The world_s most "consumer-centric" company

Amazon.com Inc. turned another page in the annals of successful e-tailing Monday with its announcement that it had served its 10 millionth customer, the first e-commerce site to do so, in less than four years. Amazon began online bookselling in July of 1995 and by October 1997, it became the first e-tailer to serve 1 million customers. By June 1998 Amazon reached 3 million customers and CDs were added to its inventory, followed by video offerings five months later. In 1998, Amazon totaled 6.2 million customers and has since launched Amazon.com Auctions, as well as a free e-greeting card service. Today_s news that it reached the 10th million customer milestone represents a tenfold gain during the past 21 months, the company said, surging beyond the technically-inclined user to a more mainstream consumer base.