I just changed my account settings from the US to Australia in preparation for the local store opening, ten minutes later I receive an email saying they believe my account was accessed by an unauthorised party…. they are reversing the change, locking the account for 5 hours and resetting the password.
Same. Ar we missing something ?! Spoke we just wait for everyone else to list the bargains ;)
Or you could read any of the several answers to this question right above you in this thread…
Does Amazon Australia sell anything other than books?
I've setup a seller account on Amazon Australia - no choice really. I don't get what all the fuss is about. They can launch now, but it is a shit pool of mess. I don't think they understand Australia. A lot of the private label sellers are from QLD and middle aged, Amazon have pretty much given no information on what to do and then rushed through a few seller applications on the day the media said they would launch. It is going to take them a while to understand, this is Straya, f**k off, you'll get your goods when they're ready.
It is pretty much going to be slave labour and a fast pace at their fulfillment centres - they're providing jobs but what kind? All the major profits will go to the US - gtg finish this later.
Perhaps they need to have a Kripsy Creame doughnut at Starbucks and think about all the Gun Safes at Masters.
It's incredibly simple to work out what to do. I'm sure Amazon will help if middle-aged Queenslanders can't figure it out though.
I also don't think you realise that "this is Straya, f**k off, you'll get your goods when they're ready" just doesn't cut it any more! Perhaps that's why you don't understand the fuss? Amazon dominates because they offer cheap prices and fast delivery - that's what pretty much anyone wants, even Australians.
Sorry that part was in regards to the wholesalers not supplying amazon direct goods.
And the fuss I'm going on about is the fuss people are making about amazon but don't really understand what it actually is.
Hmmm just to highlight a point too….if you want to sell something, it has to have a barcode. In the simplest terms without explaining further, it has to have a barcode supplied by GS1, membership is about $700 per year annual and $500 for a few hundred barcodes.
Amazon do this so they only have one listing per product. Great - makes it a lot easier then scrolling through ebay.
Now here's the crappy part. Amazon gets first priority on the BUY BOX/BUY BUTTON. So unless you're selling the same product within 5% of what amazon is selling it, you will never sell your item. It's a bit more complicated than that, but just one of the ways of how amazon forces such tiny margins from suppliers. AMAZing for the customer - absolutely crappy for every business out there.
I'll be the devil's advocate and say I'm all for more competition in the business sector. I do understand local spending is better for the country, but I'm not under any obligation to get ripped off so my "local" business owner can buy his 4th property.
Local retailers like HN have had it too good for too long. Just look at the price differences…
I collect fountain pens…and wherever possible, I buy from locals. But for majority of products, the price difference is absolutely obscene. For example, I was importing a limited edition Visconti a couple of months ago…I was able to get it for EUR990…local price? AU$2450. I paid GST and handling totalling about $200, but I'm still $700 ahead…Same goes for several Mont Blancs that I bought.
Then there's software…It is ridiculous what local prices for software are at. I buy keys from legitimate, reputable online sources and still save a whackload.
Some people make it sound as if it's some sort of social responsibility for us to make sure Solly Lew's coffers keep flowing…It is not my problem if the local landlords are too greedy.
And to top it up, "local" businesses take as Aussie consumers for granted to the point that it's not unusual for Australian products to be cheaper overseas than here…ARB accessories are sometimes cheaper shipped from USA to here!
Cars are a lot more expensive too amongst other things LCT etc etc but the point to highlight is:
Shit is more expensive in australia because there are so few of us.
We whinge and carry on about our rights and that blows out the prices.
The cost for a store to service 100 people is the same as to service 1000, so yes, rent and not accounting for wages it is more costly to sell things in australia.
Amazon will be what everyone wants, amazon doesn't need to make money like everyone else. They will sell at cost or below, just to get the market.
A free market I guess.
It's still not my obligation to subsidise greedy landlords…isn't that an oft-cited reason for high prices?
Rents account for 10-15% of turnover normally for an ideal business.
Amazon pays rent/buys the property. You end up paying someone for the location of your goods. In amazons case that someone is the American People/Prime shareholders who don't spend the money in Australia. When you buy locally, hopefully the landlord is in Australia and has most of their expenses here.
Retail/Residential/Commercial landlords really aren't greedy unless you're talking shopping centre rents of which amazon does not pay. Most commercial landlords I know only make 5-7% yield. This means, they make a 5-7% return on the hundreds of thousands if not millions they put in or borrow.
Just to highlight to people how a business ratios run in a typical retail environment:
Let's say turnover $1m without considering GST.
Let's say business makes 50% gross profit (in a retail environment this is normally 15-45% normally)So some products they might make 20%, some they will make 80%, it averages out
That gives $500K.
Rent 10%, gives $400k left.
Wages 15%, gives $250k left.
Misc Expenses 50% gives $200k left.
Owners wage - $80k
That leaves the business $120k.
This is a PERFECT scenario.
In reality most small business with a shopfront, the business and owner are lucky to take away $100k as wages and rent are often a lot more.
The owner would probably be doing 80 hour weeks minium.
It's cheaper just to work for amazon.
At the end of the day, I don't care for buying from overseas if the price difference is reasonable. But for a price difference of 30,40, 50%? Sure as hell I'd go overseas, especially for high-value items.
To give you examples…
I bought a ZTE Axon 7 from Amazon DE. Net landed price in Australia was AU$440. At that time JB wanted $699.
I collect pens…for my MB Saint-Exupery, I paid AU$900 landed/delivered. Local price? AU$1410. Visconti watermark…EUR990 on special. GST-inclusive delivered price AU$1700. Local? AU$2450.
