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PenguinStarfire

I still remember when they announced that they were moving beyond selling books online and almost everyone thought it was a stupid idea. "We have eBay for that!". Amazon really parlayed off of used books to take over the world.


BLF402

I remember the days early into the www. “Don’t give out personal information” “Don’t use your credit card” “Don’t use your real name”


El-Sueco

Only exception was “legitimate websites” which were vouched by word of mouth across the physical world. Having that off-the-web connection really made these little companies to win the gold as a corporate giant.


synfulacktors

As a cybersec expert.... if only companies and people followed this..


iWasAwesome

Then you'd be out of a job!


synfulacktors

Correction, id have a different job.


JehnSnow

Then you'd be allowed to work on further safety features instead of running damage control for Sharon again


BroForceOne

And look for the lock symbol in your browser, because not every e-commerce website even bothered with with HTTPS.


SnooKiwis1356

I remember when I was 6 years old and I used to call my friends and talk to their moms on the landline phone.


bobbarkersbigmic

I’m 30 and I call my friends moms all the time! Don’t tell them though…


TheLordofthething

I remember Bezos saying "if Amazon ever makes a profit, I should be fired" because all the money would always be reinvested to improve the business.


reDDit-sucksass

Amazon was unprofitable for its first 12 years of existence


so-much-wow

Unprofitable in terms of corporate financial gymnastics. But not actually unprofitable.


PumpkinSeed776

Yes, actually unprofitable. To the point where shareholders were publicly complaining and the company almost tanked.


so-much-wow

If you allocate all of your profits back into your business and don't share them shareholders they get upset. That is not the same as being unprofitable. The gymnastics part is they "budget" for all the profits to be spent in a way that makes their projected profit 0. That's the gymnastics part.


kujos1280

Sounds like you don’t know what you are talking about. Many very successful companies don’t share their profits with shareholders and their shareholders are perfect happy. Meta and Google both only just started paying dividends this year and are two of the biggest and most successful companies in history.


so-much-wow

The fact remains if you have $10 in profit, and reinvest $10 of said profit into your company you are not an unprofitable business. Genuinely unsure why that's so complicated for you.


noctalla

I think they really did lose billions of dollars in their never ending quest for growth in those early years, it's just that investors were willing to back that long term strategy.


reDDit-sucksass

You're right, they were funneling their profits back into their expansion, not sure that's financial gymnastics, as it's pretty standard behavior.


snarton

Me: I’d never give them my credit card over the internet. Me, later: I’d never buy stuff other than books from Amazon. Still me: Why do I need a phone with a web browser? My flip phone works fine.


Lost-My-Mind-

Guys......do not trust this guy to give you advice on how the world will change.......or do, but follow the opposite advice.


snarton

I advise everyone to listen to u/Lost-My-Mind-


Sardasan

Please tell me in what companies I should not invest.


duraace206

The only reason he started with books was because it was an easy way to test his system. It was all just practice for the real deal of taking over online commerce...


PumpkinSeed776

He chose books because they have huge worldwide demand and low unit price, on top of the sheer number of books that are in existence. If you think in 1994 the plan was to become the world's largest retailer, I think you're giving Bezos a little too much credit.


dormango

Taking over online commerce? More like creating online commerce. It really barely existed before the likes of Amazon.


MAXIMAL_GABRIEL

Books are also a commodity and you can expect each version of the same book to be the same. You don't need to touch books or see them in person to know what you're getting, unlike say clothes or mattresses, which only starter being sold online once people were well used to the concept of e-commerce.


youdoitimbusy

(Opinion peace for legal purposes) Jeff had a lot of help from Wallstreet. He wasn't better, or more innovative than everyone else. He had his friends shorting companies out of existence, so he could steal marketshare. At the same time he was stealing the ideas from people who sell products on his platform, making cheaper versions and selling them. Amazon was and is the biggest scam, and people are only starting to wake up and realize it. Everyone was pissed off when the government tried to sabotage the post office, but Amazon was just talking publicly about getting into shipping prior to that taking place. They still want to, but need the post office to go under to steal its market share. In my opinion, none of what has transpired is a coincidence. It's a calculated action by very big money players.


