Amazon and Target: Company Overviews

Amazon and Target: Company OverviewsAs one of the largest online global retailers in the world with net sales at over $74 billion in 2013, up $13.3 billion from 2012, a 22 percent increase, Amazon.com has grown in a relatively rapid fashion to establish itself as an extreme competitor within the retail industry, particularly when considering the growing trend for sales over the internet (Amazon.com, Inc., 2014).Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Amazon.com employed over 117,000 people that operate in various locations throughout North America, Europe and Asia.Originally started in 1995 as a website to sell books, Amazon.com has diversified extensively since that time with their success revolving primarily around the popularity of their e-commerce platform.They now offer products from electronics, automotive repair parts, and shoes to business web services, along with branded products and services like the Fire Phone, Amazon Kindle Fire, Fire TV, and Amazon Prime, naming only a few.In addition to U.S. operations, they now sell a similarly vast array of products through separate e-commerce platforms targeted for the United Kingdom,Germany, France, Brazil, India, Mexico, China, Italy, Canada, Spain and Japan (Amazon.com,Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014).Let’s not forget that international sales in the online world are not limited to these specific international arenas, but rather are only limited by the language identifiable by nearly any worldwide consumer.Target currently employs approximately 361 thousand full-time, part-time and seasonal employees in its 1,793 U.S. stores, 124 Canadian stores, distribution centers and corporate office.According to Target’s 2013 annual report (2014), their operating presence is currently limited to two reportable segments, the U.S. and Canada, with 2013 revenue at over $73 billion.In fact,Target just recently expanded to Canada in the first quarter of 2013 and their revenues onlyaccounted for 1.8 percent of their total sales in the same year.Incorporated in Minneapolis,3Minnesota in 1902, a location in which they are headquartered even today, Target claims to offera unique discount retail experience for everyday essentials and fashionable, differentiatedmerchandise (Target Corporation SWOT Analysis, 2014).Target also generates revenue fromproduct and service sales through exclusive in-store amenities like the Target Café, Target Clinic,Target Pharmacy, and the Target Photo.Other partnerships have allowed them to offer Pizza Hutand Starbucks food and beverage items as well as optical services.Although financially strongin the U.S., Target has not announced a near-term plan for further international expansion.Strategic Differences and the Relative Success