Amazon is often described as innovative, creative, experimental and ruthless. It's also very, very big — and getting bigger.

With a market value of $1.6 trillion — nearly the equivalent of Russia's gross domestic product — Amazon now dwarfs many of its retail rivals who've struggled to compete with a fast-moving organization whose expansive appetite seems endless.

But some retailers are finding ways to exist, even thrive, in a world increasingly dominated by Amazon.

In today's special episode of the GeekWire podcast, we take a close look at Amazon and hear from former Amazon executives, leading third-party sellers and competitors who are trying to survive in the shadows of the world's most powerful retailer. We also hear from critics who feel Amazon's power has grown so immense that the only way to curb the company's power is through government intervention.