The first product ever traded? Salt — the world’s original currency.

The first coin-based marketplace was in Lydia (modern Turkey).

The first recorded marketplace was in ancient Babylon.

The first bartering system dates back over 10,000 years.

The first spice traded globally was black pepper.

The first glass item sold was in Mesopotamia, 2500 BCE.

The first textiles traded were wool and flax in ancient Egypt.

The first leather sandals were sold in the Indus Valley.

The first incense market boomed in Arabia.

The first branded product? Olive oil jars from ancient Greece.

The first soap brand was Pears, founded in 1807.

The first toothpaste product was Colgate, sold in jars (1873).

The first toilet paper brand was Scott Paper (1890).

The first light bulb sold was Edison’s carbon filament bulb (1880).

The first refrigerator for homes was sold in 1913.

The first vacuum cleaner brand was Hoover (1908).

The first tissue paper was Kleenex in 1924.

The first deodorant product was Mum (1888).

The first shampoo sold in bottles was by Schwarzkopf.

The first laundry detergent was Tide, launched in 1946.

The first bottled soda brand was Schweppes (1783).

The first chocolate bar was by Fry & Sons (1847).

The first breakfast cereal was Granula (1863).

The first canned food was sold to Napoleon’s army.

The first fast food burger was sold at White Castle (1921).

The first chewing gum brand was Adams (1871).

The first instant coffee was invented in 1890.

The first frozen food sold was by Clarence Birdseye (1930).

The first potato chip brand was Lay’s (1932).

The first branded tea? Twinings, since 1706!

The first branded jeans were Levi’s (1873).

The first wristwatch brand was Patek Philippe (1868).

The first sneaker brand was Keds (1916).

The first mass-produced t-shirt was from Fruit of the Loom.

The first zipper jacket hit stores in 1925.

The first bra brand was Maidenform (1922).

The first branded sunglasses were Ray-Ban (1936).

The first digital watch? Hamilton Pulsar in 1972.

The first high heel shoes were made for Persian warriors.

The first luxury handbag was from Louis Vuitton (1854).

The first consumer camera was Kodak (1888).

The first radio brand was RCA (1919).

The first television for homes? RCA in 1939.

The first microwave sold was the Radarange (1947).

The first video game console was Magnavox Odyssey (1972).

The first personal computer was the Altair 8800 (1975).

The first mobile phone sold was the Motorola DynaTAC (1983).

The first smartphone brand was IBM’s Simon (1994).

The first smart speaker? Amazon Echo (2014).

The first wearable fitness tracker was Fitbit (2009).

The first department store was Le Bon Marché (Paris, 1852).

The first supermarket was King Kullen in New York (1930).

The first chain store was Woolworths (1879).

The first mall was Southdale Center, Minnesota (1956).

The first online store? Books on Amazon (1995).

The first e-commerce store in the world? NetMarket, 1994.

The first shopping cart was invented in 1937.

The first QR code used in a store was in Japan (1994).

The first self-checkout system was installed in 1992.

The first drone-delivered item was a burrito in 2016.

The first online auction was held on eBay (1995).

The first digital marketplace was eBay (as AuctionWeb).

The first item sold on eBay? A broken laser pointer.

The first mobile shopping app was released by Amazon (2008).

The first food delivery app was Seamless (1999).

The first ride-sharing transaction was via Uber (2010).

The first digital payment on PayPal? A Nokia 7110 in 1999.

The first NFT marketplace was OpenSea (2017).

The first influencer marketplace? FameBit in 2013.

The first metaverse shopping? Decentraland’s virtual stores.

The first barcode was scanned on Wrigley’s gum (1974).

The first product with a logo was Bass beer (UK, 1876).

The first ad slogan was Pears Soap’s “Good Morning, Have You Used Pears?”

The first TV commercial product was Bulova watches (1941).

The first celebrity-endorsed product? Coca-Cola by Hilda Clark.

The first product mascot was Bibendum (Michelin Man).

The first product jingle was for Wheaties (1926).

The first product to use holographic packaging? Pokémon cards.

The first “as seen on TV” product was the Veg-O-Matic.

The first unboxing video was for an iPhone in 2006.

The first toy brand was Märklin, Germany (1859).

The first mass-market board game? The Landlord’s Game — precursor to Monopoly.

The first trading cards were baseball cards (1886).

The first action figure was G.I. Joe (1964).

The first collectible stickers were Panini football stickers.

The first toy craze? Beanie Babies in the '90s

The first Funko Pop was Big Boy (2010).

The first LEGO minifigure was released in 1978.

The first virtual pet? Tamagotchi (1996).

The first official Star Wars merchandise was a mail-in box!

The first subscription box was Birchbox (2010).

The first product warranty? Singer sewing machines.

The first loyalty card was from Tesco (UK).

The first freemium product? Skype!

The first mobile game sold was Snake on Nokia.

The first airline meal sold was on Handley Page flights (1919).

The first pizza delivery call? Domino’s in 1960.

The first software sold in stores? VisiCalc for Apple II.

The first product with a QR recipe was Campbell’s Soup.

The first luxury product with AR was a Gucci sneaker drop.

The first product subscription model was Columbia House Records.

The first branded reusable product? Tupperware (1946).