Leading online retailer Amazon.co.uk announced today it has named Steve Frazier as its Managing Director. Frazier was formerly Senior Vice President - Corporate Development for Payless Shoesource, Inc., a $2.6 billion footwear retailer based in Kansas, US.

Frazier comes to Amazon.co.uk with a record of achievement in retailing, online commerce and international expansion, with a strong emphasis on building new retailing businesses. He led teams that developed Payless's Internet business and its first international market (Canada) and was also responsible for corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions. Frazier will report directly to Joseph P. Galli, President and COO of Amazon.com, Inc.

"We are thrilled to have Steve head up Amazon.co.uk," said Galli. "He has an unbeatable combination of passion for customers, international and retail experience and strategic vision. He will be an invaluable addition who will help ensure the best shopping experience for Amazon.co.uk customers."

"Our team in the United Kingdom has already established Amazon.co.uk as the leading online retailer in the market by consistently delighting our customers," said Frazier. "We will bring even more features to our customers in the New Year, building on the world's best technology platform for convenient, fun and safe Internet shopping."

Frazier had previously been Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co, the management consultancy, and prior to that was a foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. He holds a graduate business degree from Northwestern University.

For more information about Amazon.co.uk, please contact Judith Catton or Lisa Ramshaw on 0181 636 9200.

Notes for editors

About Amazon.co.uk
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 13.1 million customers worldwide.

Amazon.co.uk today offers more than 1.5 million books and CD's, 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.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, Amazon.com's limited operating history, anticipated losses, unpredictability of future revenues, potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results, seasonality, consumer trends, competition, risk of distribution centre expansion, risks related to fourth quarter, risks of system interruption, management of potential growth, risks related to auction and zShops services, risks related to fraud and Amazon.com Payments, and risks of new business areas, international expansion, business combinations, and strategic alliances. 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, 1998 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 1999, June 30, 1999 and September 30, 1999.