February 10, 2005: In a unique partnership with Amazon.co.uk, Talis, the market leading IT solutions company for local government, has teamed up with the leading online retailer to offer libraries a way of recycling stock that is no longer needed by the library.

Talis has built software that links regional libraries' systems to Amazon.co.uk's Marketplace platform allowing them to sell their unwanted stock on the website instead of simply disposing of it. The revenue made will contribute to the purchase of new titles for the local community. Amazon.co.uk's customers will also benefit from the increased selection of titles and prices that the libraries can offer.

Amazon.co.uk Marketplace is a unique feature that allows customers to buy and sell new, used and collectable items on the same page as Amazon.co.uk sells the item new. This side-by-side placement dramatically expands the selection available to customers.

East Renfrewshire Council was the first library to sign up to the initiative on a trial basis which ran from September to December 2004. During this period over 500 books were listed on Amazon.co.uk's Marketplace and made available to their millions of customers.

The sales split was 50-50 between fiction and non-fiction titles, with EDCL course books, biographies, craft, cookery, sociological and political books proving particularly popular.

Commenting on the new partnership, Rakhi Parekh, Group Product Manager, Amazon.co.uk said:

  • We are always looking to expand the selection available to our customers. Marketplace is a great platform to do this. We are currently working with Talis and East Renfrewshire County Council to offer more choice to our customers whilst exploring further opportunities to work with a network of UK libraries.

Fiona Leslie, Product Manager at Talis said

  • The project has provided a fascinating insight into how libraries, armed with a greater understanding of the market value of their stock, can make on the spot decisions about what to keep and what to dispense with. Fundamentally the application allows libraries to improve stock at a lower cost.

Scott Simpson, Information Access Officer, East Renfrewshire Council comments:

  • We are always looking for new ways to maximize income and get more out of unwanted and out of date stock and the potential for income was apparent to us from the beginning when deciding to team up with Amazon.co.uk. This trial has been a great success and we are currently assessing further business opportunities working with Talis and Amazon.co.uk.

The Talis software allows libraries to choose, price and sell used stock on Amazon.co.uk's Marketplace. The software, which interfaces between the library management system and the Amazon.co.uk website, uses Amazon.co.uk's Web Services. This gives libraries the ability to analyse valuable market data (price, number of copies for sale, sales ranking etc.,) simply by scanning the barcode of a book. Libraries can then opt to sell particular items on Amazon.co.uk via a data loading and dispatch process from within the Talis software.

Libraries requiring further information on Amazon.co.uk Marketplace can contact Luke Taylor, Marketplace Manager at Amazon.co.uk on 020 8636 9362 or email: luket@amazon.co.uk.

About Talis

Talis is the UK's market leader in software solutions for academic and public libraries. The Talis suite of products is used in over 25% of the market. Founded in 1969, Talis works closely with public authorities and many leading universities and colleges to ensure libraries have powerful, cost-effective applications at their core. Further information can be found at www.talis.com or by emailing info@talis.com.

Talis® is a registered trademark of Talis Information Ltd.

 

 

 

 

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.