Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore before it expanded into global commerce.
Bezos incorporated the company in July 1994 under the name Cadabra, Inc. It was later renamed Amazon, and the website began selling books online in 1995. Books were a practical starting category because an online store could offer a much larger selection than a typical physical shop.
Amazon gradually added music, electronics, clothing, household goods, and marketplace services. It also developed Amazon Web Services, a major cloud-computing business, and Prime, a subscription service built around delivery and digital media.
Amazon is sometimes confused with Alibaba because both operate large online marketplaces. Their origins differ: Amazon began in the United States as a book retailer, while Alibaba was founded in China as a business-to-business internet company.