Amazon is a household name synonymous with convenience, speed and seemingly limitless selection. It’s the company behind your last-minute deliveries and the growing number of smart home devices in every living room.
Before Amazon became the global ecommerce giant that consumers love today, it was a simple idea dreamed up by young entrepreneur Jeff Bezos, who turned a fledgling startup into one of the most powerful companies in history.
Bezos’ net worth, as of 20th September 2025, is around £187 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires’ Index, making him the fourth richest person in the world. He is one of the most recognised figures in global business, lauded as a visionary leader who has changed how we shop and how ecommerce businesses operate.
Plenty of people have wondered how Jeff Bezos started Amazon, and if they could emulate his unprecedented success. Like every journey, it didn’t begin with global domination.
How old was Jeff Bezos when he started Amazon?
Bezos was just 30 years old when he founded Amazon, leaving behind a lucrative Wall Street career to chase what was, at the time, a risky internet dream. He worked at DE Shaw, a prestigious hedge fund known for its quantitative approach to investing.
It was during his time there that he first discovered the staggering growth of internet usage, which was increasing at more than 2,300% a year. That single statistic became the foundation of his idea. He realised the internet was going to transform business forever, so he left his job, drafted a business plan and launched a company that would sell books online.
When was Amazon founded?
Originally called Cadabra Inc, inspired by the phrase “abracadabra; officially, Amazon was incorporated in July 1994 and launched to the public in July 1995. However, Bezos changed the name after a lawyer misheard it as “cadaver”, which had an unsettling connotation. “Amazon” evoked thoughts of a vast and exotic entity, like the Amazon River. It was also helpful in early internet directory listings that it started with the letter “A”.
In July 1995, the website Amazon.com went live as an online bookstore. Its first order was for a book entitled Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies by Douglas Hofstadter, a sale that marked the beginning of a global shopping revolution.
Where was Amazon based in the beginning?
Bezos’ first “office” was the garage of his rented home at 10704 NE 28th Street, Bellevue. He and his then wife, MacKenzie Scott, famously used desks made from Home Depot doors to grow the online bookstore. Armed with a few computers and stacks of books, this small team began building what would soon become the world’s largest online retailer. His thriftiness shaped Amazon’s culture from day one. By the end of its first month, Amazon had already shipped orders to all 50 US states and 45 other countries.
Key milestones: from books to everything else
In 1997, the company went public, raising £40 million and gaining the capital required to expand. In the years that followed, Amazon rapidly expanded its product lines to include music, electronics, clothing and just about everything else.
In 2005, Amazon Prime was launched, providing a subscription service offering free two-day shipping. This move boosted customer loyalty and brought in a steady stream of revenue. Then came the Kindle in 2007, revolutionising how people read books and cementing Amazon’s position in digital content.
What truly made Amazon a powerhouse for businesses was its evolution into a third-party marketplace. Millions of businesses all over the world, from small startups to global brands, now sell through Amazon, and they don’t just sell – they also advertise.
Amazon as a marketing powerhouse
Amazon marketing is now a crucial growth strategy for countless sellers looking to gain visibility and drive sales.Why do so many businesses choose Amazon? The reasons are clear: the platform’s global reach, trusted brand reputation, sophisticated logistics network and perhaps most importantly, its powerful advertising tools.
Today, Amazon marketing agencies, such as Page1, help businesses navigate the complexities of Amazon Ads, ensuring they show up in search results and convert views into sales. These campaigns are often built on Amazon Pay Per Click advertising, a model that allows sellers to promote products directly within the platform.
Understanding Amazon PPC: your competitive edge
Amazon PPC is a cost-per-click (CPC) advertising model. You choose keywords, set your bid and pay only when someone clicks on your ad. It’s a highly targeted system that puts your product in front of shoppers who are already in the buying mindset. These sponsored ads appear within search results, on product detail pages, and even beyond Amazon’s walls, depending on the campaign type. Whether your goal is brand awareness, product visibility, or conversion, Amazon PPC offers a flexible and scalable solution.
When you select keywords, you decide how much you’re willing to pay for each click. Ads are operated through an auction system, meaning your ad competes with others for visibility, based on relevance and bid amount. If someone searches for a term you’ve bid on, your ad might appear, especially if your product listing is relevant and well-optimised. Every pound you spend goes toward engaging a potential customer.
Performance tracking tools mean you can monitor results, adjust bids, refine keywords and optimise your campaign in real time. Many sellers find a well-managed PPC campaign accounts for a large portion of their Amazon sales, with some reporting up to 30% of total revenue coming from these ads.
From garage to global: Amazon today
Amazon has become a sprawling global enterprise with fulfilment centres, robotics labs, physical retail stores and a thriving cloud computing division. Its influence is felt in every major industry, from entertainment and grocery to logistics and artificial intelligence.
Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021, but remains executive chairman, continuing to shape Amazon’s long-term vision. His legacy is everywhere, from the company’s focus on customer satisfaction to his famous mantra: “It’s always day one.” No matter how big or successful a company becomes, every day must be approached with the same energy, urgency, innovation and customer focus as you would invest on launch day.
Why should you advertise on Amazon?
With millions of daily shoppers, integrated logistics and built-in marketing tools, it’s a place where advertising directly influences purchase decisions. If you’re a seller, running a competitive Amazon PPC campaign is essential. With total control over your budget, even small businesses can start seeing results quickly.
At Page1, we specialise in Amazon PPC management. Whether you’re launching your first product, or scaling an existing brand, we can navigate the platform, optimise your ads and reach your ideal customers. Our data-driven approach ensures every click counts.
To truly harness Amazon’s advertising power, contact Page1 today.
Looking ahead: innovation on the horizon
Amazon continues to evolve, and its latest developments include advanced AI tools for sellers. These solutions help automate ad campaigns, generate high-performing product listings and even forecast demand.
Amid all the technological advancements, Amazon has never strayed far from its roots. The garage may be gone, but the entrepreneurial spirit that built it still remains.
