The success of Amazon.com over the Christmas season has generated press coverage from a variety of sources (TechCrunch, BusinessWeek, The Inquisitr).

TechCrunch says that Amazon announced its 14th straight record Christmas season. At the peak it was selling 4373 items per minute; that's more than a quarter of a million items per hour.

"One reason Amazon has survived as an enduring Internet brand is that during downturns it takes market share, and this holiday season looks like it will be no different," wrote TechCrunch's Erick Schonfeld. Sales on December 15th, the peak sales day, were up 17% over last year.

Amazon also thrives because it is efficient; it says it was able to ship 99 percent of all holiday items in time for Christmas.

Some of the best-selling items this year, according to TechCrunch:

• Eyeclops night vision stealth goggles


• the Nintendo Wii


• Razor scooters


• Samsung 52-inch LCD HDTVs


• The Dark Knight DVD


• the Twilight Saga books by Stephanie Meyer

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 4883449