Despite the relatively robust performance in 2000, Amazon expected sales growth in 2001 to slow to 20-30 percent, or around $3.4 billion, far below the 43 percent g'rowth previously expected. In an effort to drive toward profitability, the company laid off 1,300 employees comprising 15 percent of its workforce. Amazon also closed one of its twelve distribution centers and one of its nine customer service centers.