December 21, 2004: Just under 24 hours after it was announced that the much-anticipated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be published on July 16, 2005, the book is already number one in the Amazon.co.uk (www.amazon.co.uk) Hot 100 books chart. Customers can, effective immediately, place pre-orders for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) priced at £9.99, which represents a 41% or £7 discount off RRP. By placing a pre-order, customers awaiting the sixth book in JK Rowling's spell-binding Harry Potter series will be able to ensure they receive their copy on the day of release without having to stand in long queues outside bookshops. This discount will be available on both the child and adult versions of the book.

Exactly 18 months after the release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book in the bestselling Harry Potter series and Amazon.co.uk's largest pre-order item ever with 420,000 pre-orders, Muggles everywhere can now go to Amazon.co.uk without leaving their home or office, and ensure they'll be among the first to receive a copy of this wildly anticipated book when it hits the streets in July.

"The fact that the book has already hit number one in our Hot 100 books chart shows how incredibly excited customers are about the sixth Harry Potter. We're thrilled we can provide them with a simple and convenient way to order the book today for £9.99--a 41% discount off the RRP--and ensure that they are among the first to receive a copy when it's released in July," said Robin Terrell, Managing Director of Amazon.co.uk.

Highlights of Harry Potter Mania in 2003

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix dominated Amazon.co.uk's bestseller list for most of 2003 and was the biggest event in e-commerce history when it was released on June 21, 2003.
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix went to number one on Amazon.co.uk's Hot 100 within 2 hours of it being available to pre-order on January 15, 2003.
  • Amazon.co.uk delivered over 420,000 pre-ordered copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to customers across the UK and to over 150 countries world-wide including Barbados, Nepal, Fiji and Tanzania on Saturday June 21, 2003.
  • Amazon received more than 1.3 million pre-orders at its websites worldwide for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

All the Latest Happenings in Potterville

  • Dedicated Harry Potter shop: Amazon.co.uk's dedicated Harry Potter shop (www.amazon.co.uk/harrypotter) is a one-stop destination for all the latest Harry Potter information and merchandise. In addition to pre-ordering Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) visitors to the shop can browse Harry Potter-related products from across Amazon.co.uk.

For further information please contact the Amazon.co.uk press office on 020 8636 9280.

About Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998, and strives to be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon.co.uk and sellers list millions of new and used items in categories such as Books, Music, Video, DVD, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics & Photo, Home & Garden, and Toys & Games!. Through Amazon Marketplace, zShops and Auctions any business or individual can sell virtually anything to Amazon.co.uk's millions of customers. Amazon.co.uk customers enjoy the benefits of industry-leading online-shopping technology, such as secure credit-card payment, personalised recommendations, streamlined, 1-Click® ordering and hassle-free Bid-Click® auction bidding. Through Amazon Anywhere, Amazon.co.uk is also available on mobile phones with WAP technology--see www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.

Amazon.com and its affiliates operate seven websites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.co.jp, 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 Statement

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.