Over the past couple of weeks, bits and pieces have leaked out about a new commercial loan pilot program from Amazon Inc. and how the online retail behemoth's entry into the small business lending could put credit unions, banks and other lenders on high alert.

Releasing very few details, the Seattle-based company did confirm it rolled out its Amazon lending program through Amazon Capital Services Inc. at the end of 2011 to serve sellers of all sizes.

Amazon online merchants involved in the program told The Wall Street Journal  the loans that they were able to secure ranged from $1,000 to $38,000 and had interest rates of between 1% and 13.9%. The company is also apparently offering small business credit card interest rates that range from 13% to 19%.

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