E-commerce car analogy

E-commerce is evolving as the car evolved.

To begin with, everyone did things differently. Some cars had a stick to steer and handle to accelerate others had pedals to steer and a pull lever for the brake. As a consumer, you couldn't move from one car to another without re-learning how to use it.

Gradually over time cars became more standard wheel for steering, pedals, and a gear stick and usually in pretty much the same place. 

The same appears to be happening with e-commerce and customer UX in general. An early trip onto the web to use a service or buy something was an experience unique to each organisation. Now we have Catagory listing pages, product pages and checkout all following a similar process.

I think like the car this will gradually become more standard and the differentiator will not be it's operation but it's performance and the qualities of the organisation itself.

When everyone has the same experience - the competitive advantage must come from elsewhere.