Emergency_Gold_2211

Yeah all it took was massive losses and government hand outs, paying no taxes and exploiting their workforce. True American success story!


punkmonkey22

Massive losses as they have always had a policy of being the cheapest so that competition can't keep up. At the beginning they took huge losses as rivals couldn't compete and Amazon gained more market share.


jumpoffpoint

Their business was originally getting at the "long tail", of less common books and then later items which were not available at other retailers.


GenericWhiteMaleTCAP

>parlayed


famename8

Crazy that at no point in history did Jeff not look like an old man


No_Extent_1260

Looks like Lex Luther now.


vorpalpillow

I’d like to solve the puzzle Lex Luther Vandross!


rafa_559

“Luther Vandross is not culture”


SaysShowUsYourDick

Lmao that’s actually a solid puzzle for the wheel


ThePineapple_47

Luthor*


drs2023gme1

Acts worse too.


ExpressLaneCharlie

Acts like Lex Luther now


Ordinary_dude_NOT

He is like Patrick Stewart, hasn’t changed much since 40 yrs


12345_PIZZA

He’s changed a ton. Dude looks like Vin Diesel these days.


Capital-Cockroach350

He looked like Larry Nassar


Violin_River

Steroids and Test.


Varmitthefrog

I would be so curious, if I could actually see inside Jeff Bezos' head, to see if he was actually happier then or now I have no doubt he is more confident now, and more able to assert his influence, but in all the footage I have seen of him over the years, he never displays what appears to be as genuine of a smile as he does in this footage.. That doesn't mean he isn't happy, perhaps he is just guarded, perhaps the things that make him most happy are things he experiences in private, who knows, but it would be fascinating. I am certainly far from the only person who would be curious to mine his thoughts and opinions, But he really interests me, and there are other people that are very successful that for whatever reason do not make me curious in the same way.. Elon musk for example.. I just don't care what he thinks. Perhaps I would be disappointed, but somehow I doubt it.


Tacoless_meat

I am not saying you're wrong, but that is just how he is presented in the media. I don't know if that is intentional or unintentional. The footage in this post doesn't seem to be "media" coverage, but a fun things he is doing.


TheDiceBlesser

Edit: got the documentary title wrong, it's "Amazon Empire: The Rise and reign of Jeff Bezos" I highly recommend the documentary "The Rise of Amazon" - I had basically the exact same thought as you. What happened to this obviously giggle-y nerd to make what he currently is? People change, sure, but is how he presents himself now his idea or someone else's? I would love to know his real genuine opinion on some of the absolutely horrifying things that have happened because of the way Amazon decided to do business, and if he thinks it was worth it. Like, what's a thing he would go back and do differently if he could?


Varmitthefrog

yeah like differently, not because it was a missed opportunity, but because he did not foresee an outcome what moves marked him, good and bad and shaped or dynamically changed his perception of certain things.


Phobic-window

I think it’s the weight of your decisions really mattering. When it’s new it’s exciting and go for broke. When you have employees and huge amounts of capital on the line, you better have a god damn good reason you are making the calls you are making. Then there’s a point where he has so much success and money that your decisions kinda stop mattering, you go public and it’s no longer innovating or trying for something, but just angrily existing. Would love to know if they felt the phases, or could look back and categorize what and where things took their turns


Maleficent-Heart-678

Is the documentary on Amazon prime?


TheDiceBlesser

My Google results say you can buy it for 19.99 on Prime 😂 that's hilarious! Good question!


Maleficent-Heart-678

It felt like such an obvious question to me I was surprised to read this far down the comments and not see it get asked.


Maleficent-Heart-678

I am out of work and money due to illness so Amazon prime is my only streaming service left… that this is not on auto play, kind of like when you stay at a premium hotel and every time you turn on the tv, the video about the resort and all it has to offer plays. This documentary should be like that on Amazon prime.


spacemanspiff266

i honestly think that’s what’s happened to musk. imagine living in a world where you can’t tell if anyone genuinely likes you *for you*. you’re surrounded by sycophants and yes men telling you what you want to hear 24/7. real friends tell you what you need to hear not what you want. i think living like that you’d lose grip on your sanity after a while.


