05 Feb Amazon.com is the largest E-Commerce platform in the world!
If we talk about the largest online retail websites in the world, it’s hard to ignore Amazon.com. Amazon has experienced significant growth not only in the United States but also globally, including in Europe and Asia. In comparison to well-known online markets in Thailand like Shopee and Lazada, Amazon surpasses them in customer scale by several hundred times.
Founded in 1994 in Seattle, Washington, by Jeff Bezos, Amazon started as an online bookstore named Cadabra.com. At that time, Jeff Bezos was just 30 years old, and the initial focus was solely on selling books. The website aimed to become the world’s largest online bookstore, and after legal advice, Jeff Bezos decided to rename it “Amazon,” inspired by the longest river globally.
Jeff started the business with only four employees and an initial investment of $10,000 from his own pocket. The marketing initially involved sending emails to about 300 acquaintances, inviting them to try the website before the official launch on July 16, 1995. This marked the humble beginnings of Amazon.
By 1996, Amazon achieved significant success, reaching a valuation of $300 million. Within two years, in 1997, Amazon went public, and Jeff Bezos saw the potential to expand beyond just being an online bookstore. The product range expanded to include CDs, DVDs, electronics, and much more, eventually becoming the “Everything Store.
In 2005, Amazon introduced the subscription system known as “Amazon Prime.” Prime provided value to both the business and customers, leading to the creation of the annual shopping event known as Amazon Prime Day. As of 2023, Prime members worldwide made purchases totaling over 300 million items, equating to 100,000 orders per minute.
Amazon continues to evolve, providing continuous customer service improvements and enhancing the overall shopping experience. Today, Amazon is not limited to the United States but has expanded its presence globally, adapting to various markets and customer needs. It remains one of the most successful online retail platforms globally, emphasizing customer experience and retention.
For entrepreneurs interested in selling internationally, Amazon is a platform not to be overlooked. By simply listing products on Amazon.com, sellers can reach a vast audience easily, and for those dealing with international orders, services like FastShip offer cost-effective and efficient shipping solutions, making global selling more accessible.
