Amazon stocks millions of products from various brands on its e-commerce platform, taking complete ownership of packaging and delivery to customers.
As a regular shopper on Amazon, you may have noticed the ‘Amazon’ brand on several products and wondered – does Amazon manufacture anything? Here is what I’ve found out about this!
Does Amazon Manufacture Anything?
Although Amazon sells and distributes over 12 million products, most of them are not made by Amazon. Popular Amazon products, including Kindle e-readers, Echo smart speakers, and Fire tablets/TVs, are developed by Amazon but are made by Foxconn, a multinational electronics manufacturer partnered with Amazon.
If you want to learn more about the manufacturing process of popular Amazon devices, whether Amazon makes Amazon Basics, and much more, keep reading!
Does Amazon Make Amazon Basics?
Amazon Basics is the retailer’s private label brand featuring popular household goods, office supplies, and electronics.
While the name might make you think that Amazon manufactures these products, that’s not really the case.
With Amazon Basics, Amazon buys products in bulk from a third-party manufacturer and then labels and sells them under the name brand.
Note that Amazon Basics products come from top-selling categories.
Additionally, Amazon uses its high-tech analytics to monitor products with high sales volume and then approaches manufacturers to purchase the goods.
In fact, Amazon recently disclosed that many of its manufacturers are based in India and China.
So the next time you stock up on home or office products from Amazon Basics, remember that they only carry the Amazon name and aren’t actually made in the company’s fulfillment centers.
Does Amazon Make Kindle E-Readers?
Kindle e-readers are another example of products designed, developed, and sold by Amazon but not manufactured by the e-commerce giant.
Amazon enlists an outside manufacturer called Foxconn to make special components of these e-readers which are then shipped to Amazon fulfillment centers for sale and delivery to consumers.
Note that some Kindle parts are made in different countries, such as China and India, before being assembled by Foxconn.
The electronic display, lighting, and molded case are all made offshore, as Amazon’s Kindle designs require specialized manufacturing equipment and resources not available in the U.S.
Foxconn is headquartered in Taiwan and serves as Amazon’s main manufacturing partner.
It’s the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, and in addition to producing Kindles on behalf of Amazon, Foxconn also makes iPhones, iPads, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox.
Amazon sells its name-brand products like Kindles and most other bestselling electronic products manufactured by Foxconn like the iPhone and Xbox.
Who Makes Amazon Echo?
Amazon’s Lab126 in San Francisco developed and made the original Amazon Echo prototype.
Once the smart speaker took off, Amazon secured additional Foxconn manufacturing services to quickly get the Echo off the assembly lines.
Amazon Echo is made in the same factories as Kindles and other bestselling electronics.
Echo pairs with the Amazon Alexa voice service, which the company developed and maintains to this day.
The technology behind Echo and Alexa is a good example of how Amazon creates prototypes of high-tech products itself before offloading the manufacturing to a company in China.
Amazon’s outsourced manufacturing of the Echo and other gadgets and gizmos allows the retailer to keep prices competitive for consumers around the world.
Where Is The Amazon Fire TV Stick Made?
Amazon Fire TV tech products are designed and developed by Amazon but manufactured by Foxconn in China.
Due to the many small parts and pieces that go into the Amazon Fire TV cube, box, and stick, the company relies on a partnership with Foxconn to produce safe and high-quality products.
Foxconn plants can roll out half a million devices in one day, so Amazon trusts its manufacturers to produce high volumes to meet the worldwide demand.
Note that the bottom of an Amazon Fire TV product will say “Made in China” as it’s assembled at Foxconn factories overseas.
Does Amazon Make Marketplace Products?
Amazon does not make any products that third-party sellers sell through its Marketplace.
These products are manufactured worldwide, and more information on the manufacturing processes is available on the product listing.
Sometimes, even the packaging these products come in is not exclusively manufactured by Amazon.
The retailer gets a containerboard from paper companies and then adds its label to each box/package to complete the Amazon brand.
While many shoppers in a hurry may think they are purchasing products directly made by Amazon, the retailer simply allows other manufacturers to sell their goods via the Marketplace.
If you want to know more about Amazon, you can also read our related posts on what font Amazon uses, how to get a receipt from Amazon, and what are Amazon warehouse deals.
Conclusion
Although Amazon stocks millions of products on its e-commerce platform, it does not manufacture most of those products itself.
Instead, Amazon works with a huge network of manufacturers, most importantly Foxconn which produces Amazon-branded devices like the Kindle, Echo, and Fire TV stick.
Note that the company handles developing, designing, and distributing its bestselling devices and works closely with manufacturers to oversee the process.
Additionally, Amazon Basics and Marketplace goods are made by third-party manufacturers too.
