The protracted launch of Amazon in Australia could be happening sooner than we think with new rumours pointing to a possible launch in the next two weeks.
Preparation for Amazon’s launch in Australia has been slowly building, with the company announcing earlier this year that they intended to launch here this year. That was followed up by the opening of a fulfillment centre in Dandeong and this week they held a seminar in Sydney for sellers interested in selling their goods through the Amazon Marketplace platform.
Building on this information CNet has reported that they have been advised by two people ‘familiar with Amazon’s plans’ who said that Amazon is attempting to go live by ‘Black Friday’. Black Friday is a shopping day which falls on the normally quiet day following the US holiday of Thanksgiving in the US. Black Friday will fall on November 24th so it’s possible they will have their store-front online by then.
According to CNet, Amazon has been contacting sellers to advise them to get their products ‘online and ready to sell by “mid-November”‘.
Black Friday deals are a big deal in the US, with great deals on all sorts of electronics, homewares and more. To see the sales launched here would be great for consumers.
Exactly what a launch of Amazon here in Australia means for their digital services isn’t clear. Amazon has not yet announced whether their Alexa service will arrive here when they do launch.
Amazon has been slowly building out their digital offerings here in Australia, with their Amazon Android app store, Kindle eBooks and Audible eBooks available, as well as their Amazon video service available in Australia as well.
With less than a fortnight till Black Friday, we’ll soon find out if there’s any truth to the rumours.
