Segment Information - Reportable Segments and Reconciliation to Consolidated Net Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	[1]	Sep. 30, 2015	[1]	Jun. 30, 2015	[1]	Mar. 31, 2015	[1]	Dec. 31, 2014	[1]	Sep. 30, 2014	[1]	Jun. 30, 2014	[1]	Mar. 31, 2014	[1]	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 35,747		$ 25,358		$ 23,185		$ 22,717		$ 29,328		$ 20,579		$ 19,340		$ 19,741		$ 107,006	$ 88,988	$ 74,452
Segment operating expenses																		104,773	88,810	73,707
Income from operations		1,108		406		464		255		591		(544)		(15)		146		2,233	178	745
Stock-based compensation																		(2,119)	(1,497)	(1,134)
Other operating income (expense), net																		(171)	(133)	(114)
Total non-operating income (expense)																		(665)	(289)	(239)
Provision for income taxes		(453)		(161)		(266)		(71)		(205)		205		(94)		(73)		(950)	(167)	(161)
Equity-method investment activity, net of tax																		(22)	37	(71)
Net income (loss)		$ 482		$ 79		$ 92		$ (57)		$ 214		$ (437)		$ (126)		$ 108		596	(241)	274
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]
Net sales																		107,006	88,988	74,452
Segment operating expenses	[2]																	102,483	87,180	72,459
Income from operations																		4,523	1,808	1,993
Operating Segments | North America Segment
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]
Net sales																		63,708	50,834	41,410
Segment operating expenses	[2]																	60,957	49,542	40,244
Income from operations																		2,751	1,292	1,166
Operating Segments | Amazon Web Services Segment
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]
Net sales																		7,880	4,644	3,108
Segment operating expenses	[2]																	6,017	3,984	2,435
Income from operations																		1,863	660	673
Operating Segments | International Segment
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Line Items]
Net sales																		35,418	33,510	29,934
Segment operating expenses	[2]																	35,509	33,654	29,780
Income from operations																		$ (91)	$ (144)	$ 154

[1] The sum of quarterly amounts, including per share amounts, may not equal amounts reported for year-to-date periods. This is due to the effects of rounding and changes in the number of weighted-average shares outstanding for each period.

[2] Excludes stock-based compensation and “Other operating expense (income), net,” which are not allocated to segments.