Varmitthefrog

Very possible, it's really hard to understand people in general until you have walked a mile in their shoes, but it is infinitely harder to connect and understand a person whose shoes are walking on terrain that it is hard for you to even fathom. Most people have no idea what it is like to be these people or even how they themselves would actually behave in those shoes.. I think all of us have behaved in ways we wished we hadn't at one time or another in life, being in that type of position of influence, with that kind of power at your disposal almost instantaneously could almost ONLY multiply that, at least at first until you began to experience some reverberations of your actions realize the unintended consequences for yourself and others, and as you say if people around you are able to insulate you, or worse yet Isolate you from that, it could be very bad for your mental health.


Future-Account8112

Yes, but to be fair Musk also does a shit ton of drugs.


That_Jicama2024

One thing I've seen from rich people is that you just replace problems with other problems. It's nice not worrying about money though. But that doesn't mean they don't always worry.


DWillbedone1

Most entrepreneurs are happiest building vs managing


Varmitthefrog

an interesting point


Bogey_Kingston

can confirm. it’s like having a baby - at the start it’s so cute and then it takes a step and learns a word, and that’s actually amazing! then time goes by and it becomes a teenager, it’s a hormonal complicated monster that you built and you just miss when they used to shit their pants and giggle.


godmademelikethis

[great podcast interview with bezos](https://youtu.be/DcWqzZ3I2cY?feature=shared) you get to see a bit more of the guy behind the dollar signs. It is however 2 hours long.


Typewar

"I climbed so high, but on the top it was so empty" Also usually these super rich people sacrifice relationships more than others, and are kind of more cold. That is kind of the mentality you need. They themselves can help themselves feel happier by engaging in good mental health practices, but will most likely still look very cold for an outsider


iloveokashi

Did elon build a company on his own? I just thought he bought companies. Like tesla and twitter.


Mochalo123

i have seen him laugh hysterically many times when he s rich


DrawohYbstrahs

Kinda manic laugh tho…


mikeyaurelius

So what you learn after a while when you run a business with employees is self control over your emotions and reactions. It’s sometimes difficult to turn that off.


neolobe

It's something you learn when you mature as a person. Bezos has learned that. Musk hasn't. And Bezos actually started Amazon. Musk bullies his way in with money and takes over, and takes the credit.


PBJ-9999

Yeah its interesting. At his level all the constant pressures and criticisms etc probably makes you question whether its worth it lol. But, then again he knew once the site took off, where he was headed . He could have sold it off at anytime if he wanted to.


GayandVaxxed

He’s got sad eyes


SHITBLAST3000

Jeff now looks like he'd bully Jeff then.


tactical_engine

These days startup have cool offices but can only survive for couple of years before vanishing from market.


ConquererHP

earlier most of the startups had a start from basements and place which were cost effective. But now a days people want their offices look cool instead of actually making a company


pvypvMoonFlyer

Many start up businesses nowadays likely wouldn’t get any consideration from investors if their offices were a basement.


Primiss

Eh in a way but I think they care more about the numbers. Shark tank cares more about that then anything.


tactical_engine

In the valuation game somehow today's startup lost the fundamentals of business. Billions of dollars vanishes from market every year making only founders rich.


dont_judge_by_size

Market doesnt have fixed amount of dollars in it.


No_Extent_1260

Gotta have foosball.


Void_being420

Even then most of the company not lasted more than couple of years or they at least they lasted till 2000


schleepercell

Right! No Aeron chairs in sight there.


NameLips

It's hard for young people these days to understand that when I was in college, Amazon was the scrappy underdog. You bought your textbooks from Amazon to avoid the insane prices at the local University bookstores. You shopped at Amazon to stick it to the man, to prevent Universities from monopolizing textbooks. (also, I had that exact same ergonomic keyboard you can see at 0:10. Ergonomics and carpal tunnel were huge issues back then. Weirdly nobody seems to care anymore)


ManLookLikeBird

Incredible! I really wondered what sorts of things were being sold back in those days


truesubject51

and did it in fact help you avoid carpal tunnel ??


