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Income Taxes Deferred Income Tax Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred tax assets:    
Excluding net operating losses U.S. - Federal/States $ 357us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic [1],[2] $ 53us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic [1],[2]
Net operating losses foreign 669us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign [2],[3] 427us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign [2],[3]
Accrued liabilities, reserves, & other expenses 780us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpense 590us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpense
Stock-based compensation 534us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost 396us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost
Deferred revenue 156us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome 249us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Assets held for investment 154amzn_DeferredTaxAssetsAssetsHeldForInvestment 164amzn_DeferredTaxAssetsAssetsHeldForInvestment
Other items 242us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther 177us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Tax credits 115us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwards [2],[4] 107us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwards [2],[4]
Total gross deferred tax assets 3,007us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross 2,163us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Less valuation allowance (901)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [5] (698)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance [5]
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance 2,106us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet 1,465us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Deferred tax liabilities:    
Depreciation & amortization (1,609)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment (1,021)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Acquisition related intangible assets (195)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets (201)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets
Other items (31)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther (16)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Net deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance 271us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet 227us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Stock Based Compensation Expense    
Deferred tax assets:    
Excluding net operating losses U.S. - Federal/States 261us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember		 81us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember
Net operating losses foreign 2us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember		 2us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember
Tax credits $ 268us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwards
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember		 $ 227us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwards
/ amzn_OperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwardsAxis
= amzn_StockBasedCompensationExpenseMember
[1] Excluding $261 million and $81 million of deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, related to net operating losses that result from excess stock-based compensation and for which any benefit realized will be recorded to stockholders’ equity.
[2] Deferred tax assets related to net operating losses and tax credits are presented net of tax contingencies.
[3] Excluding $2 million and $2 million of deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, related to net operating losses that result from excess stock-based compensation and for which any benefit realized will be recorded to stockholders’ equity.
[4] Excluding $268 million and $227 million of deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, related to tax credits that result from excess stock-based compensation and for which any benefit realized will be recorded to stockholders’ equity.
[5] Relates primarily to deferred tax assets that would only be realizable upon the generation of net income in certain foreign taxing jurisdictions and future capital gains.