Amazon Kicked Ass During the Holidays

From Ars Technica:

Amazon gave away a tiny inkling of how big its Amazon Prime program has grown: it likely has at least 20 million members, with one million of those members signing up in the third week of December during the run-up to Christmas, according to a press release from the company. In fact, the press release indicates that the take-up rate was so brisk that the company had to at times limit new sign-ups "to ensure service to current members was not impacted by the surge in new membership."

The company hit its peak sale rate on Cyber Monday, when customers were ordering 426 items per second. Amazon stated that “millions” of customers bought Kindle e-readers and Kindle Fire tablets, though it didn't break out specific numbers for either type of device.

Analyst estimates previously pegged Amazon Prime’s base as somewhere between 16 and 18 million members, per the New York Times. Amazon generally charges $79 a year for Prime membership, though there are discounted versions of the service for students and “moms.” In the press release, Amazon refers to its Prime subscriber base as being made up of "tens of millions of members" scattered around the world.

And while I’m on the subject of Amazon, I'm sure you've seen all the ads for Amazon products running rampant on this blog. This is of course unless you have your adblocker turned on.  I used to keep mine on everywhere as well, until I realized there were others out there in the same boat I am.  Now, I generally use it on web pages with annoying endless unnecessary pop ups.  You’ll get none of that here. 

Granted, I’ve hardly kept the blog up to date.  And the only people I’ve directly asked to click on the ads have been friends and family members, but I just as well be talking to those eight dogs I have running around out back tearing up the yard.

But here’s the thing.  I don’t make much off those ads.  Maybe anywhere from $15 to $50 a year, and I get that in an Amazon gift certificate which usually goes towards the purchase of either some blu-ray or classic TV series I’m wanting.  But if you click on an ad, any ad, you don’t have to purchase that product in order for my blog to get credit.  Whatever you buy during that particular visit will be attributed back to me. 

I’m always appreciative of those who do, and yes I know the ads need updated.   But since so many of the sites I visit ask me to click on their ads, I finally decided I might as well join the crowd.  I mean, I’m a one man show here and certainly my effort is no less than their effort is it?

Anyway, thanks to those who have clicked the ads.  I appreciate it immensely.