Commerce 2020

E-commerce is much more than just ordinary commerce with electronic cash. It will ultimately have far reaching consequences for our whole economic, social and political structures. By reducing the restrictions of geography, it will make commerce much more global, and as a second order effect, will force reform of monetary and taxation systems. The power of banks will be greatly reduced as cash can be held and managed just as easily by its owners. Similarly, shopping will evolve to use the best of electronic commerce, physical outlets and mass customisation, with a greatly improved distribution infrastructure. As many jobs are automated, we will see the rise of the care economy, with more focus on the human interaction side of jobs. But by then, even our interfaces to machines will look human.