No Ecommerce in TIME’s Top 50 Websites

There’s something about ‘Top 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100’ lists that I find irresistible. Whether it’s the Top 10 Enterprise Ecommerce Solutions, or the Top 100 Selling Books, there’s a certain draw and allure to this kind of format that draws me in like a tractor beam. I’m not alone either. In fact, people love these types of lists so much that the concept has become one of the most popular and well known segments on, The Late Show with David Letterman.

While it’s true that this type of exhibition list doesn’t always fall in line with our own perceptions, that’s also kind of the point. In many cases you’re getting a glimpse of another person’s (or organization’s) perspective on a topic. If you don’t like it or agree, well, we live in an age of open communication—you have the choice to leave a scathing comment after you’re through reading the list, and then promptly go out and write your own ‘Top List’ and publish it on your own site.

But let me get back to the point. Time Magazine just released a special feature called The 50 Best Websites of 2011 that gives a nod to established brands that are dominating markets, and tenacious neophytes that are scraping their way towards their day of glory.

While there is a small section dedicated to shopping and travel, I did find it a bit surprising that of the Best 50 sites there really isn’t a pure enterprise ecommerce player. Were they overlooked to some extent? Is there no UI, product selection, elegant design or special ecommerce solutions feature that satisfied  the whims of the author? Who knows. But again, that’s part of the allure of these lists.

Although there are a few travel sites included that appear to offer a nice interface for searching flights, and another that has an eBay style auction system for bidding on accommodations, the only pick that even resembles enterprise ecommerce (#29) actually looks like it’s designed to be more of a of social media sharing experience that also doubles as an affiliate site. The last in the category offers buying advice and reviews for people trying to makes decision on the purchase of tech gadgets, but again, there aren’t actually any products that can be purchased without clicking away to a merchant.

So it is that I find myself wondering about the draw people have to an ecommerce site, and why there might not be at least one that would make a list like this. The fact of the matter is that you can buy just about anything and everything online. Surely there are a handful of Internet retailers that are worthy of an illustrious list from Time magazine.

That’s why I’ve decided to be mindful over the coming weeks and take note of all the new and established ecommerce sites I come across, so that sometime in the near future I will have my very own Top List of what I believe are stellar online businesses that are worthy of a list all their own. Stay tuned.


DATE: Aug 19, 2011
AUTHOR: HotWax Systems
Enterprise eCommerce, Enterprise eCommerce Solutions