What’s Amazon?
Amazon is an e-commerce giant, founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos that began as a bookstore. Currently, it’s the fourth most valuable publicly traded company in the world behind Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft.
How can I access Amazon Australia?
Amazon’s Australia website will be operational at www.amazon.com.au. Currently, you can get the site to buy books and programs, but not any of the products that you find in global retailers, like video games, women’s shoes, baby, beauty and tech solutions.
Where will Amazon operate from?
Amazon have officially opened their 24,000-square metre centre in Melbourne’s Dandenong South. The centre will be located at the Pellicano’s M2 Industry Park, providing easy access to the South Gippsland Highway, Monash Highway and Eastlink.
Amazon’s head office will be located in Sydney and will be helmed by Rocco Braeuniger, who takes on the role of Country Manager and was formerly director of consumables in Amazon Germany.
What sorts of products will Amazon sell?
From what we’ve been able to collect up to now through Google searches and poking around Amazon Australia’s site, you will find quite an array of goods which will be available for purchase come launch. We have managed to locate underwear, notebooks, computer accessories, monitors, cables, toys, headphones and speakers. Further to this, based on these hunts, Amazon will soon be launching Amazon Basics — its ‘home brand’ line of products — as it starts in Australia.
Initially, it appeared that food delivery might be a priority, together with Amazon’s former worldwide logistics senior supervisor, Brittain Ladd asserting that a separate “Amazon Fresh” site will be a part of this launch. But a recent survey of food providers by investment bank UBS revealed that Amazon has just been speaking to packed food and non-food supermarket providers, which suggests new food will not be part of the initial roll out.
That said, the addition of non-fresh food from the beginning does seem likely. Amazon has been speaking to about a quarter of Australia’s supermarket providers within this segment. This notion can be backed by the hiring of a state manager with a consumables background.
How can I purchase products on Amazon Australia?
To start purchasing on Amazon Australia, all you will need to do is head into the site and create an account. If you already have an account with Amazon US, you can use this to log into the Australian website also.
In case you’ve signed up for a new account on the Australian site but have a US account too, note that there’s not any way to merge or link accounts.
How quickly will products be delivered by Amazon?
Speed is anticipated to be a big deciding factor in Amazon’s degree of success. If it can conquer local retailers on delivery time and cost, the battle is essentially over.
There is still no word on whether Amazon will be bringing in its own courier service or relying on third parties for shipping. In any event, its entrance Down Under is guaranteed to put present supply chains and logistics suppliers under new pressure.
A report from the Financial Review verified that Australia Post would be trying to partner with Amazon to provide express delivery services. That may make you a little sceptical about delivery times, considering a few of the Australia Post horror stories and issues encountered during a particularly recent nationwide poll, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
The good news for you? Those new sandals you were eyeing off on a US site will soon be available for purchase, without hefty shipping fees and delays.
