Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 as an online bookstore. Bezos established the company in Bellevue, Washington, on July 5, 1994, initially using the name Cadabra, Inc.
Bezos chose books because millions of titles could not fit in a typical physical store, while wholesalers could supply a far broader catalog online. The website opened for public sales on July 16, 1995, offering books sourced from wholesalers and publishers. The company was renamed Amazon in late 1994, inspired by the Amazon River and the idea of enormous scale.
Amazon did not remain a bookstore for long. It gradually added music, electronics, clothing, household goods, and marketplace sellers, becoming a major e-commerce and technology company. A common mix-up is confusing Amazon’s founding date with its public launch date: the company began in 1994, but customers could buy from its website starting in 1995.