Amazon.com is ending 2016 on an amazing note. The leading online retailer announced that it sold over 1 billion items this holiday season, which it described as its best in recent years.
Topping the list of bestsellers is Amazon's hands-free speaker and home assistant, the Echo, and its smaller version Echo Dot, Reuters reports. So huge was the demand that Amazon "had trouble keeping them in stock," said Jeff Wilke, its chief executive for the worldwide consumer division.
Amazon did not disclose exact figures about the number of Echo units it sold, and only said sales were nine times more than the 2015 holiday seasons. However, analysts estimate that Amazon was likely to have sold up to 5 million Echo devices in 2016.
With a virtual assistant called Alexa, the Echo can perform various tasks, such as turning on lights and playing music. It has been forecast to beat the performance of virtual reality gears in the tech market in 2016. The Echo sells for $179.99 on Amazon.com and the Echo Dot for $49.99.
Amazon earlier announced that several units of the Echo have been ordered in advance, and so there won't be new supplies until January 3, 2017. It was also recently included in Time Magazine's list of devices with Alexa that people should not miss
Amazon usually does not divulge exact figures about product sales and instead releases fun facts, according to Forbes. For example, Amazon said the number of KitchenAid Mixers sold this holiday was enough to make almost 7.5 million cookies all at once. It also said people bought a watch every 1.5 seconds during this holiday season.
More than 7 out 10 people bought products from Amazon through mobile devices and the busiest day was December 19, the company said. The other bestsellers on Amazon.com are Samsung's Gear VR headset, Nintendo's Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon video games, and the 72-pack Keurig K-Cups.
What did you buy from Amazon.com this holiday season? Share it with us in the comment section below.
