Amazon Australia up and running

[Dinkydarth]

Nothing very interesting at this stage for us though.... A tiny selection of TFs and very overpriced.

[Paulbot]

Yeah those prices are not good!

[MV75]

Amazon is just that thing full of generic cables and gadgets from chinese sellers isn't it? lol.

[hYpNoS]

So far tf wise only 2 things stand out and not price wise, the movie bumblebee 3 pack and optimus prime evolution 2 pack

https://www.amazon.com.au/Transformers-Bumblebee-Evolution-3-Pack-Exclusive/dp/B06XWWH73N/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512431887&sr=8-1&keywords=transformers+evolution

https://www.amazon.com.au/Transformers5-25-Optimus-Autobot-Legacy-2-Pack/dp/B06XWTTFTT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512431896&sr=8-1&keywords=transformers+optimus

The gundam listings seem competitive though so I guess I can rekindle my model building hobby without leaving the house again lol

[Dinkydarth]

funny, I didn't find any of the Gundam prices any good. $45 for an RG kit and $30-$40 for HG kits are way overpriced.

Any examples?

[reillyd]

The WFC/Titans OPtimus 2 pack is coming in at 70.47, but is cheaper on the amazon.com site. Sad.

[philby]

So how is this working at the moment? Are these items actually sold by Amazon and shipping from a warehouse here? Or are they from other 3rd party sellers like you see on the regular Amazon site?

[hYpNoS]

funny, I didn't find any of the Gundam prices any good. $45 for an RG kit and $30-$40 for HG kits are way overpriced.

Any examples?


...oh dear, that was all there is it seems.

Comparable to the local shops I have to me at least but can't beat what I get from overseas I'm afraid, better suited for those who want to support the local sellers I guess

[Paulbot]

So how is this working at the moment? Are these items actually sold by Amazon and shipping from a warehouse here? Or are they from other 3rd party sellers like you see on the regular Amazon site?

Check the "sold by" item. Quite a few things I looked at were sold by Amazon Australia. There are warehouses in Australia (one in Dandenong for example).

But I also saw somethings from other sellers - including BookDepository - which I believe is connected to Amazon... The book I saw was cheaper to buy from BookDepository's site though by about $40!

[griffin]

Looks like there is only two actual Transformers toys still available from Amazon AU... the rest are all by 3rd party sellers, which explains the high prices for most of the items when searching Transformers in Toys and Games.

Don't forget, that just like in America, their prices are slightly more than retail, to pay for the free shipping most orders are eligible for.
And if Amazon AU are getting their stock from Hasbro AU (like Amazon US gets their stock from Hasbro US), then the Amazon AU prices will be based on Australian retail prices, because unless they get a special price from Hasbro, they can't go too much cheaper and still pay for postage on top of it.

Their popularity in America is the huge range and the fast, free shipping... which may end up being here too, after a while building up their inventory, but cheap prices aren't guaranteed - even on Amazon US, where it only looks cheaper to us, because our retail (and wholesale) prices are a lot more than over there.
The real cheap prices (on Amazon US) usually only come from pre-orders, discounted older stock, or their automated pricing that adjusts the price when a 3rd party seller is discounting.

On the plus side, if Amazon AU grows to be a big retailer here (like in America), then they can start putting pressure on the wholesalers/importers/distributors (like toy companies) to bring their wholesale prices in line with the US (when converted to the same currency). When you have the wholesale prices in Australia being close to the Retail prices in America (when taking into account taxes and exchange rate), then that difference of about 40% needs to go, and Amazon has the power to force distributors here to do that, because they don't want to lose business to their foreign branches now that they are set up here.
(the risk though, is Amazon AU might have other Amazon sites in other countries block Australian customers, just to make sure the new venture here gets a better foothold in this country early on)

[UltraMarginal]

overall, I'm very unimperssed and I think all the freak out that people have had about Australian businesses losing out was unfounded based on looking at the site today.

[hYpNoS]

overall, I'm very unimperssed and I think all the freak out that people have had about Australian businesses losing out was unfounded based on looking at the site today.

