Shoppers head online as Amazon boasts best Christmas yet

DVD's and books still beating consumer electronics

27 December 2006 13:40 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Amazon.co.uk has said that it received 3/4 million orders on its busiest day this Christmas - a rate of almost nine orders per second - as the UK online retailer enjoyed its biggest Christmas ever however it's revealed that most still shop for low cost items such as DVD's, music or books online.

On its busiest day, Amazon.co.uk shipped over 600,000 units in one day representing 320 tonnes of goods and breaking the company record. According to the online retailer, that meant that a delivery truck was leaving Amazon.co.uk’s distribution centres every 8.5 minutes.

“Internet retailing has taken another huge step forward this Christmas", said Brian McBride, Managing Director of Amazon.co.uk Ltd.

Amazon.co.uk top selling Christmas 2006 products included Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man’s Chest, Planet Earth - 5 Disc Box Set and High School Musical, however consumer electronics didn't feature in the top 10.

In Consumer Electronics, the Kingston Technology 1GB Data Traveller USB Flash Pen Drive priced at £36.99 sold more than the 30GB Apple iPod to take the number one spot.

The number one book in the Amazon Hot 100 chart on Christmas Day itself was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows following the site decision to already start acepting preorders for the seventh and final book in the series.

Amazon said that it claimed the number one spot just hours after customers were offered the opportunity to reserve a copy with the online retailer on Friday 22nd December. The book isn't due out till later in the year.

Full tags

Software, Online, Amazon, Nintendo Wii, shopping, Bling