September 18, 2006, London: Amazon.com today announced the launch of a major new international game - an online Treasure Hunt designed by Michael Stadther, renowned author of "A Treasure's Trove" and the soon-to-be-released "Secrets of the Alchemist Dar". The hunt will take place online in the United States and five of the company's international Web sites: Canada (Amazon.ca), United Kingdom (Amazon.co.uk), Germany (Amazon.de), France (Amazon.fr) and Japan (Amazon.co.jp), and is set to involve thousands of participants from countries across the globe, competing for prizes worth $60,000.

The competition marks a resurgence of interest in the concept of the treasure hunt, first popular in the late 1970s when the board game 'Masquerade' captured the imagination of Britons and led to a 3-year hunt for a mysterious golden hare. With Pirates of the Caribbean currently breaking box office records, it seems that people around the world have rediscovered the magic of riddles, puzzle solving and the search for hidden treasure - except with this treasure hunt there's no back-breaking digging to be done.

This is the first time in Amazon's history that it has simultaneously engaged so many of its international sites in such a contest, a contest it hopes will introduce its tens of millions of customers to some of the newer shopping experiences on the site. On each of the six sites, customers will find a self-contained treasure hunt where they can search for nine clues that will reveal a secret puzzle - and prizes worth thousands of dollars are up for grabs. Stadther created a special nine-piece puzzle for Amazon.com, one piece of which appears each time a contestant deciphers a clue. The first customer from each of Amazon's six Web sites to correctly decipher all nine clues and solve the puzzle will be declared the winner. A new clue will be released each week beginning today, with the final clue appearing on Sept. 19.

"The purpose of working with Amazon in creating this first-of-a-kind online treasure hunt is to explore the power of the Internet. This is a fun and relatively easy hunt that I hope encourages families all over the world to work on the clues together, just as families did with 'A Treasure's Trove,' and as I hope they will with my new book, 'Secrets of the Alchemist Dar,'" said Stadther. "This contest is also an entertaining way for people to explore the treasures that lie within the Amazon.com Web site."

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.