Amazon rents space to other retailers
By Bloomberg News
NEW YORK--Amazon.com said it will let any merchant set up an online store on its Web site, giving retailers access to Amazon.com's 12 million customers.
For $9.99 a month, each merchant can list as many as 3,000 items on "zShops," the area on the Net retail giant's site for the sellers, which will be open for business tomorrow.
Seattle-based Amazon.com also said it can store credit information for customers and handle transactions for zShop merchants. However, sellers would not have access to the credit information if a customer so chooses, the company said.
"This is all about finding what you want and saving time and money," said founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos in a statement. The announcement was made at a press conference in New York.
Amazon.com, which started as an online bookstore in 1995, also offers music, electronics, and toys on its Web site.
For those goods it doesn't sell, the retailer recently introduced a product-search feature that lets customers find items on the Web, even if Amazon.com or zShop sellers don't carry them. There's no fee for customers or merchants for that service, the company said.
|
