Holiday Shoppers Head to Amazon.com For ``Lunch and a Movie''; Holiday Shoppers Meter Spikes During Lunch

Business Wire, Nov 22, 2004

SEATTLE -- According to the Amazon.com (Nasdaq:AMZN) Holiday Shoppers meter unveiled today, hundreds of thousands of consumers are spending their lunchtime holiday shopping at Amazon.com. Viewings of Amazon Theater movies, a free holiday gift to Amazon.com customers, also increase during the same time period. The meter, which updates continuously and appears in the right column of the Amazon.com homepage, showcases in real-time how many shoppers visited the virtual aisles of Amazon.com during the previous 60 minutes.

Early results of the meter show an increase in activity at Amazon.com beginning in the late-morning and extending into the late-afternoon. For example, more than 521,000 visitors were shopping on Amazon.com between 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Pacific Standard Time last Tuesday. No matter what time of the day they visit Amazon.com, shoppers are discovering breakthrough films and gift ideas in addition to the hallmarks of the Amazon.com customer experience - low prices, vast selection and unparalleled convenience. Instead of fighting for parking at shopping centers and navigating crowded malls, these visitors are getting a head start on their holiday shopping and watching exclusive movies from the comforts of home or their office.

Amazon Theater is a free gift of exclusive content for Amazon.com customers. For five Tuesdays between November 9 and December 7, Amazon is unveiling a new original short film available exclusively at Amazon.com. The third film, "Do Geese See God," premieres tomorrow on the Amazon.com homepage. The film is directed by David Slade and features a frantic "Dr. Awkward," played by Blair Underwood, who learns he needs to take the time to stop and smell the roses. New technology for Amazon Theater allows customers to view world-class short films free-of-charge, visit special artist boutiques to learn more about the films' actors, and purchase products that they've seen in the films.

2004 Amazon.com Holiday Picks

Electronics, Home & Garden, Jewelry and Toys are expected to be among the most popular stores in what could be the biggest holiday season for Amazon.com. Customers will discover gift ideas for every person on their list, including these picks from Amazon editors.

Apparel & Accessories

Black Rivet Women's Faux Fur Rabbit Poncho, $59.99

Hartmann 250-5300 Classic Single Gusset Flap-over Briefcase, $595.00

Columbia Sportswear Women's Triple Accessory Set (headband, gloves, scarf), $12.99

Beauty

Saffron Rouge Dr. Hauschka Skin Care Daily Face Care Kit, $19.95

Sephora BLISS Super-Eucalyptus Body Smoother, $30.00

Sephora L'Occitane Tinted Lip Balm, $13.00

Books

"The Complete Peanuts 1950-1954 Boxed Set" by Charles M. Schulz, $29.97

"The Plot Against America: A Novel" by Philip Roth, $15.60

"Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Really Make at Home" by Ina Garten, $21.00

DVD

"Star Wars Trilogy" (Fullscreen and Widescreen), $41.99

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (Fullscreen/Widescreen), $17.97

"The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King" (Platinum Special Extended Edition), $23.99

Electronics

Apple 40 GB iPod Photo, $499.00

Canon PowerShot A400 3.2 MP Digital Camera, $168.94

Epson PictureMate Photo Printer, $189.99

Gourmet Food

Godiva 24-Piece Limited Edition Truffles, $45.00

Harry and David Deluxe Pears & Cheese Box, $59.95

iGourmet Favorite 4 Cheese Sampler in Gift Box, $34.99

Home & Garden

Toro 38360 Electric Power Shovel Plus, $119.99

Eastman Outdoors 38229 Reveo MariVac Food Tumbler, $199.95

Riedel O Wine Tumblers Set of 2, $17.99

Jewelry

14K White Gold Initial Diamond Pendant, $125.00

Klaus Kobec Charisma Diamond Steel Ladies Watch, $289.00

Sterling Silver Stud Earring Boxed Set, $39.00

Music

"Stardust...The Great American Songbook: Volume III", Rod Stewart, $13.49

"How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", U2, $10.99

"Encore", Eminem, $14.99

Sports & Outdoor

TreadClimber TC5000, $2,199.99

Flybar 1200, $299.99

Check-Go Golf Ball Sweet Spot Finder, $24.95

Toys

Corvette C5-R Racer Power Vehicle from Safety 1st, $299.99

Ms. Pac-Man TV Games by JAKKS Pacific, $18.95

V-Smile TV Learning System from V-Tech, $49.99

The value and convenience of Free Super Saver Shipping at Amazon.com means that customers can save money and be assured their packages will arrive on time. For delivery by Dec. 24, the following guidelines apply (for items with 24-hour availability):

--Dec. 16: Last day to choose Free Super Saver Shipping on qualifying orders over $25.

--Dec. 18: Last day to choose Standard Shipping.

--Dec. 19-20: Amazon.com Holiday Guaranteed Shipping available. For only $3.99 more than Standard Shipping, Amazon.com will guarantee delivery by Dec. 24.

--Dec. 21: Last day to choose Two-Day Shipping.

--Dec. 22: Last day to choose One-Day Shipping.

About Holiday Shoppers Meter

The Holiday Shoppers meter continuously tracks the estimated number of visitors at Amazon.com during the last 60 minutes. Among other things, the meter does not include visitors to any Amazon.com domain outside of the United States. The meter should not be viewed or used as a predictor or indicator of revenue or other financial information relating to Amazon.com.