Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Definition

Amazon.com, founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle, Washington. Initially launched as an online bookstore, Amazon has become one of the leading players in the e-commerce industry, selling a diverse range of products and services. It operates vast e-commerce marketplaces, offering goods from books, electronics, and apparel to furniture, food, toys, and jewelry. Beyond its marketplace, Amazon has expanded into sectors like cloud computing (AWS), artificial intelligence (Alexa), streaming services (Amazon Prime Video), and even space exploration (Blue Origin).

Examples

1. Books and Media: Amazon’s origins are in books, but it has expanded to sell music, movies, and TV series, both physical and digital copies.
2. Electronics: The platform offers a wide array of electronics, including its own brand products such as the Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, and Echo smart devices.
3. Amazon Marketplace: This allows third-party sellers to list and sell products, expanding the range of goods available on the platform.
4. Amazon Web Services (AWS): A comprehensive cloud computing platform that powers websites and applications for government, education, and industrial customers globally.
5. Amazon Prime: A subscription service offering free shipping on products, access to streaming services, exclusive deals, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Amazon Prime?

   • Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service that offers members benefits such as free two-day shipping, access to streaming of movies, TV shows, and music through Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Music, as well as exclusive shopping deals.

2. How does Amazon Marketplace work?

   • Amazon Marketplace allows third-party sellers to list and sell their products on the Amazon platform. Sellers can handle the shipping themselves or use Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service.

3. What is AWS?

   • AWS stands for Amazon Web Services, which is a cloud computing platform offering a wide range of services, including computing power, storage options, and networking capabilities, to help businesses scale and grow.

4. Does Amazon operate physical stores?

   • Yes, Amazon operates several types of physical stores, including Amazon Go (cashier-less convenience stores), Amazon Books, and Amazon 4-star stores that sell well-rated products.

5. How does Amazon impact the retail industry?

   • Amazon has transformed the retail industry through innovations in logistics, supply chain management, and customer service. It has set new standards for e-commerce and influenced shopping behaviors globally.

Related Terms with Definitions

• E-commerce: The buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet.
• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): A service where Amazon handles the storage, packaging, and shipping of products on behalf of third-party sellers.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Technology used by Amazon in products like Alexa to simulate human intelligence processes by computer systems.
• Cloud Computing: On-demand availability of computer system resources, often provided over the Internet, especially used in Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Online References

1. Amazon
2. Amazon Web Services (AWS)
3. Investor Relations - Amazon
4. About Amazon

Suggested Books for Further Studies

1. “The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon” by Brad Stone
2. “One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com” by Richard L. Brandt
3. “Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon” by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr
4. “Bezonomics: How Amazon Is Changing Our Lives and What the World’s Best Companies Are Learning from It” by Brian Dumaine

Fundamentals of Amazon.com: E-commerce Basics Quiz

Thank you for learning about Amazon.com through our comprehensive e-commerce lexicon and tackling our challenging quiz questions! Keep striving for excellence in your knowledge of the fast-evolving world of online retail.