In my latest post about CreateSpace discontinuing its paid author services, I was writing about Amazon’s apparent intention to eventually roll CreateSpace into the Amazon fold. This would tie in with the company’s overall expansion: in just 23 years, Amazon has gone from a relatively obscure book business to a dominant online retailer, cloud service provider, and much, much more. On the right is a meme circulating on the Internet, with a 1999 Bezos in his office. A long way from his current status of being the wealthiest man on the planet with a fortune surpassing 100 billion dollars.
As I’ve often said in the past (“Writers: Stop Romanticizing Rejection. Or, Why I Love Amazon” and “Why Publishers Should Love Amazon’s Indie Revolution,” I love Amazon for opening the gates for us mere mortals to join the hallowed ranks of published authors. It has given many us our first break into publishing and, even though we haven’t quite made it yet, at least it has allowed us to dream of making a living purely through our writing.
That’s why I was excited when 16best.net kindly allowed me to share an amazing infographic they have produced called Amazon, The eCommerce Leader, that details Amazon’s extraordinary history and some of the many records the company has broken.
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So interesting. They are huge. I was just up in Seattle near their head quarters and that place is booming!
I have to visit one of these days 🙂
The glass-dome offices that they’re building are right out of science fiction. 🙂
Interesting post, Nicholas. Amazon has more influence than any other now.
Hard to believe how far the company has come in such a brief time!
Amazing factoid and so not surprising. Amazon recently opened in Australia and that has put the fear in some retailers here in New Zealand who endlessly complain about online shoppers because it loses them business – likely time they all got on board with the new reality as I don’t think things are going to change anytime soon. The simple reality is: places like Amazon give you more choices than you would get in an ordinary retail shop and often it is a whole lot cheaper even when you factor in delivery costs. Great post Nicholas – the Amazon story is amazing 🙂
Thank you, Catherine! Most people I talk to say the same thing: I buy from Amazon because of the great customer experience. I don’t think that brick-and-mortar shops who do the same have anything to worry about. Those who don’t, however…
That’s a great graphic , Nicholas. But nothing in it surprised me at all. Amazon is taking over the world! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
Mars, too 😀