Amazon and internet retailers report bumber christmas

In the UK amazon.co.uk’s busiest day involved shipping more than 400,000 items in one day

4 January 2005 15:44 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Internet retail sales where up a massive 25% in the US this Christmas. US shoppers managed to spend $23.2bn, according to a survey from Goldman Sachs, Nielsen/NetRatings and Harris Interactive.

On the back of this Amazon.com as a group has reported its busiest Christmas yet this year. The online retailer is suggesting that at the peak of the holiday season, it managed to ship more than two million items in a single day - equivalent to 23 items per second.

In the UK amazon.co.uk's busiest day involved shipping more than 400,000 items in one day and over the Christmas period they got through 85 miles of gift wrap on customer orders.

Top items included: a Starlogic Multi-region 2.1 DVD Player £29.99 in photo and electronics, Rival PP25 Popcorn Popper £13.26 in home and kitchen, Himalaya by Michael Palin in books, U2: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb £8.49 in music, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Two Disc Edition)£13.99 in DVD, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas £29.99 in games, Norton Internet Security 2005 & Ghost 9.0 Bundle £39.99 in software and in Toys i-Top £7.97