Amazon, founded in 1994, became one of the world’s largest online retailers and cloud-computing providers.
Jeff Bezos established Amazon in Bellevue, Washington, in 1994, and the company began as an online bookstore. It expanded into many categories, eventually selling consumer goods worldwide and developing logistics, devices, digital media, advertising, and subscription services.
Amazon Web Services, or AWS, became a major second business. AWS provides computing, storage, databases, and other cloud services to organizations around the world. Its growth helped transform Amazon from an online retailer into a diversified technology company.
Amazon is distinct from Alibaba, which is primarily associated with Chinese e-commerce, and from Walmart, whose roots are in physical retail. Amazon’s market capitalization has repeatedly placed it among the world’s most valuable public companies, although exact rankings change as share prices move.