Amazon’s Online Store Is Coming To Australia Next Year

Amazon’s international e-store is finally launching Down Under! According to a report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR), Amazon’s hugely popular shopping service aims to have a local presence in every Australian state in 2017. Bizarrely, they also plan to build physical retail stores. Here are the details.

If you’ve ever tried to purchase an item on Amazon only to be confronted with exorbitant shipping fees or the dreaded “does not ship to your area” message, you know how hit-and-miss the service can be. This is all set to change if AFR’s source can be believed.

According to the report, the shopping giant will be selling and distributing online directly from Australia in September 2017. They will also be setting up physical stores which will mainly be located in regional areas.

International fund manager Justin Braitling reportedly spoke to Amazon personnel responsible for rolling out the Australian strategy during a special briefing.

“[Amazon] will be dropping distribution centres and performance centres in every state next year,” Braitling told the AFR.

“They will be doing general merchandise and they will be doing fresh as well. They will also be putting physical stores on the ground which I don’t think anyone knows about.”

In worrying news for Harvey Norman and the like, Braitling also claimed that Amazon is actively looking to “destroy” the retail environment in Australia. Read the full report here.

Amazon is definitely a latecomer to Australia — it currently operates in ten countries besides the USA (Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China and India.) But with its strong brand recognition and massive range of products, we doubt the tardy rollout will affect its chances in the marketplace.

[Via Gizmodo]


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