RETAIL GIANT’S EMPIRE

Amazon was founded as an online bookseller in 1994

Today it owns dozens of businesses, including audiobook producer Audible which it bought for £232m

It has credit cards and has lent £ 2.3bn to small businesses

It runs a TV and film service, as well as making shows through Amazon Prime and owns film website IMDB

Amazon makes Kindle ebook readers and Alexa voiceactivated computer assistants

It also has an ocean and air freight business to rival FedEx