Amazon.com, year by year

1994 Company is founded in the basement of Jeff Bezos' garage.

1995 Amazon.com goes live on the Internet. First book sold: ''Fluid Concepts & Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought."

1996 Launches associates program, linking smaller websites to Amazon.com.

1997 Goes public, becomes first online retailer to reach millionth new customer.

1998 Adds music, videos, DVDs; launches first international sites (United Kingdom, Germany).

1999 Adds auctions, electronics, toys, software, home improvement, video games. Bezos named Time magazine's ''Person of the Year."

2000 Adds electronic books, expands to France and Japan. Introduces free shipping deal. Makes first layoffs: 150 workers.

2001 Introduces ''Look Inside the Book," which lets users browse several pages. Posts $1.4 billion loss, lays off 1,300 employees.

2002 Expands to Canada; launches office products, apparel, accessories stores.

2003 Starts Internet search engine A9.com. Opens sports and outdoors, gourmet food, and health and personal care stores. Posts first full-year profit.

2004 Opens jewelry store. Acquires joyo.com Ltd., China's leading online book, music, and video retailer. Begins DVD rentals in Britain. Annual profit rises to $588 million, up from $35 million in 20003.

2005 Launches Amazon Prime (unlimited two-day shipping at $79 a year). Acquires BookSurge on-demand publishing company. Expands DVD rentals to Germany.

SOURCE: Associated Press