value creation. Through a number of international examples, the authors describe how digital networks make it possible to develop products, services and knowledge together.
Why we recommend the book
This book was groundbreaking when it was first published, and many of the ideas have since become a natural part of everyday digital life. The perspectives on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and open innovation processes align very well with the philosophy behind Invisible Capital, where people and networks are at the center of value creation.
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