Amazon to sell PCs

Amazon.com plans to add a personal computer store and a business bookstore by the end of the year as part of an effort to reach profitability, the company announced Tuesday.

Amazon has been criticized by analysts about the performance of similar moves--expanding its store from the core business of books, videos and CDs to include selling kitchen products, toys, electronics and tools. Those expansions, made since late 1998, have come at a high cost and many of the businesses have been unprofitable and have slim gross profit margins.

But David Risher, Amazon's senior vice president of marketing and merchandising, said the new stores are part of an effort to sell more items to customers and to encourage Amazon customers to shop more frequently. --Troy Wolverton, Special to ZDNet News