Internet Retailer: Amazon makes it easier to access its product database

Amazon opened up its databases, including its Alexa Web Information Service, publishing mechanisms for other sites and services to use its product information and Alexa's data on the relative traffic rankings of websites. Amazon said the Alexa data will be offered for free temporarily. The system employs a network of user-installed toolbars that collectively help crawl about four billion pages to rank the popularity of sites and pages.