After keeping consumers and rival retailers guessing for more than a year, Amazon has finally launched in Australia.
With Christmas just around the corner, the U.S.-based retail giant on Tuesday (Nov. 5) started taking orders from its 24,000-square-meter fulfillment center in Melbourne’s Dandenong South.
At present, Amazon’s Australia marketplace offers “millions” of products across 23 categories, including CDs, vinyl and DVDs, though its Amazon Music Unlimited streaming service isn’t expected to roll out until early 2018.
And in a move expected to trigger some cheer for Christmas shoppers (and holiday pain for retailers), Amazon will offer free delivery on orders over $49 and a one-day service in some cities.
It’s early days, and Amazon’s expansion into Australia isn’t without its teething problems (Amazon Prime won’t be available until next year and it’s unclear if and when Amazon Fresh will arrive). But the launch has been warmly welcomed by the recording industry.
“ARIA welcomes Amazon’s entry into Australia,” a spokesperson for the trade body tells Billboard in a statement. “We promote a healthy and vibrant music market as the more options consumers have to access music from licensed services, the better it is for our thriving industry.”
Record retailers remain unfazed by the newcomer and its big reputation. “Amazon can’t compete with flicking through the racks, hearing a local band live before they make it big, hanging with other music lovers and just talking nonsense about your favorite bands, and Amazon can’t compete with Record Store Day,” says Dave Clarke, chair of the Australian Music Retailers Association (AMRA). “So for record stores in Australia this is just business as usual.”