Amazon in Australia? Yep. And, it may mean more than having yet another place to shop.
You’re all about the best bargains. Obviously. Hey, mums have plenty of things they need to spend their money on. So, why would you want to waste it? You’re always on the lookout for deals, deals and more deals. And, that’s just what Amazon has to offer.
Um, wait. That’s not all. Come on, you can already get some pretty amazing deals from retailers who you know and love. Warehouse clubs such as Costco and grocery retailers like ALDI often offer awesome discounts. Amazon, like these other shopping options, will also save you money. It’s also bigger than any current Australian retailer. Okay, it’s not the biggest in the world. But, when it comes to Australian shopping, it’s braced to make a run for the top position!
Sure, you’re thinking, “Isn’t Amazon online? How are they actually coming to Australia?”
Well, they’re set to bring their warehouses. This means shipping from nearby and their famed Prime services (as well as others). Along with their Netflix-like streaming service, Prime offers super-quick free shipping on tons of items that you probably need. Let’s say you run out of baby wash. Order it from Amazon. With their Amazon Fresh delivery you’ll be able to get heavy discounts and your regular grocery needs brought right to your doorstep. Pretty convenient for the busy mum, right? Not only are you saving money, but you’re saving time too. And bonus, you don’t have to bring your screaming baby, tantrum-prone toddler and eye-rolling tween out to the store with you. Just order everything online and wait for your fresh delivery.
Then there’s Amazon Go. Even though there’s only one Amazon Go store in the global market (it’s in Seattle, Washington and is only open to Amazon employees as of now), the company has plans in the work to roll out many, many more. Hold on. Wait! Isn’t Amazon supposed to be an online thing? Why would they have a store? To start with, this isn’t just any store. It’s kind of a magical, low-priced grocery. The company is designing these stores to provide customers with a “Just Walk Out Shopping” experience.
What does that mean?
All you need to do is download the Amazon Go app and shop. Seriously. Pick items off the shelf, put them into your cart and walk out. No lines here. Yep, that’s right. There is no check-out. The app registers everything in your cart and your account is charged when you leave the store. Just imagine how much time you’ll save. Along with saving time, think about the stress-free shopping! What mum doesn’t want to avoid the major meltdown that happens when your toddler is faced with waiting in a 15-minute check-out line? Keep in mind, it may be years until Amazon Go stores have a greater reach than their employee-based Seattle audience.
For now the mega-retailer is planning their online move to Australia for some time in 2017. According to the company’s website, they’re currently hiring a new retail team in Sydney. This is good news, considering that the Internet giant is known for using non-human warehouse workers. In other words, they’ve got robots doing what would be jobs held by actual people. During last year’s holiday season (one of the biggest times of the year for the e-retailer), Amazon fulfilment centres in the U.S. used roughly 45,000 robots, according to The Seattle Times.
As Amazon readies itself for a move into the Australian market, they’re also expecting to take over. Whether they squeeze bricks and mortar stores out of the picture is yet to be seen. With low costs and complete convenience, they might just turn you!
Either way get ready for bargains – and we all know we love a great price!
