Amazon

Amazon’s overarching business model is ecosystem-based: it builds a large-scale two-sided marketplace where consumers and third-party merchants transact, then layers additional services (fulfilment, payments, advertising, and subscriptions) on top. Core value creation comes from convenient product discovery, reliable delivery, and integrated services that reduce friction for both shoppers and sellers, while aggregating high-intent commerce and media audiences for advertisers. It operates mixed models including first-party retail (buying and reselling inventory), marketplace facilitation (taking commissions and service fees), platform licensing/usage (e.g., ads tools, payments), and subscription memberships (Prime) that drive engagement and cross-sell across retail, digital media, and devices.

Amazon.com, Inc. is a US-based multinational technology company whose core operations span global e-commerce marketplaces, retail media and advertising, payments, consumer subscriptions, and digital content, alongside a large but separately-focused cloud business (AWS). Through Amazon.com, it sells goods directly and operates a third-party marketplace, integrating fulfilment, logistics, payments, and loyalty (Prime) to maximize customer lifetime value and seller participation. The company monetizes its ecosystem via retail margins on first-party goods, marketplace commissions and fees from third-party sellers, subscription revenue from Prime, advertising spend flowing through Amazon Ads, Amazon DSP, and Amazon Publisher Services, and payment processing and related economics via Amazon Pay/Buy with Prime and co-branded credit products. Its direct customers across these offerings are consumers, merchants/sellers, brands and agencies, publishers, and financial partners.