Online store Amazon enjoyed a lucrative first three months of 2007, the retailer said today.
In the first quarter the website's sales were up 32 per cent on the corresponding period last year, rising from $2.3 billion (£1.3 billion) to $3 billion (£1.5 billion).
Year on year operating profit rose by 38 per cent to $145 million (£72 million) meanwhile.
During the last three months Amazon's North American sales were up 30 per cent, slightly behind the 35 per cent growth experienced in the company's British, German, Japanese, French and Chinese sites.
Amazon chief executive officer Jess Bezos, who founded the website in 1995, said that the retailer's first-ever membership programme Amazon Prime was continuing to boost returns.
"We're pleased with our overall strong growth and especially with the number of people joining Amazon Prime," he said.
"Prime continues to grow as a percentage of overall units shipped, and we're very grateful to our Amazon Prime members."
Introduced in February 2005, Amazon Prime gives members special delivery and purchasing options.
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