Ecommerce

Polycom Corporate Office

Polycom was founded in 1990 by PictureTel employees Brian Hinman and Jeffrey Rodman.

In 1992, the company shipped their first Soundstation conference phone.

Polycom grew quickly through innovation and acquistions including ViaVideo, PictureTel, MeetU, ViVu and many more.

In 1998, Polycom entered the video conferencing market with the release of their ViewStation product.

In 2001, the company released their first Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone, the Soundstation IP 4000.

In 2004, the Soundstation 2 was released.

In 2006, the company introduced their first high definition video conferencing product.

By 2011, the company had shipped over 4 million conference phones.

Today, Polycom manufactures and sells voice and video communication products including phones and cameras.

Polycom

Polycom was founded in 1990 by PictureTel employees Brian Hinman and Jeffrey Rodman.

In 1992, the company shipped their first Soundstation conference phone.

Polycom grew quickly through innovation and acquistions including ViaVideo, PictureTel, MeetU, ViVu and many more.

History

In 1998, Polycom entered the video conferencing market with the release of their ViewStation product.

In 2001, the company released their first Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone, the Soundstation IP 4000.

In 2004, the Soundstation 2 was released.

In 2006, the company introduced their first high definition video conferencing product.

By 2011, the company had shipped over 4 million conference phones.

Today, Polycom manufactures and sells voice and video communication products including phones and cameras.

Barnes and Noble Corporate Office

Barnes and Noble traces its beginning back to 1886 when the Arthur Hinds & Company bookstore was opened in the Cooper Union building in New York City. Shortly after opening, Gilbert Clifford Noble was hired as a clerk.

In 1894, Noble was made a partner and the name Hinds & Noble was adopted. In 1917, Noble bought out Hinds and partnered with William Barnes to form Barnes & Noble.

In 1930, Noble sold his shares in the company to John Barnes. Noble died in 1936.

In 1969, John Barnes died and the company was sold to Amtel.

In 1971, the company was purchased by current Chairman Leonard Riggio III.

Today, Barnes and Noble operates 689 stores in all 50 states. In addition, they own 667 college bookstores. The company is the largest retail bookseller in the US.

In 2012, the company had annual revenue of $7 billion but has fallen on hard times, with revenue in 2017 only $3.7 billion. Rumors have swirled that the company might be looking at bankruptcy, however, in October 2018, current chairman Leonardo Riggio stated that he might purchase the publicly traded company.

Company headquarters are located in New York, New York and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BKN

Barnes and Noble

In 1894, Noble was made a partner and the name Hinds & Noble was adopted. In 1917, Noble bought out Hinds and partnered with William Barnes to form Barnes & Noble.

History

In 1930, Noble sold his shares in the company to John Barnes. Noble died in 1936.

In 1969, John Barnes died and the company was sold to Amtel.

In 1971, the company was purchased by current Chairman Leonard Riggio III.

Today, Barnes and Noble operates 689 stores in all 50 states. In addition, they own 667 college bookstores. The company is the largest retail bookseller in the US.

Company headquarters are located in New York, New York and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BKN

Amazon Corporate Office

Jeff Bezos was working for D.E. Shaw and Company, a prestigious Wall Street Firm, when he decided that he didn’t want to have regrets later on for not trying his hand at the booming internet business of online sales. He quit his job and moved to Bellevue, Washingon, to start his original business idea in 1994. The original company was called Cadabra, which Bezos later changed to Amazon.

The company was run out of Bezos’ Bellevue, Washington garage and was an online bookstore. Within two months, sales were over $20,000 per week. The original business plan was working under the assumption that the business would not make a profit for 2 to 5 years. Amazon survived the dot.com crash of 2000 and turned a profit for the first time in 2001.

In 1996, the company reincorporated in Delaware and by 1997 had its IPO. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AMZN.

The company completed many acquisitions in the late 90s including PlanetAll, IMDB, Alexa, CD Now and Joyo.com

In 1999, Bezos was named Time Magazine’s man of the year.

By 2011, the company had 30,000 full-time employees. By 2016, that number had climbed to 180,000 in the US alone. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 307,000 persons.

Amazon began selling in Mexico in 2013. Although the idea is the same, prices and products are different than the US-based site.

In recent years, the company has grown rapidly with the release of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and other tablet and e-reader devices.

In 2017, the company acquired Whole Foods.

In late 2017, the company announced that it was going to make a second headquarters, called HQ2. Cities with more than 1 million inhabitants needed to make their presentations before October of 2017 as to why they should be chosen. The estimated $5 billion dollar headquarters would need to employ another 50,000 person minimum. No date has been set as to when the chosen city will be officially announced, although Amazon did say that out of 238 candidates, they have narrowed it down to 20 top picks.

In June of 2017, Nike announced a partnership with Amazon and stated they should be selling their products at exclusive prices in 2018.

Amazon owns over 40 subsidiaries, including Zappos, Shopbop, Diapers.com, Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), Audible, Goodreads, Teachstreet, and IMDb.

Amazon reported that they expected to reach $10 billion in sales by the end of 2018, this just after reaching 1 billion in sales in 2015.

