Amazon uses a simple process to make installation of their browser plug-in easy for users to understand. Instead of supplying a number of instructions for all the browsers that can use the new plug-in, Amazon uses a simple java script code to read what browser the viewer is using and then just display the instructions for that browser.

Brilliant customer service and use of technology.

Firefox Instructions

Internet Explorer Instructions

What happens if you ask “Cheapest place to buy Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter” on Amazon.com’s website Askville?

If the response is positive (and most likely from an Amazon staff member), then the answer will be duplicated to all network adapters that support XBOX 360.

We noticed this interesting Amazon SEO propagation researching in-bound links from Google Webmaster Tools.

The identical post followed by the Askville results.

Amazon Askville Duplicated

I’m pretty amazed at the technology Amazon must be running to propagate ads like this based on a long tail keyword linking that links so many products. I would love to know if its category based, tagged, or if its based on organic or internal search results and indexing.

In article in the Los Angeles Times, Amazon.com once again touted its best year ever.  Amazon attributed there high holiday sales to increase in orders.  Orders rose 17% to 6.3 million items, while shipments rose to 5.6 million units, up 44%.  What is missing from Amazons carefully crafted press release is a corresponding revenue amount or average order value. Without these metrics it is difficult to tell how profitable the holiday shopping season was for Amazon.

In a May 2008, Fortune magazine article, How Jeff Bezos Rules the Retail Space, there’s an interesting graph entitled Building a Retail Powerhouse. The graph shows Amazon’s growth and success throughout their history. It took Amazon six years to finally turn a profit. In 2000 alone, Amazon recorded sales of $2.762 billion and total losses of $1.411 billion. in 2007, sales were $14.815 billion and profit was $476 million.  Any backward slide for Amazon.com’s profitability would be disasterious for a company whose total stock valuation is double Wal-Marts.

Fortune Article