Amazon Launches Text Alerts

Amazon.com is trying to help consumers during the economic downturn by launching a new service that will alert consumers by text message about low-priced items of the day.

Customers can now sign up for a daily text alert at www.amazon.com/gp/anywhere/sms/goldbox or simply text 'GB' to '262966' (AMAZON) which will feature the popular Amazon.com Deal of the Day, sent directly to their mobile phone. Customers can then reply-to-buy with the text command "buygb" or follow the link in the text message to the Amazon mobile Web site to view the full details of the deal and shop other deals in the Gold Box directly from the mobile phone.

"Customers come to Amazon.com for low prices," said Eva Manolis, vice president of Retail Customer Experience at Amazon.com. "We are obsessed with lowering prices and we work hard every day to make it even easier to find and buy the best deals on the site. We're excited to offer customers new features like Amazon's Daily Deal Text Alerts in time for holiday shopping."