If the comments on our coverage of the launch yesterday are anything to go by, Amazon Australia failed to excite many people. Amazon Australia however is quite happy with it saying the Australian Retail Launch is the ‘Biggest Opening Day Ever for Amazon’.
Amazon Australia switched on the lights and threw open the doors yesterday morning, offering millions of items across 23 categories including Books, Music, Clothing & Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Kitchenware and more. Across these categories, Amazon saw Tens of thousands of customers visited the website during the first 24 hours, with orders placed across all 23 categories.
Rocco Braeuniger, Country Manager of Amazon Australia said of the launch
We are thankful to Australian customers for making this a landmark day in Amazon history. From early in the day, we experienced visitor numbers that far exceeded our expectations.
The launch also allowed Amazon Marketplace sellers to get a taste of what’s to come allowing them to sell their wares through the Amazon Australia site.
The so-called ‘Amazon effect’ wasn’t really present at launch as many of you pointed out, but Amazon will continue to expand their offerings, expanding their product selections and hopefully driving down prices. Mr Braeuniger further said
Yesterday was day one for our retail offering in Australia. We will be working hard today and in the long term to continue to enhance our offering and to provide customers with an ever-increasing selection of products at low prices.
There doesn’t seem to be much to offer at this stage in the Amazon range. It’s still cheaper to import some goods to Australia from the US version of the site, and with Amazon Prime still not ready until mid-next year and the Alexa powered Echo line of product missing-in-action until next year as well, it’s a very quiet launch for now.
At this stage, it’s a matter of wait and see, Amazon may grow in scope and the much hoped for discounts on goods may eventually appear but for now it’s well worth shopping around local sellers in Australia before committing to buy from Amazon.
It is great that it is here but until they at have at least 1/10th the range of elsewhere and can offer cheaper prices it is going to be just another good option to buy from but certainly not the only one like many had feared.
It’s called “Hype”, get the suckers in. They say this as a pat on the back, when the reality is, people looked and then simply walked because the previous “Hype” from them about being 30% cheaper , delivery times etc. are just that “Hype”.
I purchased a darkiron k6 waterproof bluetooth speak for $35.99, they have already jacked the price up to $39.99.
I’ve actually switched back to Amazon US as the prices are much cheaper even with shipping. I wonder how long before they force us to use the Intl/AU?
it seems like a lot of stuff on the US site that was previously not available to AU buyers is now able to be purchased
“From early in the day, we experienced visitor numbers that far exceeded our expectations.”
Which means loads of people jump online to look but walked away dissapointed.
No mention of sales volume. They seem to think we will buy from them just because they are Amazon. Ahh no, we are a mature market used to shopping around for the best online price. When they started in the US there wasn’t much of an online market so people just went there.
The arrogance of these guys is asstounding, this has been a complete dismal failure.
Yep, had a look as I’m in the market for a new phone, but for now not as cheap as JB-Hi