Amazon began as an online bookseller founded by Jeff Bezos in Bellevue, Washington, in 1994.
Bezos incorporated the business in July 1994, and the website opened in 1995. Books were an practical starting category because an online store could offer far more titles than a conventional shop could keep on its shelves.
Amazon later expanded into music, electronics, clothing, groceries, digital media, logistics, and cloud computing. Amazon Web Services became a major business by renting computing, storage, and other infrastructure to organizations around the world.
The company’s market capitalization reflects expectations about its entire business portfolio, not simply its retail operation. A common mix-up is treating Amazon as only an online shop; its cloud, advertising, subscription, and logistics businesses are also important parts of the company.