Industry DescriptionHistoryAmazon.com is in the online retail industry. The sector is one of the fastest growing globally and is outperforming the regular retail market. It was created after 1995, and only the Internet made possible not only the birth of such an industry, but also its transformation into one of the most flourishing sectors in the business environment. The interesting thing is that Amazon.com, together with eBay, is the pioneer in this field. Both companies launched in 1995 and are still hugely successful. The creation of email in 1996 had a huge impact on the development of online retail by introducing a quick and easy way to communicate with customers. For this two-year period Internet usage doubled every year, thus allowing the industry to expand. Google launched a year later, in 1998, to become the world's most used search engine and an essential partner for online retailers, helping them adapt their websites to customers' personal preferences and through advertising. Subsequently, more and more people see the opportunity in the growing industry and enter it. As of 2001, there are more than 513 million Internet users worldwide, which requires action in terms of creating regulations and laws to protect users and personal property. In 2003, Apple launched iTunes and provided a platform for low-cost digital downloads. Another major change is the appearance of social media in 2004, which is one of the biggest influencing factors on the state of the industry. With the launch of the iPhone in 2007, this trend strengthens as people can enjoy the Internet wherever they want. From that point on, technological advances have made it extremely easy and fun to shop online, making it... the center of the paper......10.htmlFortune 500. "eBay". CNN money. May 20, 2013. Web.http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/snapshots/11070.htmlKenney Paul, Alison. “Retail Industry Outlook 2014.” The Wall Street Journal. January 7, 2014. Web.http://deloitte.wsj.com/cio/2014/01/07/2014-retail-industry-outlook/“Netflix, Inc.” Yahoo! Finance. 2014. Web.http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFLXReportlinker. “Online Retail: Global Industry Guide.” Yahoo! Finance. September 23, 2013. Web.http://finance.yahoo.com/news/online-retail-global-industry-guide-122400443.htmlRueter, Thad. “E-commerce in the United States will grow 13% in 2013.” Internet retailer. March 13, 2013. Web.http://www.internetretailer.com/2013/03/13/us-e-commerce-grow-13-2013Vinnitskaya, Irina. “Amazon Siattle Headquarters.” Daily bow. September 10, 2012. Web.http://www.archdaily.com/271754/amazons-seattle-headquarters-nbbj/