• FIFTY SHADES, HARRY POTTER, MILLENNIUM TRILOGY AND TWILIGHT SAGA ALL MAKE THE TOP TEN OF ALL TIME ACROSS THE SITE, ALONGSIDE KINDLE DEVICES
• ONE DIRECTION CLAIM FASTEST-SELLING ALBUM OF ALL TIME BASED ON PRE-ORDERS FOR MIDNIGHT MEMORIES
• ADELE IS BESTSELLING ARTIST OF ALL TIME, WITH LADY GAGA AND RIHANNA ALSO IN TOP FIVE
• CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 TOPS GAMES CHART, BUT GRAND THEFT AUTO V IS FASTEST-SELLING GAMING TITLE OF ALL TIME
• FINAL INSTALMENT IN THE HARRY POTTER SERIES, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, IS THE FASTEST SELLING PRODUCT ON AMAZON.CO.UK OF ALL TIME
• ANNUAL BESTSELLERS FROM 1998-2013 INCLUDE ROBBIE WILLIAMS, TAKE THAT, GHD HAIR STRAIGHTENERS AND JAMIE OLIVER FLAVOUR SHAKER

Luxembourg – 15th October 2013: Fifteen years ago this week (Tuesday 15th October), Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors for the first time. To mark the occasion, the site reveals the bestselling products that have captured the nation’s attention since the first order was placed in 1998.

From Fifty Shades, FIFA and Take That to Call of Duty, ghd hair straighteners and Adele, the bestsellers paint a picture of what customers have read, listened to, watched, played and used in their home over the past 15 years.

“Since starting out as an online bookseller in 1998, Amazon.co.uk has expanded year on year and now offers customers more than 100 million products across more than 30 stores,” commented Xavier Garambois, Vice President of EU Retail at Amazon. “The bestsellers help to tell a story of the phenomena that have gripped the UK, from the big game changers in entertainment to innovation in products for the home and the rise of celebrity chefs.”

*Fastest selling based on first day of pre-order sales

MUSIC

 

 

 

 

“Adele’s achievement in securing both the best-selling artist title and the top two best-selling albums of the past 15 years on Amazon.co.uk is remarkable,” said Paul Firth, Head of Music at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. “The fact that Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name has pushed Adele into second place in the bestselling singles chart is indicative of how much the UK loves a good campaign and how much the public love the underdog. The appearance of Gangnam Style at number three in the all-time singles chart perhaps shows a future in which the internet makes music tastes more international than ever before.”

BOOKS

 

“Of all the millions of books customers have purchased in the past 15 years, it’s fascinating to see which have proved most popular with the British public,” said Darren Hardy, Books Manager at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. “Sales of Kindle books have been hugely influential in determining these rankings, with EL James’ sales on Kindle for the 50 Shades Trilogy cementing her place as our most successful author ever.”

VIDEO GAMES

 

“Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and FIFA are three of the largest entertainment franchises in the world, so it’s no surprise to see them dominating the top ten bestselling games chart,” said Ketu Patel, Video Games & Software Category Manager at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. “The success of Skyrim suggests that there is a real appetite for epic fantasy games, whilst Zumba Fitness’ appearance in tenth place shows just how big Nintendo Wii’s fanbase is in the UK.”

FILM & TV

 

 

“The singing may not always have been of the highest quality, but Mamma Mia! really captured the hearts of the UK’s film enthusiasts,” said Zak Watts, DVD Category Manager at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. “It’s no small feat to beat the long-awaited final instalment of the Harry Potter series into second place. It’s also great to see the long-lasting legacy which Sir David Attenborough’s Planet Earth will have on this and future generations of families, with so many UK households having a copy.”

The annual Amazon.co.uk bestsellers:

1998 bestsellers

• The nation read: Amsterdam, Ian McEwan

1999 bestsellers

• The nation read: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: Travis, The Man Who (CD)
• The nation watched: Erin Brockovich (DVD) and Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Movie (VHS)
• The nation played: X-Tension (X Mission Pack)

2000 bestsellers

• The nation read: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: The Beatles: 1 (CD)
• The nation watched: Gladiator (DVD) and Chicken Run (VHS)
• The nation played: Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? (PC video game)

2001 bestsellers

• The nation read: Happy Days with the Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver
• The nation listened to: Robbie Williams, Swing When You’re Winning (CD)
• The nation watched: Bridget Jones's Diary (DVD & VHS)
• The nation played: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (PC video game)

2002 bestsellers

• The nation read: What Not to Wear, Susannah Constantine and Trinny Woodall
• The nation listened to: Robbie Williams, Escapology (CD)
• The nation watched: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (DVD) and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (VHS)
• The nation played: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2)

2003 bestsellers

• The nation read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: Dido, Life for Rent (CD)
• The nation watched: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (DVD) and Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets (VHS)
• The nation played: FIFA Football 2004 (PS2)
• In the nation’s home: George Foreman Family Grill

2004 bestsellers

• The nation read: You Are What You Eat: The Plan that Will Change Your Life, Gillian McKeith
• The nation listened to: Keane, Hopes and Fears (CD)
• The nation watched: Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) (DVD) and Calendar Girls (VHS)
• The nation played: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
• In the nation’s home: Panasonic Breadmaker

