Essential News

The company invests $10 million in a new facility to provide support to small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon

Amazon currently employs more than 6,500 people in Costa Rica, and plans to create more than 1,500 jobs in Costa Rica by the end of 2018

San José, Costa Rica – February 12, 2018 – Amazon today announced the company plans to create 350 new jobs in Costa Rica with the opening of its new Seller Support Hub. The latest investment by the company in Costa Rica will assist small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon.

“Half of the items sold on Amazon worldwide are from small and medium-sized businesses that offer their products through Amazon Marketplace. By providing them with first-class support we are helping them grow and expand their businesses,” said David Graham, Amazon’s Director of Seller and Vendor Support. “I want to thank all our employees in Costa Rica that make this possible – with your work you are shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

In 2009, Amazon launched its Seller Support operations in Costa Rica with 30 employees. Today, Amazon’s new facility –El Tobogán Corporate Center– hosts 900 employees. Amazon has invested close to $10 million in its new building in San José.

“This new announcement of the expansion of Amazon operations in Costa Rica shows the strength and ability of our country in attracting investments and in continuing to create jobs. We are thrilled that 350 more people can join the team of 900 Amazon associates – it shows the great skills of our talent. We congratulate Amazon for this new $10 million investment and reiterate our commitment to continue strengthening the competitiveness of our economy with responsible and determined actions to continue creating a solid business-friendly environment," said the President of the Costa Rica Republic, Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera.

“We are proud to continue to invest in Costa Rica. We have found great talent here, and have been able to build a great team that shows customer-obsession at its best,” said Alejandro Filloy, General Manager of Amazon Costa Rica. “We are committed to hiring hundreds of more employees and grow our excellent team.”

Amazon Marketplace helps small and medium-sized businesses around the world to reach hundreds of millions of customers instantly by selling their products on Amazon. Businesses selling on Amazon come from every state in the United States and more than 130 countries around the world. In 2017, customers ordered billions of items from small and medium-sized businesses on Amazon.

“When I launched my business in Costa Rica, I was selling four units a month to local customers. After joining Amazon Marketplace, my sales are now seven times higher and orders from Amazon customers around the world represent 90% of my business,” said Mario Leon, owner of CR Woodcraft. “By designing our products with Amazon customers in mind, we’ve been able to grow my business – alongside my full-time job – and also partner with other artisans in Costa Rica to help us fulfill the increased demand from customers.”

Investing in Costa Rica

The Seller Support Hub opening today joins sites in Lagunilla (Ultrapark LAG), San Francisco de Heredia (American Free Zone) and Calle Blancos (Zona Franca del Este). Amazon currently employs more than 6,500 people in Costa Rica and expects to create more than 1,500 jobs in the country by the end of 2018.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

More information for press

Ignacio Solís Gómez

isolis@milenio.co.cr

2291-0660 Ext.109

8837-1536

Carlos Morales
CINDE
cmorales@cinde.org