The company was slammed for selling infant clothing that featured phrases that encouraged pedophilia. Amazon has since removed these items.

These sales numbers, especially since Amazon began offering business to business sales, has some companies, like Grainger, worried.

Scammers are attempting to call Amazon Prime members and extract information from them in December 2020.

Amazon.com is the world’s largest online retailer offering everything from groceries to used items, books to musical instruments.

Amazon

History

In 1996, the company reincorporated in Delaware and by 1997 had its IPO. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AMZN.

The company completed many acquisitions in the late 90s including PlanetAll, IMDB, Alexa, CD Now and Joyo.com

In 1999, Bezos was named Time Magazine’s man of the year.

By 2011, the company had 30,000 full-time employees. By 2016, that number had climbed to 180,000 in the US alone. Worldwide, the company employs approximately 307,000 persons.

Amazon began selling in Mexico in 2013. Although the idea is the same, prices and products are different than the US-based site.

In recent years, the company has grown rapidly with the release of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and other tablet and e-reader devices.

In 2017, the company acquired Whole Foods.

In June of 2017, Nike announced a partnership with Amazon and stated they should be selling their products at exclusive prices in 2018.

Amazon owns over 40 subsidiaries, including Zappos, Shopbop, Diapers.com, Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), Audible, Goodreads, Teachstreet, and IMDb.

Amazon reported that they expected to reach $10 billion in sales by the end of 2018, this just after reaching 1 billion in sales in 2015.

The company was slammed for selling infant clothing that featured phrases that encouraged pedophilia. Amazon has since removed these items.

These sales numbers, especially since Amazon began offering business to business sales, has some companies, like Grainger, worried.

Scammers are attempting to call Amazon Prime members and extract information from them in December 2020.

Amazon.com is the world’s largest online retailer offering everything from groceries to used items, books to musical instruments.

Britax Corporate Office

Britax was formed in 1939 out of a company called British Accessories.

In 1973, the company acquired Germany company Romer and also launched their first child car seat.

In 1986, Australian company Safe-N-Sound was acquired. In 1987, the company acquired Steelcraft.

In 1996, Britax USA is formed and their first car seat, the Freeway, is launched in the US. A year later, the Roundabout, their first convertible car seat is launched.

In 1997, the first booster seat is launched. The first ISOFIX seat is also launched. ISOFIX eventually becomes the LATCH system.

In 2000, Britax launches their first infant car seat.

Britax is currently the best selling child car seat manufacturer in Europe and one of the top manufacturers in the USA. In addition to carseats, the company also produces strollers, baby carriers and other accessories.

Britax

Britax was formed in 1939 out of a company called British Accessories.

In 1973, the company acquired Germany company Romer and also launched their first child car seat.

In 1986, Australian company Safe-N-Sound was acquired. In 1987, the company acquired Steelcraft.

History

In 1996, Britax USA is formed and their first car seat, the Freeway, is launched in the US. A year later, the Roundabout, their first convertible car seat is launched.

In 1997, the first booster seat is launched. The first ISOFIX seat is also launched. ISOFIX eventually becomes the LATCH system.

In 2000, Britax launches their first infant car seat.

NutriSystem Corporate Office

NutriSystem was founded in 1971 when inventor Harold Katz set out to help his mother lose weight. Katz opened his first weight loss center in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

The company grew quickly through franchises and Katz opening more corporate-owned locations. The company rebranded as Nutrisystem in 1980 and went public in 1982 on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol NTRI.

The company began at first by dispensing weight loss tips and counseling but later moved to offer their own food, which was picked up at counseling offices.

In 1985, the company went private after the franchisees bought out Katz, who had purchased the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.

In 1993, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after expanding to nearly 2,000 centers.

In 1997, the company became an online business during the dot-com explosion.

Today, the company sells through their website and QVC. They have many celebrity endorsers including Marie Osmond, Jillian Barberie, Dan Marino and Don Shula.

In 2014, the company received a great deal of criticism after a blind control test found that subjects lost only a minimal amount of weight using the company’s products during the first 3 months and that there was no evidence that Nutrisystem products helped to maintain long-term weight loss.

In 2015, the company acquired the South Beach Diet brand for $15 million.

US News, in a review of the Top 40 Diet Plans, ranked Nutrisystem as #19, giving it high marks for convenience and food availability, but low marks for lack of choices when eating out and the company’s “TV Dinners.”

NutriSystem

NutriSystem was founded in 1971 when inventor Harold Katz set out to help his mother lose weight. Katz opened his first weight loss center in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

History

The company began at first by dispensing weight loss tips and counseling but later moved to offer their own food, which was picked up at counseling offices.

In 1985, the company went private after the franchisees bought out Katz, who had purchased the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.

In 1993, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after expanding to nearly 2,000 centers.

In 1997, the company became an online business during the dot-com explosion.

Today, the company sells through their website and QVC. They have many celebrity endorsers including Marie Osmond, Jillian Barberie, Dan Marino and Don Shula.

In 2015, the company acquired the South Beach Diet brand for $15 million.