Amazon.com, Seattle, had first-quarter 1999 sales of $293.6 million, up 236% from $87.4 million in first-quarter 1998. The company’s net loss, which was exacerbated by more than $25 million in merger and acquisition-related costs, deepened from $10.4 million to $61.7 million.
The quarter ended March 31.
The company’s customer base increased from 2.3 million accounts in first-quarter 1998 to 8.4 million. Repeat customer orders made up 66% of the company’s sales during the quarter.
The company has leased a Coffeyville, KS, distribution facility, and has begun distribution and automation upgrade work on it. The facility should be operational during the second half of 1999. An additional facility in Fernley, NV has begun shipping on a limited basis, and the company has leased a distribution center in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, which should also become operational during the second half of 1999.
On Monday the company announced that it will buy three Internet companies: Exchange.com, an antiquarian site; Alexa Internet, a navigation software company; and Accept.com, a startup which is developing online commercial transaction technology.
