Amazon Australia misses Christmas deliveries
IT WAS billed as the online store to save Christmas shopping but Amazon’s Australian outlet is plagued by slow deliveries from foreign locations and, in many cases, cannot match the shipping times of its American outlet, an ocean away.
In addition to unpredictable pricing, Amazon Australia offered delays of more than a month compared to local retailers and its US parent company, a News Corp survey revealed, which could add to shoppers’ frustration at its launch this year.
Retail experts said the situation was not likely to improve until the company matched its delivery offerings in the US and UK, and enticed more Australian companies to sell their products on its site.
Harvey Norman chairman Gerry Harvey said Amazon’s success had been hampered by its establishment of just “one warehouse in Melbourne,” and its arrival so late in the year.
“I didn’t think any online company would ever launch a couple of weeks before Christmas when most people won’t buy online because it’s heads you get it, tails you don’t,” Mr Harvey said. “I found that extraordinarily strange.”
Gartner research analyst Thomas O’Connor said there had obviously been “quite a bit of disappointment among consumers” with Amazon’s Australian offering, with much of their frustration centred on shipping times.
“The delivery options they put forward aren’t quite as impactful as many consumers were hoping for,” Mr O’Connor said.
“Many (Amazon) Marketplace sellers continue to ship from China and other countries, leading to these long lead times, which can frustrate Australian consumers.”
A News Corp survey of 10 popular Christmas items found delays of up to 42 days for some items to be delivered by Amazon Australia compared to its US counterpart, and delays of 10 days or more compared to goods from local retailers such as Officeworks and JB Hi-Fi.
A pair of Bose headphones, for example, could be purchased for $31 less and delivered 16 days earlier from Officeworks than Amazon Australia.
Similarly, the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch was $98 cheaper and would arrive 10 days earlier if purchased locally.
In other instances, Amazon Australia was cheaper than local bricks-and-mortar stores, but delivered goods significantly later. A DJI Spark drone purchased at JB Hi-Fi would cost $40 more than from Amazon Australia but would arrive in time for Christmas rather than on January 11.
The delivery days affected goods sold by third parties on Amazon’s Australian website, which research firm Marketplace Pulse found were mainly shipping products from China.
Only 43 per cent of Amazon Australia Marketplace sellers delivered goods locally, it reported, compared to 52 per cent which shipped from China.
Goods delivered directly by Amazon fared better, with a standard delivery between three and seven days, and “priority” deliveries offered in one business day.
Mr O’Connor said while current delays would frustrate some Australian shoppers, it could be a different story next year if Amazon introduced its Prime delivery service, or offered to handle shipping on behalf of third-party sellers.
“If they’ve got Amazon Prime in place for Christmas next year, it will be a different Amazon that we see,” Mr O’Connor said. “Their position would be a lot more competitive and retailers would feel the heat from Amazon at a different level.”
Amazon Australia country manager Rocco Braeuniger said the website had seen millions of visits in its first week, and would focus on its “long-term success” in Australia.
“We continue to work hard to deliver great customer experience and fast delivery, and to provide customers with an ever-increasing selection of products at low prices,” he said.
AMAZON AUSTRALIA GIFTS MISSING THE CHRISTMAS DEADLINE
Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones
Amazon Australia: $500, January 3
Amazon US: $US329, December 20
Officeworks: $469, December 18
Delay: 16 days
Google Wi-Fi System
Amazon Australia: $517.87, December 28
Amazon US: $US268.99, December 20
JB Hi-Fi: $399, December 18
Delay: 10 days
Fitbit Ionic smartwatch
Amazon Australia: $439, December 28
Amazon US: $US270, December 20
Officeworks: $341, December 18
Delay: 10 days
DJI Spark drone
Amazon Australia: $599, January 11
Amazon US: $US349, December 19
JB Hi-Fi: $639, December 21
Delay: 23 days
Canon EOS 5D Mk IV camera
Amazon Australia: $4230, January 3
Amazon US: $US3199, December 20
CameraPro: $4449, December 19
Delay: 15 days
Langford’s Advanced Photography 2010 paperback
Amazon Australia: $64.44, January 5
Amazon US: $US51.74, December 20
Booktopia: $68.50, December 24
Delay: 16 days
Hatchimals Surprise Peacat Twin Egg
Amazon Australia: $109, January 11
Amazon US: $US74, December 20
Delay: 22 days
Fisher-Price Imaginext Batcave
Amazon Australia: $460, January 31
Amazon US: $US140, December 20
Delay: 42 days
Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3
Amazon Australia: $4130, January 3
Amazon US: $US2799, December 21
Microsoft Australia: $3999, December 20-28
Delay: 13 days
Samsung Gear 360 camera
Amazon Australia: $270, January 3
Amazon US: $US160, December 20
Samsung Australia: $319, December 19
Delay: 15 days
