Today Amazon is the world’s largest retailer with billions of registered buyers and sellers. Twenty years ago such a success no one could have predicted. Then it all started with the sale of books in the garage.
Getting back to basics
The Amazon story started in 1994 when Jeff Bezos decides to open
online store. In those days, the digital revolution has not yet come into effect and he was among the first Internet entrepreneurs.
The first product that Jeff Bezos decided to sell was books. After a successful garage sale of rare books, he opened an online store – Cadabra. The name soon had to change: people get it confused with Cadaver (eng. “a corpse”).
A new name – the Amazon – was much more successful. It like Bezos for a number of reasons:
- because of the Association with Amazon – the largest river in the world;
- due to the fact that the Amazon jungle is home to the most rare and exotic animals and plants;
- because this name was not to become obsolete with time.
Today Amazon is fully consistent with the image of the dream: it is the largest online platform, leaving behind all competitors. It is possible to find the 1.8 million publications and more than 800 thousand electronic books. Among this wealth come across real rarities – the most rare and valuable specimens. It seems that this store has no borders, and full-flowing Amazon.
In addition to the name change and logo: today, few remember the nondescript black-and-white triangle, which was first, but firm smile are familiar to almost everyone.
Today Amazon is not just a bookstore. People here buy electronics, household goods, clothing and more. Today, 11 years after birth, it continues to evolve and conquer new horizons.
Key events in the history of Amazon
1994 – Jeff Bezos leaves his job and opens a bookstore in the garage. For 30 days he earns $ 20,000.
1995 – Kleiner Perkins invests in Amazon 8 million dollars.
1999 – Time magazine called Bezos “Man of the year” for promoting online shopping.
2009 – Bezos acquiring Zappos, an online clothing store and shoes.
2013 – Jeff Bezos buys The Washington Post.
Amazon today: causes of success
If the initial success can be linked tothe support of investors and a small number of competitors, today Amazon is developing by offering new services and features. Here are some of them.
- Creative platform CreateSpace
Here artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers can sell their creations through Amazon Market. In addition to the electronic version, Amazon helps to ensure the distribution of works in physical stores.
- Amazon Vendor Express
With it, businesses can launch new products on Amazon.
- Amazon Studios
This Studio, located in Seattle, cooperates with Warner Brothers. Together they can produce films and sell them directly through Amazon, without issue to DVD media.
These services make Amazon from the usual large store in a brand that supports creative people and innovators and helps them to bring their creations to the public.
