TMCnet News

Amazon.com to Open Customer Service Center in Kennewick, Washington
[September 13, 2005]

Amazon.com to Open Customer Service Center in Kennewick, Washington


SEATTLE --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 13, 2005 -- Amazon.com (Nasdaq:AMZN) today announced that it is planning to open a customer service center in Kennewick, Washington, later this year. The new facility will operate 7 days a week and is expected to create up to 120 new customer service jobs within the next few months for employees in the local area. The facility could grow to more than 400 jobs over the next few years.



The Kennewick center will offer additional email and phone support to customers of Amazon.com and its merchant partners.

"We are very excited to be opening this new facility in Kennewick," said Frances Merenda, Amazon.com's senior site leader for the Kennewick facility. "Along with our other U.S.-based customer service centers in North Dakota and West Virginia, the Kennewick operation will enable Amazon to serve even more customers quickly and efficiently, particularly as we head into our busiest time of the year."


"The Tri-Cities is extremely fortunate to have a company as prestigious and well-respected as Amazon.com select our community for their new call center," said Carl Adrian, president and CEO of the Tri-City Industrial Development Council. "This process was truly a team effort by the state, the City of Kennewick and the Tri-City Industrial Development Council (TRIDEC). By choosing the Tri-Cities for its new call center, Amazon.com brings the largest number of non-federal related jobs created in our area in many years."

Kennewick Mayor James Beaver commented, "The City of Kennewick and the Tri-Cities is proud to welcome Amazon.com to our community; their selection of the City of Kennewick is just the latest example of business leaders choosing our region to do business. This partnership with Amazon.com, the Tri-City Industrial Development Council (TRIDEC) and the City of Kennewick is another example of how we can work together to build a better community."

Recruitment

Amazon is seeking to hire up to 120 employees for its new Kennewick center over the next several months; these positions include managers, supervisors and associates. Interested candidates can apply for jobs by visiting www.go2worksource.com or by calling WorkSource Columbia Basin: 509-734-5900.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc., (Nasdaq:AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as beauty, health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food, sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.

Amazon.com and its affiliates operate seven retail Web sites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.ca, and www.joyo.com.

As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to potential future losses, significant amount of indebtedness, competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, consumer trends, inventory, limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, fraud, and new business areas. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and all subsequent filings.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]