Amazon reveals it delivered more than 1.5 BILLION items globally during 'record-breaking holiday season' with fourth quarter sales set to surge 38% amid COVID restrictions
Amazon delivered more than 1.5 billion items across the globe in the lead up to Christmas, capping off its most profitable year on record.
The Seattle-based company announced the news in a press release on Monday, boasting of their 'record breaking holiday season'.
'We delivered more than 1.5 billion toys, home products, beauty and personal care products, and electronics worldwide this holiday,' Amazon's public relations office stated.
The actual number of items shipped out is likely to be even higher when other categories are included. The company did not announce a total number of sales, nor did they reveal the specific dates that counted as part of their 'holiday season'.
Back in October, CEO Jeff Bezos announced that Amazon shoppers were buying holiday gifts early this year. It is unclear whether those sales are included in their numbers.
DailyMail.com has reached out for comment.
Amazon delivered more than 1.5 billion items across the globe in the lead up to Christmas, capping off its most profitable year on record
In Monday's press release, the company did confirm that third-party businesses grew their sales by a whopping 50 percent this holiday season in comparison to last year.
In 2019, third-party sellers sold more than 1 billion items. In 2020, the same businesses shipped out an additional 500 million products.
Amazon will not release its fourth-quarter report until late next month, but they are forecasting sales between $112 billion and $121 billion - a surge of up to 38 percent on last year.
Amazon has already reported revenue of $260 billion in the first three quarters of 2020 making it the company's most successful year on record before the fourth quarter has even been included.
Amazon will not release its fourth-quarter report until late next month, but they are forecasting sales between $112 billion and $121 billion - a surge of up to 38 percent on last year
Amazon's success has been fueled in large part by the coronavirus pandemic.
Since the start of the virus outbreak in the United States back in March, consumers have turned increasingly to the company for delivery of groceries, home goods and medical supplies.
As brick-and-mortar shops closed their doors under lockdown orders, Amazon moved to recruit over 400,000 more workers and earned the largest profits in its 26-year history.
But, in a catch-22, the virus has added to the company's outgoing costs.
Amazon Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said on a conference call in October that the company incurred $2.5 billion in COVID-19 related costs in the third quarter.
Logistics costs have also risen in 2020 as Amazon worked to cut standard delivery times for Prime loyalty club customers.
According to Business Insider, Jeff Bezos' net worth increased a staggering $72 billion in 2020 to an eye-popping total of $185.2 billion
Meanwhile, in Monday's press release, the company boasted that they paid more than $2.5 billion in bonus pay to front-line workers.
However, a report from Brookings Institute says that is small fry in comparison to the company's overall profits.
According to Business Insider, Jeff Bezos' net worth increased a staggering $72 billion in 2020 to an eye-popping total of $185.2 billion.
Amazon's success has been fueled in large part by the coronavirus pandemic
