What are the 10 most significant e-commerce developments in the last 10 years? According to the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) Google is Number One , followed by broadband penetration, eBay, Amazon and Google Adwords.  How about technological advancements? Would you vote for Windows 2000 or Web Services, Java, Ajax, virtualisation or multi-core processors?

Fears that online shopping may have peaked in the US will not be replicated in the UK, say industry experts, but they are warning that businesses may have to adapt to the next generation of internet retailing.

Following on from the news that Waitrose is to fold in social networking into its online portfolio, two studies this week have looked at the impact that other internet users have on shoppers.

Interestingly the research has centered on the crux when it comes to eCommerce – Retail sales and purchase decisions.

Despite the growth of social networks and online communities, they have little effect on influencing online retail sales, according to JupiterResearch. However, shoppers are increasingly relying on customer reviews, according to online ratings and reviews provider Bazaarvoice.

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Widgets, feeds and personalised pages – retailers are beginning to take products to consumers in new and exiting ways.

And then there is Waitrose’s move into Social Shopping as reported in the Sunday Times

Has e-commerce reached the stage where retailers and brands should be looking at new ways to push their products to where the internet users want them, rather than simply trying to attract shoppers to well-designed sites?

According to Internet retailing a number of recent launches suggest it’s time for e-retailers to start exploring further away from their home page.