Jeff Bezos has always had an interest in anything that could be revolutionized by computers. He was extremely intrigued by the amazing growth in the use of the Internet. Mr. Bezos created a business model that leveraged the Internet's unique ability to deliver huge amounts of information rapidly and efficiently. .
In July 1995 Amazon.com opened its virtual doors with a mission to use the Internet to transform book buying into the fastest, easiest and most enjoyable shopping experience possible. .
Based in Seattle, Washington, Amazon.Com went public on May 15, 1997 and became known to many households through a national advertising campaign. What started as the World's biggest bookstore is rapidly becoming the World's biggest anything store. Amazon.Com's main site offers millions of books, CDs, DVDs, and videos. Additionally in 1999 the site began to offer toys, tools, electronics, health and beauty products, prescription drugs, and services such as film processing. .
Amazon.Com has continued to expand propelling the company in many directions. It owns stakes in online sellers of prescription drugs, handcrafted items, and more. Amazon.Com is able to offer services that traditional retailers cannot: lower prices, authoritative selection, and a wealth of product information.
Today, Amazon.Com is the place to find and discover anything you want to buy online. Millions of people in more than 220 countries have made Amazon.Com the leading online shopping site. .
Employees.
As of December 31, 2000, Amazon employed approximately 9,000 full-time and part-time employees. They also employ independent contractors and temporary personnel on a seasonal basis. None of their employees are represented by a labor union and they consider employee relations to be good. Competition for qualified personnel in the industry is intense, particularly for software development and other technical staff. They believe that the future success of the company will depend in part on continued ability to attract, hire and retain qualified personnel.
