With the growth and development of the internet throughout the years, various innovations have affected the way e-commerce was originally established to function. E-commerce disrupted the business methods and tactics of traditional, terrestrial businesses when it was first introduced through the internet. However, today, even e-commerce itself appears to be changing drastically. Today users of the internet are faced with opportunities to not only spend money on the internet, but to also make money through the internet. This means that users of the internet are now able to be considered consumers and producers. This innovation can be described as the ability to incorporate “prosumerism” in e-commerce business models.
A prosumer business model is one that enables people to purchase products just like any other online business, however it also allows for users to sell their own products on the same platform. Examples of this are Ebay, AirBNB, and Uber. These are online businesses that have truly shown innovation in ways that are enabling their users to benefit by making money through selling their own products. With the methods of these particular online businesses, we are moving towards e-commerce being an environment in which everyone can benefit from the products and services offered. If more online businesses incorporate similar prosumer business models such as these examples, we will see a much more user-influenced and managed e-commerce world than the one we have come to know today.