Its still early on, its the free shipping and finding things that are actually priced decently that matter.

I'll be giving them a chance, just need to find those sweet nuggets, once the pressure goes on everyone else follows suit

[Cashie]

Its still early on, its the free shipping and finding things that are actually priced decently that matter.

I'll be giving them a chance, just need to find those sweet nuggets, once the pressure goes on everyone else follows suit

True, I'll wait and see. I did read a (clearly paid) piece on news.com.au saying ow the "Haters are wrong" about Amazon AU. It claimed you could get a Fitbit Flex 2 for $66 (you can't) among other crap.

When I lived in China, I found Amazon.cn quite good at times.

[UltraMarginal]

Its still early on, its the free shipping and finding things that are actually priced decently that matter.

I'll be giving them a chance, just need to find those sweet nuggets, once the pressure goes on everyone else follows suit


True, I'll wait and see. I did read a (clearly paid) piece on news.com.au saying ow the "Haters are wrong" about Amazon AU. It claimed you could get a Fitbit Flex 2 for $66 (you can't) among other crap.

When I lived in China, I found Amazon.cn quite good at times.

so it's OK, that this amazon launch is as much a fizzer as all the other 'massive' Australian based online shopping sites that are 'going to change the way we shop'. clickfrenzy comes to mind.

I'm assuming their servers didn't crash, and I suppose I'm not looking at amazon for toilet paper, but I would have thought I'd find something of interest in the 5 minutes I looked. Ill give it another go in a few months. but my expectations are low.

[griffin]

The delayed launch probably didn't help... but even that (black friday launch) wasn't hyped up or advertised.
To make a splash they should have been having teaser advertisements since the middle of the year and a viral social media campaign in November... and then secure introductory discounts from suppliers to offer a couple hundred items for dirt cheap prices scattered around the different departments with a likit of one per customer... to give them an awesome first experience that will keep them coming back, and rave about it to others (indirect, free marketing).
Maybe Amazon thinks people should know who/what they are and when they are opening... but most people probably don't even know Amazon are open here now.

[DELTAprime]

Yeah like Griff said, almost all the Transformers listed are 3rd party sellers. 3rd party sellers set their own prices like sellers on ebay do. I'm guessing we will see what Amazon's actual pricing is like when POTP hits.

On a side note, Amazon's Amazonbasics cables are listed and in line with US pricing + tax so hopefully more people will say FU to Harvey Norman and their $100 a meter HDMI cables. Also Amazon's prices on Xbox One and PS4 games are pretty good, this year's FIFA is only $39 and that's not a sale price.

[hYpNoS]

Seems like we can still make purchases via amazon.com despite the au store opening up, infact I picked up this steal, as I post, 13 hours until its invalid, TR overlord for 34.83USD

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Gen-Leader-Overlord-Robot/dp/B01IMZY8T8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512584947&sr=8-1&keywords=transformers+overlord

After shipping using a pickup point its about $68, not bad I say, guess I'm having 2 overlords heh

[MayzaPrime]

Seems like we can still make purchases via amazon.com despite the au store opening up, infact I picked up this steal, as I post, 13 hours until its invalid, TR overlord for 34.83USD

https://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Gen-Leader-Overlord-Robot/dp/B01IMZY8T8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512584947&sr=8-1&keywords=transformers+overlord

After shipping using a pickup point its about $68, not bad I say, guess I'm having 2 overlords heh

Thanks, just bought one. I really liked Sky Shadow, so happy to pick this one up.

[PaddlesPrime]

The website has some older items (T30, CW, AoE and TF2014) available for preorder. Does this mean they'll be getting them in stock?

[griffin]

The website has some older items (T30, CW, AoE and TF2014) available for preorder. Does this mean they'll be getting them in stock?

