They were worried about making a purchase online. But now people can buy nearly everything on the Internet. From 1999 to 2002,electronic commerce, or e-commerce, grew by 29 percent annually. This is not only due to an increase in the number of people trusting the Internet; it is also because more people have Internet access. In 1997, less then 20 percent of Americans had Internet access at home. In 2001, that number increased to more then 50 percent. As more people have gained online access, they have begun shopping online more often.