While Journal du Geek is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Amazon.fr is celebrating a quarter of a century, during which the platform became essential to French purchasing habits, completely revolutionizing the way we consume and transforming consumer expectations in terms of speed and service. In fact, Amazon's adventure in the United States began in July 1994, the year it was founded by Jeff Bezos, but the brand's arrival in France came on August 29, 2000.
A time when there were still francs!
It all began in 2000, when payments were still made in francs (the Euro didn't arrive until January 2002). Amazon.fr started modestly, selling mainly books, DVDs, and music. Its first symbolic purchase? A book entitled "Singles, Dare to Marry" by Pascal Ide. But the site quickly attracted thousands of buyers, thanks in particular to the "Harry Potter" saga, films like "The World Is Not Enough," and cult albums like Santana's "Supernatural." During this period, the works of French authors such as Frédéric Beigbeder with "99 francs" or Amélie Nothomb with "Stupeur et tremblants" also met with great success.
In 2004, Amazon.fr diversified its offering with the arrival of consumer electronics. The TomTom GO GPS quickly became one of the first essential high-tech products, accompanying many French people on their daily journeys and trips. Two years later, it was the turn of Nintendo's Wii to revolutionize family entertainment thanks to its fun and accessible approach. In 2007, Amazon further enriched its catalog with the addition of the Kitchen & Home, Games & Toys and Watches & Jewelry.
The year 2008 marked a turning point for the company with the launch of Amazon Prime, which promised fast and free delivery. Very quickly, this service became a truly complete entertainment ecosystem, integrating Amazon Music in 2009 and Prime Video in 2016, thus offering subscribers an enriched experience well beyond traditional purchases.
The arrival of the 2010s marked another major milestone: that of the Kindle e-reader, with its 35,000 digital books available from the launch in 2011. The new generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles also enrich the catalog, accompanied by iconic games like GTA V, Call of Duty, and FIFA. The platform further expands its offering by successively launching the Baby and Childcare, Sports and Leisure, DIY and Pet Supplies, Auto-Moto, and even Perfume categories.
Between 2016 and 2020, Amazon launched into the connected home. Alexa, the voice assistant integrated into Echo speakers since 2018, is transforming French homes. Smart cameras, connected doorbells, and other home automation devices are gradually invading French homes. At the same time, the platform is developing its food offerings through its partnership with Monoprix, making everyday products like Barilla pasta and Bonne Maman chocolate essentials regularly ordered by the French.
Since 2020, under the influence of widespread teleworking, office products have experienced a real boom: multifunction printers, ergonomic chairs, and office accessories dominate sales. Amazon is also continuing its environmental and responsible initiatives, as evidenced by the opening of the Amazon Second-Hand store in 2023, thus responding to a growing demand for more sustainable purchases.
List of the 25 most popular products (all categories) – 25 years of Amazon.fr (in alphabetical order):
- Amazon Fire TV Stick Alexa Voice Remote
- Bio Oil Skin Care Oil
- Urgo Ultra-Soft Cotton Squares
- HP Ink Cartridges
- CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
- Freedent White Sugar-Free Strong Mint Chewing Gum
- Rampow Fast Charger
- Pampers Baby-Dry Diapers
- Crocs Classic Clogs
- De’Longhi Natural Coffee Machine Descaler
- Toshiba External Hard Drive
- Amazon Echo Dot Smart Speaker
- FUJIFILM Instax Instant Film Mini
- De’Longhi Water Filter for Coffee Machines
- Skyjo Card Game
- L’OR Espresso Coffee Capsules
- The Housekeeper by Freida McFadden
- Biolane Thick Wipes – Baby
- Lotus Aloe Douceur Toilet Paper
- Duracell Button Cell Batteries
- Philips Anti-Pilling Shaver
- Philips OneBlade Shaver – Face and Beard
- Rowenta Vacuum Cleaner Bags
- Saint Michel Soft Natural Madeleines
- NEW’C Tempered Glass for Smartphone
Amazon Has Changed Our Shopping Habits
Furthermore, a recent IFOP study highlights the importance of Amazon in transforming the purchasing habits of the French. Today, 96% of them buy online, and 43% do so regularly. The main purchasing criteria remain attractive prices, fast delivery, and access to products that are difficult to find in physical stores. Furthermore, Amazon is recognized as a facilitator of more responsible consumption thanks to its extensive range of refurbished and locally manufactured products.
At the same time, Amazon is also celebrating its major role in the French economy. Since 2010, the company has invested more than €25 billion in France, becoming the leading net job creator, with more than 25,000 permanent employees today. These investments also indirectly support 43,000 jobs in various economic sectors, not to mention the 35,000 jobs created by the platform's partner SMEs.
Frédéric Duval, CEO of Amazon.fr, said: "Our mission has remained unchanged since day one: to offer low prices, a wide selection of products, fast and reliable delivery, and customer-focused service. We are proud to have become a daily partner for millions of French people.""
The latest major innovation: Rufus, an intelligent assistant launched in October 2024, designed to help customers easily navigate through the millions of products available thanks to artificial intelligence. This development confirms Amazon's constant ambition to improve the customer experience through technological innovation, not forgetting Alexa+, which should arrive in France in a few months.
At a time when artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important, one question remains: what will our shopping experience look like in the next 25 years? One thing is certain, Amazon will probably still be there!
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