MeetTheBoss has a fun visualization of the various acquisitions and mergers that Amazon has undertaken over the last several years.  What I particularly like about this visualization is that it shows the various acquisitions of various companies prior to merger with Amazon.

There’s a reason that Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world, it realises that if a rival firm is too much of a threat, instead of competing with them, just buy them!

With news today that Amazon has dug deep for a US$928 million deal with online shoe retailer Zappos.com, it is clear that the Seattle-based company is desperate to corner the market in all retail sectors.

Despite starting off as online bookstore in 1995, Amazon quickly diversified and today sells music downloads, DVDs, clothes, electronics, furniture and clothes. As such, it has made a number of acquisitions over the years that have since their stocks soar and their profits rock

via Amazon Acquisitions and Investments | Zappos.