Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos as an online bookstore before becoming a global commerce giant.
Bezos incorporated the company in Washington state in July 1994 and initially called it Cadabra. He soon changed the name to Amazon, inspired by the vast South American river and the idea of offering an unusually large selection. The website opened in July 1995, selling books online.
Amazon expanded beyond books into music, electronics, household goods, and almost every major retail category. Its market value also reflects businesses outside retail, especially Amazon Web Services, advertising, logistics, and subscription products such as Prime.
A frequent misconception is that Amazon began as a general online marketplace. Its first retail focus was books, chosen because books could be catalogued broadly and were difficult for a physical store to stock comprehensively. The company’s later transformation helped make it one of the world’s most valuable public companies.