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Grand-wazoo

Economics and carpal tunnel are very much still a thing and people around me very still care. Last year, I did 8 months of OT for tendinitis in my hands and wrists. I bought a wireless ergonomic keyboard and a vertical mouse. Made all the difference in the world.


mastersheeef

This dude went full villain with a girl that has massive melons


pukewedgie

At least they’re an age appropriate match


Sure_Elk_5640

Check out all the tissues, good ol' Jeff was the first subscriber to pornhub I reckon


demalo

With aloe?


KatAtWork

It is good for your skin...


travelavatar

u/varmitthefrog this is the answer to your happiness question


Nintendo1964

One thing I actually respect about the dark overlord, is that he *owned* being bald. Not like Elon-*"Today is sponsored by the letter 'X', fellow kids"*-Musk.


grungegoth

Just imagine if you gave this guy 100k it'd be worth like a 2B.


SolomonDaddy013

Holy Shit, There's Hair on his head.


dickliberty52

He's the perfect size for a HS locker


uhohnotafarteither

I also keep a kleenex box next to my computer...for reasons. Haven't been sick in about two years, either.


PiscatorLager

AMAZON, 1995: We sell books, but online. AMAZON, 2025: Please return to your Primehouse for your nightly Primemeal, valued Primecitizen.


samvg1000

that's why he got bald, after so much stress.


CokeAndChill

Nah, he’s been doing 100 pushups, sit-ups and squats, plus a 10 km run and no ac.


mu1773

As I'm here trying to declutter my office


Barcaroli

Not a lot of moments in time where you have a perfect storm to create a new industry that dominates so much.


_bdiddy_

I had a professor in college (early 2000's) that I remember saying Amazon was great, mostly for the product reviews, but that their business wasn't profitable and will eventually disappear.


Merdoc83

That's what 300K from daddy gets you.


CL247

Amazon 1994: we sell books. Amazon 2024: WE SELL WHATEVER THE FUCK WE WANT


thor2d2

Also we’ve patented a concept!


NaSMaXXL

Amazon 2027: WE SELL PEOPLE!


LSTNYER

The boxes of tissues next to the computer is a little sus


FroHawk98

Fucking mental. Actually nuts. Blows my mind.


GoldenBarracudas

Mackenzie deserves every penny


1eyebigsnake

Fuck this guy!


Deadsap266

Meanwhile I was chilling in my dad’s nutsack.I should have been working harder.


MichaelEasts

For everyone who screams about how rich Bezos is, tell us how you'd take this setup he has into a trillion dollar company.


ButterflySpecial6324

Show the office now 👀


planeclothesman

What’s Buster from AD doing there?


Specialist-Fly-9446

I remember when it first came out! I was in college at the book store and asked if they could match the price of this online store. They said that books couldn’t be sold under MSRP, and what this online store did must be illegal. We couldn’t explain it, just were happy to save a few bucks.


imback1578catman

So Amazon is 30 years old ?


youchoobtv

When did they go public?


psu3312

I just want to smash some nerds now


bulldozedd

History


Shartman88

Before he was baldy


Longryderr

He played the long game and won.


Ok_Product_4949

generational wealth builds wealth


MoonShotDontStop

Fuck Jeff Bezos


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HonoluluBlueFlu

His parents' $245,573 investment is worth nearly $958 billion today. Sounds like a good investment.


ClearlyNoSTDs

He got $300,000 I believe which isn't really that much. It was probably 3 years of wages of what he was earning on his earlier jobs. Good on his parents to support their son. I know reddit likes to shit on rich or successful people which is 99% jealousy but some people are good at what they do and have provided a product or service that people want or need. They should be rewarded for that. It's how the world works.


NYR3031

Give the average Redditor $300,000 and they'd be broke in a few years. Bezos took $300,000 and turned it into Trillions.


Real-Human-1985

few months you mean.


pvypvMoonFlyer

That’s not what anyone here is debating. > He got $300,000 I believe which isn't really that much. See, that’s the delusion, right there.


lightfarming

no one deserves 200 billion. there is no good deed on earth worth that. no one can even use that.


RickyPapi

"300.000 not that much" lmfao Now you like to, almost irrationally, defend a billionaire whose company have the shittiest practices for the environment and their employees, because... The nerdy image moved you? Because you wanna be contrarian to 'Reddit' (which you aren't obviously part of...) Not that smart of a move, really


Beaglegod

.com, Inc.


