Amazon.com touts 'best ever' holiday shopping season

[depakid]

Source: LA Times



Twas the day after Christmas and all through the stores, not a retailer was happy ... except Amazon.com?

So boasts the Internet retailer, which claims its "best ever" holiday shopping season even as everyone else suffers through one of the worst.

According to Amazon.com, on its peak day, Dec. 15, shoppers ordered a record 6.3 million items, or nearly 73 items per season. Last year on the peak day of Dec. 10, shoppers ordered 5.4 million items.

However, the handful of entertaining factoids carefully doled out (GPS devices sold from Black Friday through December equal the combined weight of 151 Mini Coopers) don't tell us much about just how jolly the shopping season was for Amazon.com. For example, Amazon.com does not say what shoppers bought or for how much. The Internet retailer is famously Scrooge-like with such information.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/12/amazoncom-touts.html

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Beats trudging out to shopping malls in freezing rain and snow (espeically if your order comes with free supersaver shipping).

[tammywammy]

1. I ordered quite a few things from Amazon and cafepress this year

I think my mom did all her shopping minus one gift on Amazon. I'd much rather shop with Amazon and pay minimal shipping (if any at all) than go to an overcrowded store (yet I still ended up going to Target a few times and fighting through the crowd).

[wryter2000]

2. I helped Barnes and Noble dot com

And America's Test Kitchen dot com this holiday season.

[PatrynXX]

8. B&N are the bad guys. :P

They own B.Dalton. Uncle worked there for 19 years and at 20 years he was going to get some decent retirement benefits. (manager) Well over a decade ago they fired him within months as a cost cutting move. I try to avoid going there. Maybe Borders or Walden Books, but not B&N. I avoid it when I can.

[Historic NY]

9. Thats why I used amazon, they were cheaper too for medical textbooks

for my niece.

[wryter2000]

10. I won't do Amazon

They introduced the concept of offering used books in competition with new ones. Very bad for authors. They all do it now (sigh). But B&N is a blue company.

[RamboLiberal]

21. Guess I'm a bad guy then cause I sell my used books on Amazon

But then I'm more likely to order new books because I know I will get some of the money spent back. Then I can order another new book. Maybe its not so bad for authors. And good for the trees.

BTW I rarely see used books offered for sale on Amazon. Most are other booksellers selling brand new books. Interesting concept that Amazon allows people to sell in direct competition with Amazon.

Being able to sell books I've read and DVDs I've seen on Amazon allows me to buy more books and DVDs that I otherwise would've passed on because of expense.

I like the concept. To me it seems like good recycling. I also like the fact that I can finder older books to purchase I wouldn't otherwise find in the bookstore at a reasonable price.

[2Design]

12. bn are blue company and support democrats while amazon is a repuke company n/t

[Blue Gardener]

3. We had a lot of bad weather this month

I can understand not wanting to go out in the ice and snow. Plus, sometimes things just aren't available in the local stores that are available through Amazon. I had a heck of a time finding a double boiler so I could make candy, so I had no choice but to order one online.

[Dappleganger]

4. Pretty much all of our gifts came from Amazon this year.

We get Prime every year, so shipping is free. With no tax and usually the lowest price (plus no spending gas to go shopping or fighting crowds), it's a no-brainer.

[peacefreak]

5. As nice & easy as Amazon is

please don't forget to support your local Independent Book Store. Way too many of them are closing & Amazon is one of the reasons why.

[Book Lover]

13. Here's a URL for folks to find their local indie book store by zip code

http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

[mac56]

16. Well, I tried to support my local independent music/CD store.

Really, truly, I did. They didn't have the selections I sought, and showed profound disinterest in ordering it for me. Hypster doofuses.

So back to Amazon for me. Add: Amazon is not the only reason they're closing.

[Lorien]

25. I use Amazon to order used books from small independent sellers

or Alibris. Books, CDs, DVDs-some new, most used but in almost new condition. I don't get the super saver shipping, but with the lower price tag I usually come out ahead.

[kittycat1164]

27. Have you ever tried ABE?

I head the acquisitions department of a large University library and I use ABE extensively for used titles. http://www.abebooks.com/

[Lorien]

28. All the time

but their sellers are often pricier.

[Dappleganger]

32. And that's where I go to trade our used books...

so even they benefit from us buying from Amazon!

[Historic NY]

6. I used them they gave me free shipping & $30 rebate on their CC...

I bought a few more items with the savings.

