Who Owns Zappos?
Zappos is owned by Amazon.com Inc., a publicly traded American multinational technology company founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994. Amazon trades on NASDAQ under ticker AMZN and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA.
Parent Company
Amazon.com Inc.
Acquired
2009
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington, USA
Who Owns Zappos?
- Parent Company: Amazon.com Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2009
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: AMZN
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Zappos | Amazon.com Inc. | Wholly owned |
History of Zappos
- Founded: 1999
- Founders: Nick Swinmurn (original creator), Amazon (current owner)
- Acquired by Amazon.com Inc.: 2009
Zappos was founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn as an online shoe retailer. The company was built on the principle of offering exceptional customer service, including free shipping, free returns, and a generous return policy. Zappos grew rapidly in the early 2000s, becoming the largest online shoe retailer in the United States.
The company expanded beyond shoes to include clothing, handbags, and other fashion accessories. Zappos became known for its unique company culture, employee satisfaction, and customer-centric business model. The brand developed a loyal customer base through its commitment to customer service excellence.
Amazon acquired Zappos in 2009 for approximately $1.2 billion, recognizing the value of the brand's customer service approach and fashion retail expertise. The acquisition marked Amazon's significant entry into the fashion and footwear market.
Following the acquisition, Zappos has maintained its independent brand identity and distinctive company culture while benefiting from Amazon's logistics and technology infrastructure. The brand has expanded its product offerings and customer base while preserving its customer service focus.
Zappos has grown to become a major online fashion and footwear retailer, offering a wide selection of brands and products. The brand continues to prioritize customer service and satisfaction as core differentiators in the competitive fashion retail market.
About Amazon.com Inc.
What does Amazon own?
Amazon owns a large portfolio of brands and businesses including Amazon Marketplace, AWS, Prime Video, Kindle, Alexa, Echo, Whole Foods Market, Ring, Twitch, Audible, Amazon Music, MGM, IMDb, One Medical, Amazon Pharmacy, Zappos, Wondery, and Eero, among others. See the full brand index for a complete list.
Is Amazon publicly traded?
Yes. Amazon trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AMZN. The company has been publicly traded since its IPO in May 1997.
Who founded Amazon?
Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos on July 5, 1994, in Bellevue, Washington. Bezos served as CEO until July 2021, when Andy Jassy succeeded him. Bezos remains executive chairman and the largest individual shareholder.
Where is Amazon headquartered?
Amazon is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company also has a significant presence in the Washington, D.C. area through its HQ2 campus in Arlington, Virginia, which opened in 2023.
Who owns Amazon?
Amazon has no controlling shareholder. Jeff Bezos is the largest individual shareholder and serves as executive chairman. Institutional investors including Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street are among the largest economic shareholders through index fund holdings.
What is Amazon's revenue?
For full-year 2025, Amazon reported net sales of $716.9 billion, up 12% year over year, with operating income of $80.0 billion and net income of $77.7 billion. AWS full-year 2025 revenue was $128.7 billion, up 20% year over year.
What is AWS?
Amazon Web Services is Amazon's cloud computing division, providing infrastructure, platform, and AI services to businesses, governments, and organizations globally. AWS is the world's largest cloud infrastructure provider. Full-year 2025 AWS revenue was $128.7 billion with operating income of $45.6 billion.
What antitrust cases is Amazon facing?
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon in September 2023, alleging that Amazon illegally maintains monopoly power over online retail and third-party marketplace services. The case was ongoing as of February 2026. Amazon also reached a settlement with the EU in 2022 over allegations related to its use of third-party seller data.
- Founded: 1994
- Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NASDAQ: AMZN
Where Is Zappos Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, China, Vietnam, Multiple international locations
Brands Owned by Amazon.com Inc.
- Alexa - Amazon's artificial intelligence voice assistant technology powering smart speak...
- Amazon Advertising - Amazon's advertising platform providing sponsored product ads, display advertisi...
- Amazon Basics - Amazon's private label brand offering affordable, everyday essentials across mul...
- Amazon Fresh - Amazon's grocery delivery service offering fresh groceries, pantry items, and pr...
- Amazon Music - American music streaming service developed and operated by Amazon.com Inc....
- Amazon Pharmacy - Amazon's online pharmacy service offering prescription medications, over-the-cou...
- Amazon Studios - Amazon's film and television production company creating original content for Pr...
- Audible - Audiobook and podcast streaming service offering exclusive content, original pro...
- Amazon Web Services - Cloud computing platform offering over 200 services including computing power, s...
- Echo - Amazon's smart speaker brand offering voice-activated devices with Alexa integra...
- Eero - Amazon-owned mesh WiFi networking company providing whole-home WiFi coverage and...
- Freevee - Amazon's ad-supported streaming service offering movies and television shows wit...
- IMDb - Online database of movies, television shows, and entertainment content featuring...
- Amazon Kindle - E-reader devices and digital reading platform developed by Amazon, featuring E I...
- MGM - American film and television production company known for iconic film franchises...
- Prime Video - Subscription-based video streaming service offering movies, TV shows, and origin...
- Ring - Amazon-owned smart home security brand offering video doorbells, security camera...
- Twitch - Live streaming platform focused on video game broadcasting, esports, and creativ...
- Whole Foods Market - American supermarket chain specializing in organic, natural, and specialty foods...
- Wondery - Amazon-owned podcast production and distribution company creating premium audio ...
Zappos Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Exceptional customer service and generous return policies
- +Wide selection of fashion and footwear brands
- +Fast and free shipping through Amazon's logistics network
- +Strong brand recognition and customer loyalty
- +Unique company culture focused on employee satisfaction
- +Integration with Amazon's technology and fulfillment infrastructure
Considerations
- -Competition from other online fashion retailers
- -Dependency on Amazon's supply chain and logistics
- -Potential integration with Amazon's broader business model
- -Fashion market trends and inventory management challenges
- -Balancing brand independence with Amazon's corporate structure
- -Sustainability and ethical sourcing considerations
Frequently Asked Questions About Zappos
Where to Buy
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Zappos on AmazonCompetitors to Zappos
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because Zapposoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
Amazon.com Inc. Stock Information
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