What it does: Provide international online shopping services.
Mission: To meet the market demands, improve customer marketing experience and achieve operational excellence.
Size and presence: 800,000 globally in 185 locations.
Best known for: Amazon Us is best known for its passion to improve customer services by launching innovative initiatives which include Prime, Echo devices and efficient Amazon products.
The good bits: Internationally-focused websites that offer online retail services and stores where customers can do in-person shopping.
The not-so-good bits: Most employees are expected to work more than 12 hours per day.
Amazon US, a multinational company in America, was founded in 1994 by Jeffrey P. Bezos. Amazon is headquartered in Seattle and operates in segments that include North America, International and Amazon Web. Amazon US has grown from being an online bookselling company to the largest internet-based business enterprise in the world. Bezos drew the inspiration to name his small enterprise Amazon from the Amazon River, one of the biggest rivers on earth.
In 2006, Amazon launched the first Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer online services which include client-side applications. Additionally, Amazon launched Unbox, a cloud-computing and video-on-demand service.
In 2011, Amazon US launched its first tablet computer known as Kindle Fire. Later, in 2014, Amazon advanced its streaming media devices by establishing the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
In 2013, Amazon launched Amazon Art, an online marketing space that has been used to market the original artwork of top artists like Claude Monet and Norman Rockwell. Amazon US started the Amazon Go grocery stores in 2018, shortly after launching the Whole Foods organic grocery store in 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping increased as a movement within and across countries was limited. Most people relied on Amazon’s online shopping services, a trend that has been going on even after the pandemic.
Amazon’s mission is to become the biggest customer-centric company in the world. The organisation’s efforts and goals prioritise the interests and preferences of customers. The work strategy of Amazon starts with the customers and then back to the company’s workforce. When the company discovers an idea, strategy or opportunity to improve customer service, it tends to invest more in it to achieve greater success.
As a multinational company, Amazon's US work approach consists of fast decision making, innovation, invention, quality and delighting consumers. Amazon has grown to be a giant e-tailer company through revolutionising various industries. Amazon has diversified its services and through acquisition, it has taken over most companies, a trend that is not likely to stop until it dominates the entire retailing market. Employees at Amazon US are cultured to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas and conclusive solutions to various work problems. Additionally, the company employed professionals who monitor the trends and preferences of customers. Amazon embraces consistency, customer loyalty and trust.
Amazon’s recruitment process includes; resume and phone evaluation, in-person interview with the hiring manager, test, loop interview, and committee reviews. The recruiter screens the resume to ensure the candidate meets educational, experience and technical requirements. On passing the resume evaluation, the candidate receives a 45-minute to 1-hour call from the recruiter. The aim of the call is to evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, work attitude and personality. The applicant is given an online assessment test. This test depends on the job roles and is mostly for internship and new graduate positions. The applicant is given a writing test to evaluate their writing skills and response.
After the writing test, the applicant moves on to the loop interviews where he spends time with the current staff and doing onsite interviews. The final stage is the ruling of the hiring committee after evaluating the applicant’s qualifications. The HR will then enquire about the applicant’s salary expectations before conducting the final paperwork.
In the USA, Amazon has been ranked among the most desirable places to work. Amazon has an army of corporate employees working in various positions and offices worldwide. Amazon US creates a highly competitive workplace culture thus raising brilliant employees.
The average annual salary of a corporate employee at Amazon ranges between $60,000 to $153,000. In North America, Amazon owns approximately 75 fulfilment centres with over 125,000 full-time workers. Amazon has over 840,000 full and part-time workers worldwide.
Amazon US partnered with Global Optimism to launch The Climate Pledge in 2019, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program to urge companies to minimise annual carbon emissions. Additionally, Amazon provided food, education and housing support to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon’s commitment and accountability to social responsibility need to be emulated.
Amazon’s control and growth in the retailing industry have been claimed to be a threat by the small independent retailers.