Boo.com
1999-2000
The goal was to create a global e-commerce site for clothes and shoes. Customers would be able to view the items from all angles and zoom in to see details. There was even a virtual shopping assistant avatar, Ms. Boo. But the site was delayed and ugly. It also placed too high demands on the internet at that time, and it was incredibly difficult to actually make a purchase. The Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet described the site as »a blurry version of hell.« In record time, the company lost $150 million and became a symbol for everything that went wrong with the dot-com bubble. Boo.com was before its time. Today their e-commerce vision is a reality.
Additional info:
TheGuardian - Boo.com spent fast and died young but its legacy shaped internet retailing.
Nytimes - From Big Idea to Big Bust: The Wild Ride of Boo.com