From the agora to the electronic shopping mall

From the agora, to the market, to “main street,” places of commerce have been traditional sites for interpersonal interaction. With the development of strip malls, shopping malls, mail order alternatives, and the electronic options provided by the computer, telephone, and fax, the life and commerce of the street have been altered radically. Shop‐at‐home television has become a billion‐dollar industry in the United States. This paper examines the nuances and implications of the electronic transformation of the marketplace.