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Description of Business and Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Segment
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Number of principal segments 2us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments    
Allowance for returns $ 147,000,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionSalesReturnsReserveForSalesReturns $ 167,000,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionSalesReturnsReserveForSalesReturns $ 198,000,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionSalesReturnsReserveForSalesReturns
Additions to allowance for returns 1,100,000,000us-gaap_SalesReturnsAndAllowancesGoods 907,000,000us-gaap_SalesReturnsAndAllowancesGoods 702,000,000us-gaap_SalesReturnsAndAllowancesGoods
Deductions to allowance for returns 1,100,000,000amzn_SalesReturnsandAllowancesDeductions 938,000,000amzn_SalesReturnsandAllowancesDeductions 659,000,000amzn_SalesReturnsandAllowancesDeductions
Advertising and other promotional costs 3,300,000,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense 2,400,000,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense 2,000,000,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense
Foreign currency transaction gain (loss) (127,000,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized (137,000,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized (95,000,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossRealized
Marketable securities realized gain (loss) 3,000,000us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLoss (1,000,000)us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLoss 10,000,000us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLoss
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries that are indefinitely invested outside of the U.S 2,500,000,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries    
Accounts receivable, net and other 5,612,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent 4,767,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent  
Allowance for doubtful accounts 190,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable 153,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable 116,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable
Additions to allowance for doubtful accounts 225,000,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts 172,000,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts 136,000,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Deductions to allowance for doubtful accounts 188,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs 135,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs 102,000,000us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableWriteOffs
Capitalized costs associated with internal-use software and website development 641,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAdditions 581,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAdditions 454,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAdditions
Capitalized costs associated with internal-use software and website development, share-based compensation 104,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount 87,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount 74,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount
Capitalized costs associated with internal-use software and website development, amortization of previously capitalized amounts 559,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAmortization 451,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAmortization 327,000,000us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareAmortization
Estimated useful lives of assets description Depreciation is recorded on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets (generally the lesser of 40 years or the remaining life of the underlying building,    
Unredeemed gift certificates 1,700,000,000us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesForUnredeeemedGiftCards 1,400,000,000us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesForUnredeeemedGiftCards  
Unredeemed gift certificates, period of recognition 2 years    
Transaction losses arising from foreign currency transactions 98,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax 84,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax 95,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Vendor Receivables      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Accounts receivable, net and other 1,400,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
/ us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis
= amzn_VendorReceivableMember		 1,300,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
/ us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis
= amzn_VendorReceivableMember		  
Customer Receivables      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Accounts receivable, net and other $ 1,900,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
/ us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TradeAccountsReceivableMember		 $ 1,700,000,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
/ us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis
= us-gaap_TradeAccountsReceivableMember		  
Internal use software and website development      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 2 years    
Building | Maximum      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 40 years    
Servers      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 3 years    
Network Equipment      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 5 years    
Furniture and Fixtures      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 5 years    
Heavy Equipment      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Estimated useful lives of assets 10 years    
Digital Video Content | Minimum      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Digital video content licensing agreements term 1 year    
Digital video content amortization period 6 months    
Digital Video Content | Maximum      
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]      
Digital video content licensing agreements term 5 years    
Digital video content amortization period 5 years