July not only brings the 131st anniversary of the Exchange, it brings the 30th anniversary of the Exchange website. Originally known as just www.aafes.com, the website debuted July 15, 1996. For perspective, “Independence Day” was No. 1 at the box office when it debuted.
Here’s a timeline:
July 15, 1996: The AAFES Internet Home Page launches with what’s called “a soft opening in cyberspace.” Within days, thousands of users find the site at www.aafes.com, and write in with suggestions and customer inquiries. The Home Page actually consists of two sites: an external one that features corporate information, a promo for the mail-order catalog, maps of local Exchange activities and more; and an internal page for managers and associates. Customers can’t buy online yet—but they can shop, and then use the phone to call in their orders.
November 1996: The site introduces a section for customer comments, which are reviewed by the customer relations team and then sent to the field for resolution if necessary. Before November, customer comments came in via phone or snail mail; the electronic version enables much faster resolution of any issues.
June 21, 1997: Online purchasing is activated, increasing convenience for customers worldwide.
2000: The growing site is successful enough to earn the No. 4 spot in InformationWeek’s E-Business 100 list.
2004: The Exchange Post, still a print product, also becomes available online via the website.
Circa September 2010: www.aafes.com becomes ShopMyExchange.com.
2016: The site introduces a ship-from-store option for additional customer convenience.
Veterans Day 2017: In one of the most significant events in the site’s—and the Exchange’s—history, the online shopping base is expanded to include millions of honorably discharged Veterans. In the months leading up to the expanded access, celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and others record endorsement videos to spread the word.
September 2018: A buy online, pick up in store option is added, followed by curbside pickup in spring 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: 575,000 Department of Defense and Coast Guard civilian employees, who can now shop in person at their local exchanges, receive access to ShopMyExchange.com.
March 2026: The My Exchange app debuts, offering immediate access to the full online assortment at prices identical to those found on the website. The app makes it easier to shop, access benefits and stay connected to the Exchange across both online and in-store experiences.
For a look at how the site has evolved over the years, go to web.archive.org. Type www.aafes.com or shopmyexchange.com into the search engine, then click on the highlighted calendar dates to see older versions of the site.
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