E-COMMERCE
Amazon to create 450 jobs in Cork
01-03-2006
by Deirdre McArdle
Online retailing giant Amazon is to establish a customer services centre in Cork with the creation of up to 450 new jobs.
The IDA Ireland-supported multi-lingual centre, which will be located at Cork Airport's Business Park, will provide voice and e-mail support for Amazon's UK and French websites. In addition, the facility will offer additional customer service support for the e-tailer's German website during peak periods.
Just last year Amazon established its Systems and Networks Operating Centre in the Digital Hub in Dublin, with the creation of 25 jobs. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheal Martin who welcomed Wednesday's investment by Amazon said that ever since Amazon originally made the decision to establish facilities in Dublin, the Government had hoped the retailing giant would invest further in Ireland. "[Wednesday's] announcement is the realisation of that hope," according to Minister Martin.
"Amazon's decision to locate their new call centre in Cork is significant in terms of the number of positions created and will enhance Ireland's reputation as a base for the most sophisticated global digital media companies," said Minister Martin. The Minister went on to say that the announcement is further evidence of Ireland's ability to compete with the most advanced countries in the world for investments of this calibre.
"Cork offers Amazon the ability to provide our customers with multi-lingual support, something that is critically important as we continue to grow our business," said Jim Adkins, director of European customer service for Amazon.com, in a statement.
Amazon's profit has been in somewhat of a decline in recent quarters; at the beginning of February the company reported its third consecutive quarter of falling profits. While profit has been falling, revenues at Amazon have been on the increase, with overseas sales playing an ever more important role to the company; in its most recent quarter overseas sales accounted for 45 percent of overall sales.
