Online shopping is a relatively recent phenomenon. It emerged as the internet became mainstream and people began to realize what they could do with the internet in regards to business ventures. At first, online shopping was merely an experiment – a bold new endeavor that few businesses were willing to jump directly into. But over time, as retailers observed how popular and convenient online shopping was becoming, transitioning their products to online purchasing options became all the rage. In the present time, there are very few businesses that do not have their merchandise available for purchase online. The most popular online shopping websites are Amazon, Craigslist and Ebay.

Amazon is currently the largest online retailer supplying products of all varieties from their manufacturers. Amazon literally carries anything you could buy in a store for purchase that is able to be shipped. Items for sale range from clothing to party supplies to electronics to sporting goods, and much, much more. Amazon is the preferred site for people who prefer to buy new but appreciate a bargain.

Craigslist is a favorite site for those who like to buy used items. By category, Craigslist is a site for classified ads, but the online shopping option is very popular. Because it is a site for classified ads, the merchandise advertised may go far beyond items that can be shipped. The largest types of purchases are advertised on Craigslist, such as real estate and automobiles, but there is also an extensive section devoted to the purchase of smaller, used items.

Ebay is another widely popular online shopping website. This site makes use of no manufacturer’s items but instead gives individuals an online venue in which to sell their personal items through bidding and private shipping. There is no other site where people can find as wide a variety of merchandise for as low of prices.