For online retailer Amazon.com, net sales increased by 18 percent amounting to $4.89 billion for the first quarter ending March 31, 2009. In the first quarter of 2008 the retailer’s net sales had amounted to $4.13 billion. The net income rose 24 percent to $177 million, from $143 million in the said period last year.

Tracing the market-wise sales, the North American market, which is a cluster of the retailer’s U.S. and Canadian sites, clocked sales worth $2.58 billion, increasing by 21 percent over the three months last year. In the international markets comprising U.K., German, Japanese, French and Chinese sites, sales increased by 15 percent over last year and amounted to $2.31 billion.

Operating income was higher up by 23 percent to $244 million, while in the same period last year it was $198 million.