Amazon: marketplace, logistics and cloud services

Names and abbreviations on this page

US — United States. US$ denotes United States dollars.

AI — Artificial intelligence. Computer systems that perform tasks such as recognising patterns, generating content or making predictions.

TSMC — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited. A company that manufactures semiconductor chips for customers.

SEC — United States Securities and Exchange Commission. United States securities-market regulator.

Scale or institutional role

Annual net sales: US$716.924 billion

Period: Calendar year ended December 31, 2025

Consolidated net sales in the 2025 Form 10-K; not profit or marketplace gross merchandise value [1]

Scale and different business roles

Amazon reported US$716.924 billion in consolidated net sales for 2025. Its report separates North America, International and Amazon Web Services. Retail sales, seller-service fees, advertising, subscriptions and cloud services contribute differently to that total. Revenue is not the same as the total value of every item sold through the marketplace: accounting can record a company’s own merchandise sales differently from third-party commissions. [1]

Supply chains and control

Warehouses, delivery centers, transport partners and data infrastructure connect Amazon to physical and digital supply networks. Independent sellers may buy services from Amazon without becoming its subsidiaries. Its 2026 proxy identifies Jeff Bezos as founder and executive chair, alongside a board and management structure; common shares receive one vote each. Founder influence, shareholder ownership, platform rules and ownership of a supplier’s factory are therefore separate relationships. [1][2]

Specific policy positions

Amazon publicly supports raising the US federal minimum wage and stronger enforcement against counterfeit goods. Its policy page also discusses climate and AI regulation. These are identifiable company positions that can be evaluated against its conduct, rather than an undefined globalization platform. International sales and lobbying may serve commercial interests, but neither establishes that Amazon endorses every policy favored by its trade associations or business partners. [3]

Competition criticism and evidence

The Federal Trade Commission’s e-commerce case alleges that Amazon uses interlocking practices to maintain monopoly power, including conduct affecting seller pricing and competition. The cited case record presents allegations and litigation documents; it should not be described as a blanket finding that every Amazon service is unlawful. Relevant questions include seller dependence, fees, ranking rules and opportunities to reach customers through competing channels. Those questions can be investigated without alleging secret political control. [4]

Related learning

Walmart: retail buying power and international sourcing

Microsoft: software, cloud infrastructure and public policy

TSMC: contract chip manufacturing

How size and influence are compared

Follow the money and the type of relationship

External Resources