[PatrynXX]

7. Lovely, I contributed..

Only because it was the cheapest spot though. Adding in the free shipping. Everyone else had this odd geeky thing well over $60 but amazon at the time had it around $52

[truthisfreedom]

11. I placed an order with them for these two items, one of which has yet to be published:

Delivery estimate: January 12, 2009

The Great Crash of 1929

The Great Depression Ahead: How to Prosper in the Crash Following the Greatest Boom in History

[Imalittleteapot]

14. They had the best price on the Dyson vacuum cleaner I wanted AND

with no tax, no shipping charges and 90 day interest free payments, the purchase was a no brainer. I shopped locally by phone and all over the internet for the product. Amazon won! I rarely buy books there because I have a B&N just a mile away, but buy a lot of other items from them.

[LisaL]

15. They make it so easy. Click, click, click.

[blue_onyx]

17. I bought a lot on amazon...

mainly because I won some gift cards and figured I would use them for my Christmas shopping.

[kaygore]

18. I was snow-bound in Hood River, Oregon, area.

If it didn't come from Amazon, where I had free shipping, then it could not be purchased or sent. The interstate and other roads were closed for days and once they opened, the traffic was at a snail's pace. I suspected that Amazon would do a booming business. The irony is that the stuff I ordered for people in the Hood River area was not delivered in time for Christmas for the reasons I have already noted; however, everything else was wrapped by them and delivered within two days or ordering. Thank you, Amazon!~

[emmadoggy]

19. I have been ordering from Amazon for quite a while now...

and this Christmas was no exception. Everything under the sun available, good prices, and usually free shipping. Most items arrive very promptly, well packaged (some of their vendors aren't as great). Most returns are simple and hassle free. And I can shop from the comfort of my home without braving nasty weather, traffic and crowds. What's not to like?

[Ex Lurker]

20. Some people did well during the Great Depression, too

good for Amazon, but their success is an exception.

[MrSlayer]

22. i did most of my shopping through Amazon.com.

I love internet shopping. No lines, no annoying people to deal with. Just a few clicks and you have your stuff in 2 days, brilliant.

[TXDemGal]

23. The hubs and I supported both Amazon & our local indie bookstore

this holiday shopping time. I also gave gifts from 1) an organic produce shipper, 2) a theater (movie) chain, 3) a couple candy vendors, 4) a local indie toy store, and 5) my wallet (checks to the teenage nieces).

[agincourt]

24. I haven't bought anything from them,

directly in years. Though I use their sellers quite a bit. That's the only way I can get the CDs, books and DVDs. that I want. Used through one of their little sellers.

[earth mom]

26. I ordered 8 books for Christmas from Amazon that haven't shown up yet.

:argh:

Thanks for nothing Amazon!

[robcon]

29. It all depends on expectations.

If Amazon bought from vendors in anticipation of 10% sales growth and got 5% growth, for example, they'd be stuck with a lot of inventory, even though they sold more than last year, i.e., had the best-ever holiday season.

[Onan_the_Clumsy]

30. Can I order some whale meat

from Amazon? It seems all the rage here on DU.

[Dulcinea]

31. I shop online as much as possible.

I have family in other states, so I buy online & have things shipped. Click, click, click, done. No wasting time or gas searching for parking spaces, waiting in line or stupid people. Crowds? Malls? No, thanks.

I did go to Target for some things, but I like going at 8 AM when I pretty much have the place to myself. Same with grocery shopping.

Amazon has things I can't find anywhere else, too.

[OwnedByFerrets]

33. Free shipping (on many items) and no tax will do that for

a retailer. Not to mention that its very convenient. I prefer Buy.com because they are "bluer".

[BuelahWitch]

34. Amazon gives me better prices when buying and reselling text books

My school was going to give me $10 to buy back a book. I got more than twice that for the same book at Amazon.

[w8liftinglady]

35. I bought most of my presents through Amazon...free shipping/no sales tax/tight budget

[Dervill Crow]

36. I ordered from amazon.com because I procrastinate and was snowed in.

Unfortunately, most of what I ordered still has not arrived. I paid for 2-day shipping. Tracking info indicates my stuff is in Portland, but UPS hasn't seen fit to deliver it yet. The roads have been clear for several days. I don't get it.

:wtf:

We had a wonderfully free-of-consumerism Christmas this year. If the gifts haven't shown up by New Year's when the family gets together, my shopping is done for next year!

[fed_up_mother]

37. I think many did at least some online shopping for prices & convenience, but weather prob a factor

as well.

I bought five or six things with Amazon, and was scrooge enough to only order items with free shipping (and no tax).