Jeff Bezos' little gem has come a long way since its inception. From a simple online bookstore to one of the leading tech companies, Amazon has revolutionised the way people do business. Discover 5 unusual and surprising anecdotes about this extraordinary company!
Cadabra
Before calling it Amazon, Jeff Bezos considered naming his company "Cadabra". He finally changed his mind after one of his lawyers understood "corpse"... It's not clear that the company would have been as successful.
Kiva Systems
In 2012, Amazon acquired Kiva Systems, a robot manufacturing company, for nearly $800 million. These robots are used in Amazon's warehouses to help sort and move goods faster and more efficiently.
A programme to help its employees become entrepreneurs
In 2019, Amazon launched a programme called Delivery Service Partners that helps Amazon employees start their own package delivery business. The programme provides participants with training, logistical support and a fleet of vehicles to help launch their business.
Supermarkets without checkouts
In 2018, Amazon opened the first Amazon Go shop, which does not require cash registers. Customers can simply pick up the items they want to buy and walk out of the shop without having to go through the checkout. The amount due is automatically deducted from their Amazon account.
An online wine shop
In 2012, Amazon launched Amazon Wine, an online wine shop that offers a selection of wines from different regions of the world. They also added a free delivery option for Amazon Prime members.