Amazon started in 1994 as an online bookstore. It was founded by Jeff Bezos and has since expanded into many other product categories and services. It has become a leader in the e-commerce industry through innovations like Prime shipping and its customer-centric approach. While it faces competition from companies like Walmart, Google, and Apple, its strengths in areas like shipping and customer focus have allowed it to continue growing successfully. Its strategies going forward include further building on conveniences for customers through services like Amazon Go and expanding its Prime membership benefits.