Online retailer Amazon.com said on today it had recorded its best holiday sales season yet, even as sales and traffic at US store chains were the weakest in decades.
Shares in Amazon rose 1 per cent in pre-market trading today.
Analysts have pointed to Amazon as a rare bright spot in this year's holiday shopping season due to its scale and flexibility, as retailers try to outdo each other with deep discounts to lure consumers during a recession.
Online sales were also helped by winter storms that hit large sections of the United States on the last major shopping weekend before Christmas.
Amazon said more than 6.3 million items were ordered on its site worldwide for the peak shopping day of December 15th.