My friend in the USA can buy Napoleon Perdis cosmestics in the USA cheaper than what she used to pay in Australia…and that's an Australian brand…(ffs local businesses!)…I can even buy jeans from Just Jeans cheaper in Dubai than in Australia, and that is again an Australian brand…
Australian retailers have been charging us far, far more than what the GST/freight argument would accommodate, and now that customers can bypass them easily, they have their pants in a knot.
Anything that can stop Harvey Norman's cannot be a bad thing. Lately even JB hifi has become competition-less stuff in JB now cost just about the same in rip off Harvey get rid of these rip off stores. Thank God for Amazon.
Even TGG is getting less competitive since JB bought them out
Hilarious to watch the same companies that thought globalisation was going to create a whole bunch of new profit for them via cheap foreign labour and imports now actually making it harder for them.
I'm not thrilled that some of the smaller players might get squeezed, but the big guys? I hope Amazon kicks the ever-loving shit out of them.
50 years ago, companies like Myer, DJ's, Coles worth etc…totally devoured the small, family run businesses in this country. All profits went to Melbourne and Sydney shareholders. The capital cities became extremely rich and rural small businesses died. The TV executives made a motzah.
I now find it amazing that these same predators are whinging about Amazon. The profits will now go to USA and not to the executives in Sydney or Melbourne. Personally, I couldn't give a damn, which is worse, an executive in Sydney or one in Seattle????? Each one is only interested in his/her self.
why did all profits only go to Syd/Mel shareholders? Are you saying people outside the 2 cities couldn't have shares? super? Do you understand the difference between profits/taxes staying in Australia vs going oseas?
I know we all have the chip on the shoulder mentality that our bug businesses are all out to get us but in our haste to throw out the baby with the bathwater we keep forgetting that all these local companies employ hundreds of thousands of Australians. I shudder to see how many of you will be hugely impacted if they all went out of business as you seem to wish.
Most executives and head offices are in Melbourne and Sydney. It's a general comment. Like I said, I couldn't care if the profits went to Jerry Harvey or someone in Seattle. Both are as bad as one another.
Executive pays are only a FRACTION of what gets distributed to shareholders and the trickle effect through the economy. You really don't get it unfortunately but it's a common misconception. (ignorance)
I don't think Amazon has declared a dividend ever, so there is no distribution of profits to USA - it is all plowed back into the business. Amazon has an amazing history of looking WAY WAY into the future and planning accordingly. It also tries out different things and if they work it sticks with them. Not many people realise how HUGE Amazon Web Services is for example (it has been in Aus for years with two massive datacenters in Sydney).
Gerry Harvey had exactly zero problems importing cheap goods from S.E. Asia and abandoning local manufacturers and makers. Now he is crying about foreign-owned companies coming in and offering goods at realistic prices, not the RRP his stores slap on everything.
Gerry is a perfect example of the hypocrite free market capitalist: when things go his way he laments regulation and governments interfering with the free market but when that free market changes and challenges his profits and ways of doing things he squeals and wants the State to protect him.
I sympathise a bit with the smaller guys, although some argue Amazon could be good for them, but the big guys have power and leverage. If they cannot compete then maybe their models sucks or their margins are too great.
amazon are crap - just like most other major retailers.
Petry, don't buy from Amazon then.
compared to what I used to I don't. Service is awful.
Cry me a river.
@petry: I took your advice. When I was picking my nose at eating it someone negged you. Tastes great.
I was hoping Harvey with their rip off prices would beat Dick Smith in its demise. Who knew?
Am i missing something when I look at amazon it still show me kindle books and that's about it… search for generic terms and it links me back to a book that is relevant to that search…
The title of this post might be useful.
Wasn't useful… how do you change you account settings from US to AUS?
Man I love capitalism.
Why do I get the feeling they aren't going to be all that cheap? There way people make it sounds it's as if you can buy a $100 item on Amazon for $10 or something.
Going by what I but from the USA they aren't always cheap and in several cases are more expensive. They have prime shipping if you're a member and decent returns policy which is a plus but not everything I see is cheaper.
I lived in Canada for half a year and gave Amazon prime a try and I can definitely agree with this. Amazon has always been about the convenience and good customer service, not their low prices. Their prices are usually around the same as their competitors.
When do they start in Australia?
I think the answer is no one knows, including Amazon!
Why would they start with a false promise and piss off potential customers?
Not a good start Amazon!
Edit, just found this story…
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/11/amazon-australia-isnt-…
I don't quite get it. What is the difference between what Amazon offer & what we can already get online through Ebay, Aliexpress, Booko, etc?
Cause before all this happened, Gerry was ripped us blind and laughing all the way to the bank.
I went to HN just last month looking for a printer, I could get the same one from Sydney (I am WA) for $200 cheaper with P&H. Asked the Salesman if there is any movement on the price and I got a 'No, go then..' I am like 'Excuse me?' He looked at me, 'If you can get it cheaper.. go then' and just walked away.
With attitude like that; why should anyone support local when they don't give a shit themselves?
the support local is getting lame and leaving a bad taste….screw this support local…i rather support my pocket for my family!
I think HN salespeople just depend on ignorant, timid, or rich customers to come in and just pay whatever the RRP that is slapped on the product says. The ignorant don't understand HN is almost always more expensive, the timid are too shy to ask for a discount, and the rich don't care about saving money.
I had to buy some filters for my espresso machine and the only reason I popped into HN to do it was because they were no more expensive there, a true rarity when it comes to HN, and I was already in the shopping centre after going to a neighbouring business.
gerry harvey paid the north korean isis russian hackers big money for this to happen
https://www.amazon.com.au/Samsung-Galaxy-G900F-16GB-LTE/dp/B…
One of the best deals you on find on Amazon.com.au - Samsung S5 for just $9999….
When I go to amazon dot au all I see is books for kindle.