A Farewell to Cars: American Consumers and Customer Care Providers in a Homeshored Summer Romance

This IDC Flash looks at the apparent spread of "homeshoring" from providers of customer care to consumers as well. During America's long, hot summer of 2008, Seattle-based online retailer Amazon has reported that quarterly net income doubled on a 41% rise in revenue, helped by higher operating profit margins. Amazon, despite lowering prices on many goods so as to spur purchases during a significant economic downturn, also reported a rise in the operating profit margin to 5.3% of total sales from 4.0% a year ago.