Amazon Turns 32: The Online Bookstore Founded in a Garage Became a Global E-Commerce Giant
Amazon marked its 32nd year on July 5, 2026, once again bringing its growth in e-commerce, retail, cloud technologies, and artificial intelligence to the agenda. Founded by Jeff Bezos on July 5, 1994, in Bellevue, Washington, the company first came to life under the name “Cadabra”; it later took the name Amazon.com. The company’s website began operations on July 16, 1995, selling only books.
Amazon’s E-Commerce Journey Began with Books
Amazon quickly expanded its operations, which began with online book sales, into music, video, consumer products, the third-party marketplace model, and various digital services. This transformation enabled the company to position itself not only as an e-commerce platform but also as one of the most important players in the global retail and technology ecosystem.
Amazon Strengthened Its Power in U.S. Retail
According to JPMorgan estimates, Amazon surpassed Walmart last year to become the largest retailer in the U.S. The company’s retail-focused revenues account for approximately 74 percent of its total revenues. Amazon’s market value stands at approximately $2.61 trillion.
Artificial Intelligence and AWS Stand Out for Amazon
Amazon Web Services continues to play an important role in Amazon’s growth. AWS generated approximately $129 billion in revenue in 2025, and its annualized revenue run rate reportedly exceeded $140 billion in 2026. This growth strengthens the company’s position in artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud services, and enterprise technology solutions.
Financial Indicators and Investor Tracking
Amazon’s P/E ratio stands at 29.03. While the company’s GF Score is stated as 94/100, it is reported to show strong performance in financial strength, profitability, and growth. The source news also stated that $51.6 million worth of insider stock sales took place in the company over the last three months, with no purchases reported.
Amazon’s New Focus: Digital Retail and Artificial Intelligence
Amazon’s 32-year transformation reveals the new structure of e-commerce extending from traditional product sales to AI-powered retail, data-driven operations, cloud infrastructure, and the marketplace economy. The company continues to maintain its influence in the global digital commerce ecosystem through online retail, third-party seller services, advertising, devices, and AWS.
Founded in a Garage, Transformed into a Global E-Commerce Giant
Amazon’s founding story is one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial journeys in modern e-commerce. Jeff Bezos left his career on Wall Street in 1994, foresaw that the internet would grow rapidly, and decided to establish a company that would be at the center of this transformation. His first goal was to sell books online. Because books were an ideal starting point for online sales due to their wide product variety, easily catalogable structure, and global demand potential.
Bezos founded the company in the garage of his home in Bellevue, Washington, in the United States. The venture, initially named Cadabra, later took the name Amazon.com, inspired by Amazon, one of the world’s largest rivers. The company’s website went live in 1995 and soon began receiving orders from outside the U.S. as well.
Although Amazon initially operated only as an online bookstore, Bezos’ vision was much broader. Over time, the company invested in different product categories, the third-party seller model, logistics infrastructure, cloud technologies, and artificial intelligence, becoming one of the strongest brands in global digital commerce.