PROCUREMENT TRANSFORMATION
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C ombining a host of services , Amazon is lots of things to different people . The company is unique and there ’ s nothing quite like it . Focusing on providing a varied range of services such as e-commerce , cloud computing , digital streaming and artificial intelligence ( AI ), the US-based company ’ s influence is felt worldwide . With approximately 647,500 employees , 288.4 sq . ft of real estate and consisting of almost half of the online retail in the US , Amazon is considered one of the “ Big Four ” alongside Google , Facebook and Apple . However , now , it seems Amazon is adding another string to its extensive bow as the global giant enters the third-party logistics carrier ( 3PL ) market .
Originally founded in 1994 by CEO Jeff Bezos , Amazon has significantly transformed its services throughout the years , from its early beginnings as an online bookshop in Seattle to becoming the global powerhouse it is today . It conducts business in a number of different areas and ways . These are : Amazon Logistics — its fulfilment and logistics platform , Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) — its cloud computing infrastructure , Amazon Prime — its loyalty programme and Amazon Retail — its online shopping function . However , the key question remains : can Amazon primarily be considered a logistics company ?
Following TJI Research ’ s report in April which revealed that select shippers in Chicago , Los Angeles and New York were invited to use Amazon Shipping , the service began offering 50 % cheaper shipping rates
NOVEMBER 2019