Amazon opens outlet, boasts ontime deliveries

Amazon.com says it surpassed 31 million units ordered as of midnight PST Dec. 23, 2000, shipping better than 99% of items to arrive in time for the holidays. The last orders on Dec. 23, for the board game Chutes and Ladders, was placed at 11:59 p.m. PST, just under the wire, to arrive in Missouri on Christmas Day. Deliveries on Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day were made possible through a special agreement between Amazon.com and the United States Postal Service. With the holidays behind them, Amazon launched an online outlet store. The store offers discounts of as much as 50% on toys and electronics and 60% on kitchen supplies. The outlet has books for less than $5, music CDs for less than $7 and videos for less than $10.