Amazon.co.uk launches new Audio Book store

15 August 2000, London: Amazon.co.uk today is set to tap into the booming spoken word market, with the launch of its Audio Book store.

Over the last year, sales of audio books have increased by 30% as, in a multi-tasking society where every minute counts, more and more British people are looking for entertainment that they can enjoy at the same time as doing something else. Recent research has shown that over 1.4m people in the UK feel they don't always have the time to settle into a book properly, so they listen to audio books instead.

Whether they like listening to audio books whilst they're exercising, doing the housework, on car journeys, or lounging on the beach on holiday, Amazon.co.uk customers will now be able to browse through over 15,000 audio titles (cassette and CD) available on the site.

Customers will easily be able to find any one of the audio titles that are available in the UK. These range from Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter, to John McCarthy's Bible Journey to Michel Thomas' Language Learning Courses.

Robin Terrell, Books General Manager for Amazon.co.uk said, "The recent popularity of audio books seems to be due to the convenience and flexibility they give you to continue with other activities - and still enjoy a good book or learn a new language!

" We've developed the Audio Book section of our site as a response to this burgeoning customer demand and will be offering them the best selection available."

To help customers browse around the new store and find exactly what they want, the Audio Books Bestseller list is updated every hour, whilst the Essential Bookshelf pinpoints the 'must-haves' and each week the Amazon.co.uk editors will recommend their favourites from new releases.

There will also be regular interviews with the celebrities behind audio books - starting with Maeve Binchy on Scarlet Feather, with forthcoming interviews planned with Terry Jones on Fairy Tale and Simon Callow on Jeeves.

And for added pleasure customers will be able to listen to a selection of sound clips from some of the best audio books - Doctor Who's TARDIS from Doctor Who: The Web of Fear or catch a snippet of Alan Bennett reading from Father! Father! Burning Bright.

To celebrate the launch of the new Audio Book store, each day from the 14th to the 31st of August, Amazon.co.uk will give away a Sony Anti-Shock CD Walkman., the perfect accessory for audio books. See the Amazon.co.uk store for details. For more information contact Amazon.co.uk press office on 020 8636 9280.

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For more information contact the Amazon.co.uk press office on 0208 636 9280.

About Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk today offers more than 1.5 million books, CDs, DVDs, software titles, video games and videos, hosts online auctions and provides a complete online storefront for individual merchants through its zShops. 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 also is available on mobile phones with WAP technology; look at www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.

Amazon.co.uk is the trading name for Amazon.com Int'l Sales, Inc., and Amazon.com International Auctions, Inc., which are both wholly owned subsidiaries of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), the Internet's No. 1 book, No. 1 music and No. 1 video retailer, which opened its virtual doors on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and has already provided safe and convenient shopping to more than 20 million customers worldwide.