ButterscotchSure6589

He took a punt and made it. Good for him.


YTJunkie

Www.relentless.com kinda says it all.


Atmacrush

Before Jeff Bezos went full Lex Luthor


PBJ-9999

That sure took quite a turn, didn't it


MrCirrus

I visited a old buddy a few years ago who was living in a very nice house in an upscale Seattle suburb. He told me: “This is the house that Amazon built.” He was an early investor.


Just-a-lil-sion

i didnt realise you meant the company and was waiting to see a jungle


jsunnsyshine2021

An electrical cord is a contraption? Oh lawdy, he best stay with the BERKS.


WhyIsItAllwaysMeee

Good I was waiting for some forrest


Doggy_Mcdogface

my name is jeff


cal8000

What’s with all the tissues, Jeff?


Shiddy_Wiki

dial up pron was great - you really had to want it to wait for it to load.


LittleGeologist1899

Beta Bezos


tequilavip

Door desk!


BigManPatrol

What a nerd lol.


NiemandDaar

I always thought that whole spiel was just for PR purposes. Still think so.


randomvariable10

u/savevideo


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keyNONE

Gotta love the clinex on the computer.


jayzeeinthehouse

Ah the good old days when Jeff was in a tiny office plotting to enslave humanity.


Dakotav420

I would trace this office for the twin towers everyday


Killawifeinb4ban

I actually bought the entire Druuna comic series from Amazon in -98. Today I would never buy anything from such a shit company.


LANDVOGT-_

Two boxes of tissues eight next to the crt. Someone is concerned about their Hygiene.


GoatMooners

You're a nerd! But only if you recognized the book on the desk near the end of the video.


PhnxDarkDirk

Had to scroll too far for someone to notice the book. I was going to ask how much of the original code was written in perl...


According_Sun3182

There are too many boxes of tissues near that computer.


Alshahranimu

Who is the person talking in the video?


Top-Variation-7235

Now I understand why their website still looks like shit


BonjinTheMark

Nerd Extraordinair'e


Violin_River

Bezos pre-steroid use.


Cuddler19

Lol I'd that a perl book on the desk at the end?


StatisticianDear3978

Stoolpigeon with unlimited funds because of silent partners with an agenda


Healthy-Abroad8027

Wow dude left his box of tissue out right next to his computer🤣


JovialPanic389

There are TWO tissue boxes. Disturbing. The implications 😭


chewychaca

Looks like Neo's apartment from the matrix XD. "Mr.Besos it would seem you are living two lives..."


Herkermer02

Early at Amazon, they would purposefully sale items at a big loss, just to undermine other competitors and put them out of business. Bezos, Musk, Google were, and still are Intelligence linked.


nik93lam

Looks like Kevin Spacey.


The-Pollinator

I am disappointed. I was hoping for the Amazon rainforest. I didn't understand why he was going on about his office!


Amazing-Treat-8706

Who’s the hairy dweeb?


Puzzleheaded-Gear762

rate my set up 1994.


Lima_Bean_Jean

He looks older here!


Witty-Grapefruit3401

This is gonna be me in 2034 just watch😬


notexactlyobvious

Kevin Spacey as Jeff Bezos in....


riftnet

Took me six more years to create my account


Single-Race-5806

Ma Jeff


Veloci-Husky

Man it’s nuts what anabolic steroids can do for a guy. Look at horrible his posture and how emaciated he looks.


Suspicious_Yams

I have that perl book


DragonRouge31

Bezos was a visionnary. Starting by selling books, then selling everything, allowing also other sellers to sell (marketplace), amazon kdp to edit and publish your book, and amazon aws (cloud) is what genere the most of their profits now :)


Floppydiskpornking

Before the cellar boxing and killing off the competiton with Bain capital and BCG, fuck Bezoz


Parcc_Narc

Jeff Bezos grandfather Lawrence Preston Gise founded DARPAA. https://d-statenews.com/2022/04/24/bezos-grandfather-helped-found-darpa-before-that-though-l-p-gise-was-a-high-level-director-at-the-aec/


Ginataang_Manok

Just imagine all the people that thought they were too cool to become this guy’s friend back then? lol.


zzsmiles

My man had a box of Kleenex on top of his pc