Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos gave a presentation following the company's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday and began by talking about the key drivers of customer experience for Amazon.com's retail customers.
"If you identify the key drivers of customer experience - those key needs - they are unlikely to change over a 10-year period. So if you base strategy on things that are permanent in time, very durable things, all the energy you put into those things continues to pay you dividends years into the future." He identified those key drivers as low prices; vast selection; and extreme convenience - especially fast, reliable delivery.
Bezos mentioned that when asked more than 10 years ago (when media were the company's main categories) what he could envision Amazon.com selling in the future, he would say, "it could even be windshield wiper blades." He said there was a day two weeks ago when Amazon.com sold more than 10,000 windshield wiper blades. He added to the amusement of the attendees, "And the next time you need windshield wiper blades, think of Amazon, please."
Bezos talked about Amazon's additional depth of inventory and new categories, and the company's initiative toward "frustration-free packaging." Bezos highlighted Amazon Prime product reviews, Fulfillment by Amazon, Amazon Web Services, and the Kindle Store.
Interestingly, eight of the 13 questions asked by shareholders after Bezos' presentation had to do with the Kindle book reader. Questions not related to Kindle included a criticism of the responsiveness of Amazon.com's Investor Relations team; a question about Amazon Fresh - the company's experiment into the grocery delivery business; Amazon.com's China business; and a question about Amazon.com's environmental/sustainability initiatives.
Bezos said Amazon.com continues to plant seeds and cited three businesses that are still in "investment mode": digital (including Kindle), China, and Web Services. He said if something is successful, it usually takes 5 - 7 years before it is a meaningful contributor and can actually be a negative contributor much earlier in the life cycle.
During the official part of the meeting, Amazon.com, shareholders elected eight directors to the board, and ratified Ernst & Young LLP as the company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009.
Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos gave a presentation following the company's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday and began by talking about the key drivers of customer experience for Amazon.com's retail customers. 
