Amazon.com, Inc. is a diversified technology and retail company best known for its e-commerce marketplace and broad portfolio of consumer and enterprise services. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the company launched as an online bookseller and expanded into a global retail platform that sells products directly to consumers and provides a marketplace for third-party sellers. Over time Amazon has grown beyond retail into areas including cloud computing, digital media, devices and logistics.
Key businesses and offerings include Amazon’s online marketplace and fulfillment services, the Amazon Prime membership program (which bundles expedited shipping with streaming and other benefits), Amazon Web Services (AWS) which supplies on-demand cloud computing and storage to businesses and public-sector customers, and a range of content and advertising services such as Prime Video and Amazon Advertising. The company also develops consumer devices (such as Kindle e-readers and Echo smart speakers with Alexa), operates physical grocery and convenience formats including Whole Foods Market (acquired in 2017) and Amazon Fresh, and provides logistics and delivery capabilities to support its commerce ecosystem.
Amazon operates globally across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and other regions, serving retail customers, sellers and enterprises. Leadership includes founder Jeff Bezos, who transitioned to executive chair, and Andy Jassy, who became chief executive officer in 2021. The company’s strategy emphasizes technology-driven scale, investment in infrastructure and services, and expansion of its ecosystem across retail, cloud, digital media and logistics.