In Amazon Unbound, journalist and bestselling author Brad Stone traces the incredible story of Amazon, from its humble beginnings as an online bookstore to its current status as one of the world’s most powerful companies. Stone draws on exclusive access to Jeff Bezos and other key figures to paint a fascinating portrait of the man behind the empire, and reveals how Amazon is upending not just retail but also logistics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital entertainment. With e-commerce and Amazon growing ever more central to our lives, this is a must-read book for anyone who wants to understand the world’s most disruptive company.
Table of Contents:
1. Amazon’s Early Days
2. Bezos and the Birth of Amazon
3. Amazon Gets Serious
4. The Kindle and the Cloud
5. Amazon Goes Global
6. Alexa and the Ambition of Amazon
7. Hollywood and the High Stakes of Streaming
8. The Everything Store
9. Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
10. Conclusion: The World According to Amazon
1. Amazon’s Early Days
In 1994, Jeff Bezos quit his job at a New York City hedge fund, packed up his car, and drove to Seattle. His goal was to start an online bookstore, a risky proposition at a time when few people were shopping on the internet. But Bezos was convinced that the web was going to be a transformational force, and he was determined to get in on the ground floor.
After a few false starts, Amazon.com went live in July 1995. The site was primitive by today’s standards, but it was a revelation at the time. Customers could search for books by title, author, or keyword, and they could order with just a few clicks. The selection was limited to a few million titles, but it was far more comprehensive than anything else available at the time.
Bezos was relentless in his quest to make Amazon the best possible shopping experience. He was constantly tweaking the site, adding new features, and expanding the selection. In the early days, he even personally responded to customer emails.
Amazon quickly became the go-to destination for online shopping, and by the end of the 1990s, it was one of the hottest companies in the dot-com boom. But the boom quickly turned to a bust, and many dot-coms went out of business. Amazon was one of the few that survived, and it did so thanks to a combination of visionary leadership and good old-fashioned hard work.
2. Bezos and the Birth of Amazon
Jeff Bezos was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1964. His mother, Jacklyn, was a teenage single mother, and his father, Ted, was a bicycle shop owner. The family moved to Houston, Texas, when Bezos was four, and he grew up in a suburb called Clear Lake City.
Bezos was an outstanding student, and he excelled in science and math. He was also a voracious reader, and he developed a love for computers at an early age. After graduating from high school, he attended Princeton University, where he studied physics and computer science.
Upon graduation, Bezos took a job at D. E. Shaw, a prestigious Wall Street firm. He quickly rose through the ranks, but he was dissatisfied with the work. He wanted to do something that would have a more lasting impact.
In 1994, Bezos read a report about the growing popularity of the internet. He was intrigued, and he decided to start an online bookstore. He researched the book business and came up with a list of potential names for his new company. He settled on Amazon because it was the biggest river in the world and he wanted his company to be the biggest bookstore.
3. Amazon Gets Serious
In the early days, Amazon was a one-man show. Bezos ran the website, packed and shipped the orders, and even handled customer service himself. But as the company grew, he realized that he couldn’t do it all himself. He started hiring employees, and in 1995, he brought on someone to help with the website.
The website was basic, but it worked. Customers could search for books and add them to their shopping carts. They could also read customer reviews and browse bestseller lists.
As Amazon grew, Bezos continued to add new features to the site. He introduced Amazon Prime in 2005, a membership program that offered free two-day shipping on eligible items. He also launched the Amazon Marketplace in 2006, a platform that allowed third-party sellers to list their products on Amazon.
4. The Kindle and the Cloud
In 2007, Amazon introduced the Kindle, a handheld device that allowed users to buy, download, and read e-books. The Kindle was a game-changer, and it quickly became the bestselling product in Amazon’s history.
The Kindle was followed by the Kindle Fire, a tablet that ran a modified version of the Android operating system. The Fire was designed to be a low-cost alternative to the iPad, and it was a hit with consumers.
In addition to hardware, Amazon also offers a suite of cloud-based services. The most popular of these is Amazon Web Services, a platform that provides storage, computing, and other services to businesses and individual developers.
5. Amazon Goes Global
In the early 2000s, Amazon expanded beyond the United States, opening up new markets in Europe and Asia. The company faced some challenges in these new markets, but it adapted and eventually found success.
Today, Amazon operates in more than 180 countries. It has also launched a number of international versions of its website, including Amazon.ca (Canada), Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom), Amazon.de (Germany), and Amazon.in (India).
6. Alexa and the Ambition of Amazon
In 2014, Amazon introduced the Echo, a voice-activated speaker that was powered by the Alexa artificial intelligence (AI) system. Alexa could answer questions, play music, and control smart home devices.
The Echo was a hit, and Alexa quickly became one of the most popular AI assistants. Amazon has since released a number of other Echo devices, including the Dot, the Tap, and the Show.
Alexa is more than just a voice assistant. It’s also the foundation of Amazon’s plans for the future. The company is betting big on AI, and it is using Alexa to build a platform that will power a new generation of smart home devices, connected cars, and even robots.
7. Hollywood and the High Stakes of Streaming
In 2013, Amazon made a major push into the digital entertainment business with the launch of Amazon Prime Video. The service offers instant streaming of TV shows and movies, and it has become a major competitor to Netflix.
Amazon has also produced its own original content, including the award-winning series Transparent and The Man in the High Castle. The company has ambitions to produce even more original content, and it has been investing heavily in Hollywood talent.
8. The Everything Store
In 2015, Amazon surpassed Walmart as the largest retailer in the United States. The company is now the world’s largest online retailer, and it is also one of the largest providers of cloud computing services, artificial intelligence, and digital entertainment.
Amazon is a true behemoth, and its reach extends far beyond retail. The company is now one of the most powerful companies in the world, and its founder, Jeff Bezos, is the richest man on the planet.
9. Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
Jeff Bezos is a visionary and a risk-taker. He has always been willing to bet big on his convictions, and his bets have paid off. Amazon is now one of the most valuable companies in the world, and Bezos is the richest man on the planet.
But Amazon’s success has not come without criticism. The company has been accused of putting small businesses out of business, and its aggressive tactics have earned it a reputation as a ruthless competitor.
10. Conclusion: The World According to Amazon
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, and it is one of the most powerful companies in the world. The company has upended not just retail but also logistics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital entertainment. With e-commerce and Amazon growing ever more central to our lives, this is a must-read book for anyone who wants to understand the world’s most disruptive company.