*colleagues huddled around my desk as I become the first Australian to use Amazon* you see the "cart" is not a car… https://t.co/rhiUlGzouh
Jeff Bezos' billion-dollar Amazon marketplace has finally made its way to Australia, officially launching amazon.com.au on Tuesday morning.
Previously, Amazon Australia had been paused as a bookseller, while internationally the marketplace grew into an e-commerce giant. It's a move that could have a significant impact on local retailers.
Millions of products are now available to Australians, including electronics, toys, tools, clothing, and other knick-knacks. Many products will ship out of a Melbourne-based warehouse the company began setting up months ago.
Australians have known since April that Amazon would one day open its electronic doors, but there was no indication of exactly when it would happen. Now, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the shopping can well and truly begin.
“Over time, we will create thousands of new jobs and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Australia,” said Amazon Australia manager Rocco Braeuniger in a statement. "The result will be an ever-improving customer experience driven by the regular introduction of new products and services that we hope customers will love."
Australians living in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide will have access to Amazon's next-day delivery service for $9.99, while Perth and regional cities across the country will pay $11.99 for two-day delivery.