2005 bestsellers

• The nation read: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: Coldplay, X&Y (CD)
• The nation watched: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2 Disc DVD Edition) and Ladies in Lavender (VHS)
• The nation played: Football Manager 2006 (Mac/PC)
• In the nation’s home: Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker

2006 bestsellers

• The nation read: The Dangerous Book for Boys, Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden
• The nation listened to: Snow Patrol, Eyes Open (CD)
• The nation watched: Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (DVD) and Wallace and Gromit: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (VHS)
• The nation played: Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain (Nintendo DS)
• In the nation’s home: Deal or No Deal game

2007 bestsellers

• The nation read: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (CD)
• The nation watched: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (DVD)
• The nation played: Nintendo Wii Console (with Wii Sports)
• In the nation’s home: One Touch Automatic Can Opener

2008 bestsellers

• The nation read: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, J K Rowling
• The nation listened to: Take That, The Circus (MP3) and Duffy, Rockferry (CD)
• The nation watched: Mamma Mia! (DVD)
• The nation played: Nintendo Wii Console (with Wii Sports)
• In the nation’s home: ghd Hair Straightener

2009 bestsellers

• The nation read: The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
• The nation listened to: Rage Against the Machine, Killing in the Name (MP3) and Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream (CD)
• The nation watched: Michael McIntyre: Hello Wembley (DVD)
• The nation played: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• In the nation’s home: BT 150 Digital Baby Monitor

2010 bestsellers

• The nation read: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Kindle) and Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals, Jamie Oliver (Print)
• The nation listened to: Owl City, Fireflies (MP3) and Take That, Progress (CD)
• The nation watched: Toy Story 3 (DVD)
• The nation played: Call of Duty: Black Ops
• In the nation’s home: Brita Maxtra Water Filter Cartridges

2011 bestsellers

• The nation read: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Kindle) One Day, David Nicholls (Print)
• The nation listened to: Adele, 21 (MP3 and CD)
• The nation watched: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (DVD)
• The nation played: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• In the nation’s home: Zumba Fitness DVD Exercise Kit includes toning sticks

2012 bestsellers

• The nation read: Fifty Shades of Grey, E L James (Kindle and Print)
• The nation listened to: Gotye, Somebody That I Used To Know (MP3) and Now That's What I Call Music! 83 (CD)
• The nation watched: Ted (DVD)
• The nation played: Halo 4 (Xbox 360)
• In the nation’s home: Kärcher WV 50 Window Cleaning Vacuum

2013 bestsellers (to date)

• The nation is reading: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (Kindle) and Life of Pi, Yann Martel (Print)
• The nation is listening to: Random Access Memories, Daft Punk (MP3) and The Next Day, David Bowie (CD)
• The nation is watching: Skyfall (DVD)
• The nation is playing: Grand Theft Auto 5
• In the nation’s home: Bio-Oil Specialist Skincare Oil

Amazon.co.uk now offers over 100 million items across categories including Kindle, Apps, Books, Music, MP3, DVD, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics, Toys, Home & Garden, Grocery, Musical Instruments & DJ, Sports & Leisure, Jewellery & Watches, Health & Beauty, Baby, Shoes, DIY & Tools, Car & Motorbike, Pet Supplies and Clothing. Javari.co.uk, the dedicated shoe and handbag website, is also a part of Amazon.

To help customers keep an eye out for the next big thing as well as helping them decide what to buy, bestseller lists for all products are updated hourly on Amazon.co.uk and there are thousands of reviews available from fellow customers.

- Ends -

For further information and images, please contact The Red Consultancy:
T: 0207 025 6603
E: amazonteam@redconsultancy.com

Notes to Editors

- All items sold or fulfilled by Amazon to the value of at least £10 benefit from free Super Saver delivery in the UK. For those who want their product quickly, Amazon Prime provides unlimited one-day delivery for an annual membership fee of £49. Details of these and other delivery options can be found at www.amazon.co.uk/delivery

-Amazon, the Amazon logo and Amazon.co.uk are registered trademarks of Amazon EU SARL or its affiliates

About Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998 and strives to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavours to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.

Amazon.co.uk and other sellers offer millions of new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Baby, Books, Car & Motorbike, Clothing, DIY & Tools, DVD, Electronics & Photo, Grocery, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden, Jewellery, MP3, Music, Musical Instruments & DJ, Office, PC, Pet Supplies, Shoes, Software, Sports & Leisure, Toys & Games, Video Games and Watches.

Kindle is the world’s bestselling e-reader family and Kindle Paperwhite is our most advanced e-reader. It features new display technology with higher contrast, the next generation built-in light, a faster processor, the latest touch technology, and exclusive new features designed from the ground up for readers. Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, features improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine – and it is available in two display sizes – 7” and 8.9”.

Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business.

Amazon.co.uk is a trading name for Amazon EU S. à.r.l, Amazon Services Europe S. à.r.l and Amazon Media EU S. à.r.l. All three are wholly owned subsidiaries of global online retailer Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), located in Seattle, Washington.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.com.br, www.amazon.in, www.amazon.es and www.amazon.com.mx. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

The 3G device has not been authorised yet as required by the applicable laws and regulations. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorisation is obtained.

Forward-Looking Statements
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 competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. 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 most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.