Amazon began in 1994 as an online bookstore.
Jeff Bezos founded the company as Cadabra, Inc., and it initially operated from Bellevue, Washington. The business launched publicly in 1995 as Amazon.com, selling books through the internet. Books were a practical starting category because millions of titles existed, while a physical bookstore could stock only a small selection.
Amazon soon expanded into music, video, electronics, toys, clothing, groceries, and many other categories. Its marketplace model also allowed independent sellers to offer products, greatly widening the selection available through the site. Amazon Web Services later became a major cloud-computing business serving companies and public organizations.
The name Amazon was chosen partly because the Amazon River suggested scale and breadth. A common mix-up is saying the company began with general retail; its original public business was specifically an online bookstore. Amazon's market capitalization now reflects a diversified technology and commerce group rather than its early books-only identity.