E-Commerce: Amazon, Essay Example

Amazon is the leading retailer on the Internet, representing a large portion of the market in e-commerce.  They have utilized information technology, the Internet, and e-commerce prominently in their business.  Amazon’s proficiency in these three areas is representative of their continued success.

Internet Presence

Amazon is known as a considerable Internet presence.  Amazon is well-known for being the most popular company online in terms of e-commerce.  In fifteen years since its launch in 1995, Amazon has grown from an online bookstore to include products of VHS, DVD, CD, MP3, video game, apparel, furniture, and many other types of products.

Amazon has also partnered with other companies to extend its reach.  It makes use of other stores to increase its ability to cater to customers.  Additionally, Amazon has separate websites in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, Canada, and China.  It can also offer international shipping to extend its Internet presence to truly cover the globe.

Information Technology and E-Commerce

Amazon has made use of information technology, from which it has grown considerably.  For instance, Amazon is able to keep a detailed account of every customer, in order to provide up-to-date shipping information and other helpful items.  It is also able to provide custom recommendations based on past purchases, notifications of new releases in certain types of products, and other valuable information.

Amazon has also been active in various forms of e-commerce.  Directly Amazon represents an e-commerce platform, in which the customer can simple go to the Amazon website in order to purchase a variety of goods.  Amazon is able to process the transaction by one’s bank account or a wide variety of credit and gift cards.  As previously stated, there is normally not an intermediary service, though other stores are utilized at times for some products.

Amazon has also tapped into other types of products as they continue to evolve.  One example of this is seen in video content.  Amazon allows customers to purchase a number of television shows or movies, as well as other content that can be viewed on one’s computer.  Similar to MP3s, this type of transaction does not require the physical transportation of an item, as normally seen in e-commerce.

Amazon continues to make strides in developing technologies to leverage in the e-commerce environment.  Amazon’s Kindle is an electronic book reading device that is sold by Amazon, competing with other leading readers.  Amazon, similarly to video and music files, also provides books in this format for purchase, which is completely over the Internet.

Amazon represents the latest in e-commerce technologies and service, providing further reasons why they overwhelmingly lead the market in this area.  Additional services, such as a subscription-based service for fast shipping and an affiliate program for Amazon, provide the environment for Amazon’s overwhelming presence on the Internet and in information technology and e-commerce.

Conclusion

Amazon is the leading Internet retailer, with a staggering online presence around the world.  From an online bookstore, they have emerged to sell a number of physical and virtual products to illustrate their presence in e-commerce.  Their continued success can be seen in the wealth of products, services, and alternative methods in e-commerce that lends to their success.  Amazon has leveraged e-commerce, information technology, and their online presence to represent their claim as the largest online retailer in the world.