SEATTLE - December 27, 2004 - Leading online retailer Amazon.ca (www.amazon.ca) today announced it has finished its busiest holiday season ever.
"More than ever, Canadians embraced online shopping this holiday season - taking advantage of Amazon.ca's convenience, low prices, vast selection and reliability," said Sarah Jane Gunter, manager, Amazon.ca. "We want to thank all of our Canadian customers for trusting us with their holiday gifts this year and making it our busiest holiday season yet."
- The last holiday order was placed on the site shortly before midnight on December 21, 2004. The order contained Microsoft Encarta Standard 2005 and was shipped to Montreal, Quebec, in time for delivery on Wednesday, December 23.
- Customers purchased more than 6,000 gift certificates between November 1 and December 23.
- Amazon.ca exported holiday gifts to destinations all over the world including Afghanistan, Australia, Christmas Island, Fiji, Guadeloupe, Mongolia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe, and more. Within Canada, Amazon.ca shipped packages as far north as Cambridge Bay, Sachs Harbor, Igloolik, and Grise Fjord.
- This holiday season, Amazon.ca customers also enjoyed the Amazon.ca Holiday A-List - a star-studded online event created in collaboration with a host of global celebrities and homegrown Canadian talent as a gift to Amazon.ca customers. Throughout the holiday season, Amazon.ca visitors found exclusive, never-before-seen or heard content from celebrities such as Pierre Berton, Ray Charles, Snoop Dog, k.d. lang, Jason Priestley, Paul McCartney, David Suzuki, and many more.
Holiday Trends and Top Sellers
Lots of Canadians found The Da Vinci Code under the tree this year, with the new The Da Vinci Code: The Special Illustrated Edition and The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, both among Amazon.ca's top selling books this holiday season - along with Angels & Demons (Dan Brown), and Jon Stewart's The Daily Show with Jon Steward Presents America (The Book): A Citizens Guide to Democracy Inaction. In music, Canada's own Shania Twain and Barenaked Ladies were customer favorites, and blockbuster new releases such as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban topped Amazon.ca's DVD sales charts. Amazon.ca's top five selling items in each category (based on units ordered since November 1, 2004) were:
Books
1. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, by Jon Stewart
2. The Da Vinci Code: Special Illustrated Edition, by Dan Brown
3. Me to We: Turning Self-Help on Its Head, by Craig and Marc Kielburger
4. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
5. Angels & Demons, by Dan Brown
Music
1. Greatest Hits, by Shania Twain
2. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, by U2
3. Barenaked for the Holidays, by Barenaked Ladies
4. With the Lights Out (Nirvana Box Set)
5. 219 Days by Kalan Porter (Canadian Idol 2 Winner)
DVD
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Special Extended Edition (4 discs)
2. The Lord of the Rings: Special Extended Edition Trilogy (12 discs)
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Seinfeld Vol. 1 (Seasons 1 and 2)
5. Shrek 2
Video
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Shrek 2
3. Dora The Explorer: Christmas
4. Alice in Wonderland
5. Love Actually
Video Games
1. Halo 2
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
3. Halo 2 Limited Edition
4. World of Warcraft
5. Nintendo Ds
Software
1. World of Warcraft Collector's Edition
2. Half Life 2 Collector's Edition
3. Nancy Drew - The Curse of Blackmoor Manor
4. Katamari Damashi
5. I Spy Fantasy
About Amazon.ca
Amazon.ca (www.amazon.ca) is part of the global family of Amazon Web sites that have become known for great prices, selection, and convenience. Amazon.ca customers can find and discover millions of English and French books, CDs, videos, and DVDs as well as a vast array of software, video games, and consoles--all at everyday low prices. Amazon.ca also offers FREE Super Saver Shipping, available on orders of $39 or more delivered to a single Canadian address. Amazon.ca sources products directly from Canadian publishers and distributors, ensuring a rich offering of Canadian titles and content. Features such as original editorial reviews in English and French and product recommendations help Amazon.ca customers find the right products for them among the site's broad selection. Through Amazon Marketplace, Amazon.ca customers can conveniently buy and sell used, new, and collectible merchandise on the same pages where Amazon.ca sells those items new.
To ensure all orders are delivered to customers quickly and efficiently, Amazon.ca works with Canada Post, one of the world's most progressive postal companies. Orders placed at Amazon.ca are fulfilled and shipped from within Canada by Assured Logistics, a part of the Canada Post Group of Companies.
Amazon.ca is the trading name of Amazon.com.ca, Inc., an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to potential future losses, significant amount of indebtedness, competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions, and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, international expansion, consumer trends, inventory, limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, fraud, and new business areas. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and all subsequent filings.
To arrange an interview with an Amazon.ca representative, please contact:
Victoria Kirk
National Public Relations
416.848.1419