Associates to earn additional 4% for items referred via aStore or Omakase through Dec. 31

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2006--Amazon.com (Nasdaq:AMZN) today announced three new innovations that allow Amazon Associates to integrate comprehensive storefronts (aStore), personalized product links (Omakase), and convenient product windows (Product Previews) into their websites within minutes. Website owners who sign up to be Amazon Associates and take advantage of these new tools will receive referral fees of up to 8.5 percent when visitors to their sites click on Amazon.com products and complete their purchases on the Amazon.com website. The three new innovations are available today at http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/join.

"The web becomes a more crowded medium every day, which is why we're constantly looking at new technologies to help Amazon Associates feature Amazon.com products in more interesting and engaging ways," said Karen Haberkorn, Senior Manager for Product Management, Amazon Associates. "As more Associates begin to take advantage of these new tools we believe their site visitors will find Amazon product placements more relevant and seamlessly integrated than ever before."

Between now and Dec. 31, 2006, Associates can earn up to $1,000 in additional referral fees by using aStore and Omakase Links. During that time, Associates will earn an additional 4 percent when they refer visitors to Amazon.com using aStore or Omakase Links (up to a maximum of $500 from each feature per Associate).

aStore (http://astore.amazon.com)

aStore lets Associates create complete storefronts on their websites quickly and easily. Associates with virtually no technical skills can create an online store that includes products from any of Amazon's 35-plus categories and popular Amazon shopping features such as Customer Reviews, Editor Reviews, Wish Lists, and Listmania. By allowing aStore shoppers to add multiple products to their Amazon.com shopping carts before completing their purchases on Amazon.com, Associates can keep their visitors engaged and shopping. aStores are completely free for Associates.

aStore beta users include NarniaWeb (http://www.narniaweb.com), which links to their aStore through the "Marketplace" option in their site navigation, and popular blogging service Typepad, which uses aStore to build the "TypePad Bookstore" into their own books blog at http://books.typepad.com.

"Our mission at TypePad is to offer people powerful and cost-effective blogging tools," said Michael Sippey, TypePad's General Manager. "aStore makes it easy for us to merchandise books of interest to TypePad bloggers in a compelling and attractive store that integrates well with our site."

Omakase Links

Omakase Links leave one of the hardest parts of operating an e-commerce site -- personalization -- to Amazon, which has been offering personalization on its own website since 1997. That's why the technology is called "Omakase," which in Japanese means "leave it up to us." Omakase Links automatically display products personalized to visitors' purchase and browse history on Amazon, as well as the content of the Associate's sites. Associates can also customize the look of the links to match their site design. For example, Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com) is already using Omakase Links to seamlessly blend relevant product ads on the front page of their online review site.

Product Previews

Product Previews let website visitors view valuable product information without having to click through to Amazon.com. When visitors hover over a Product Preview link in a body of text or a small storefront of products, a small window appears that contains the product image, new and used prices, average customer review and availability. Visitors can either add the item directly to their Amazon.com shopping carts or click through to product details on Amazon from the product window. Product Previews allow Associates to offer their visitors a convenient, seamless option for adding products to their shopping cart while enjoying the content of the sites.

For example, TVparty! (http://www.tvparty.com) uses Product Preview links in the "New TV shows on DVD" section of its front page to let visitors see purchase information about the DVDs without clicking through to the product's complete webpage. BlogCritics.org includes Product Preview links at the bottom of their music reviews (http://blogcritics.org/2006/10/29/104748.php) to provide readers an option for purchasing the albums related to and discussed in the review.

Journalists interested in receiving more information can submit an inquiry via http://www.amazon.com/pr or the Amazon.com Media Hotline at 206-266-7180.

About Amazon Associates

Launched in 1996, Amazon Associates is Amazon.com's affiliate marketing program that includes hundreds of thousands of websites. Associates link to Amazon products and services from their websites, which adds compelling content for their visitors to enjoy and creates an additional revenue stream for their business. This revenue comes in the form of a referral fee that Amazon pays the Associate when a visitor to the Associate's site clicks on an Amazon product or service and completes the purchase on Amazon.com. Current participants in the Amazon Associates program include large, well-known sites, niche content sites and blogs, comparison shopping engines, search engine marketers, and everything in between. Amazon has Associates programs for Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.co.jp, Amazon.de, and Amazon.fr. For more information on the U.S. program, visit http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/join or the Associates Blog at http://affiliate-blog.amazon.com.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc., (Nasdaq:AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food, sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, and www.joyo.com.

As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward Looking Statements

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 competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, significant amount of indebtedness, inventory, limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, payments, fraud, consumer trends, 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, 2005, and all subsequent filings.

CONTACT: Amazon.com Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
http://www.amazon.com/pr

SOURCE: Amazon.com