They are indeed by Amazon AU (https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=sr_st_relevancerank?keywords=transformers&fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A4852617051%2Ck%3Atransformers%2Cp_6%3AANEGB 3WVEVKZB&qid=1512725652&sort=relevancerank)... and it looks like there is a few hundred different Transformers products that are on their way to Amazon.
Maybe Hasbro Australia cleared out their old/unwanted stock to Amazon (in addition to sending them every current item on-hand), to help Amazon have a bigger "back catalogue" of toy products, so that it doesn't look as pathetic.

Prices are about what you'd expect for a "retailer", but it's good for people in regional areas, or those not near a store that is getting all of a certain item (like Rescue Bots being mostly at Kmart, or certain waves only showing up at one retailer)... as you would now have a back-up option (if you can't get it for less from overseas).

A shame that they don't have a sorting option like on Amazon US and Amazon JP, which can show you the most recently added items... so that you can easily tell what is new since you last visited.

[Paulbot]

They are indeed by Amazon AU (https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=sr_st_relevancerank?keywords=transformers&fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A4852617051%2Ck%3Atransformers%2Cp_6%3AANEGB 3WVEVKZB&qid=1512725652&sort=relevancerank)... and it looks like there is a few hundred different Transformers products that are on their way to Amazon.
Maybe Hasbro Australia cleared out their old/unwanted stock to Amazon (in addition to sending them every current item on-hand), to help Amazon have a bigger "back catalogue" of toy products, so that it doesn't look as pathetic.

Prices are about what you'd expect for a "retailer", but it's good for people in regional areas, or those not near a store that is getting all of a certain item (like Rescue Bots being mostly at Kmart, or certain waves only showing up at one retailer)... as you would now have a back-up option (if you can't get it for less from overseas).

A shame that they don't have a sorting option like on Amazon US and Amazon JP, which can show you the most recently added items... so that you can easily tell what is new since you last visited.

Titan Returns toys at $7 titanmasters $14 legends, $22 deluxes, $34 voyagers, $60 leaders. These are prices I can get behind. They even have a good priced CW Groove! Too good to be true?

[Jellico]

Not in stock; order now and we'll deliver when available

:confused:
Hmmm. :D

[griffin]

They even have a good priced CW Groove! Too good to be true?

That is surprising (https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01DLZUVYA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_t8MkAb91RZYBP)... maybe we might see more exclusives show up on Amazon, that the other retailers didn't want here.

[Other]

If you go deeper they have Generations figures that never saw release here like Rhinox listed.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Transformers-Generations-Anniversary-Voyager-Rhinox/dp/B00CP0TMMK/
While it could be some HOz stock that never went to retailers, I think it might be worth considering that some of this is Amazon America stock that is being listed (possibly to bulk up the search results to try to convince people they're now getting the real deal Amazon experience and not what we got when it first launched).

[DELTAprime]

Seems like we can still make purchases via amazon.com despite the au store opening up,

I have no idea why people thought Amazon's international sites would block us when the Australian site launched. Amazon has never blocked any countries except for North Korea, Syria and similar countries that it's illegal to do business with under US law. Jeff Bezos will gladly take anyone's money.

I'm a little bummed at how long the delay is on Amazon's free shipping tier. I was going to buy a hard drive off them but it's much quicker to buy the hard drive for the same price at Officeworks in Rockhampton and pick it up when I go to Rocky next week for an appointment. (and for any local Gladstone folk that want to point out Officeworks is open in Gladstone, it's out stock at that store and they aren't getting more for several weeks.)

As for Transformers deals, anyone that missed Leader Class Jetfire at Reject Shop last years can get it from Amazon.com.au for $18.56. https://www.amazon.com.au/Transformers-Generations-Jetfire-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B00IJZFQGG/ref=sr_1_284?m=ANEGB3WVEVKZB&s=toys&ie=UTF8&qid=1512792114&sr=1-284&keywords=transformers

[Paulbot]

If you go deeper they have Generations figures that never saw release here like Rhinox listed.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Transformers-Generations-Anniversary-Voyager-Rhinox/dp/B00CP0TMMK/
While it could be some HOz stock that never went to retailers, I think it might be worth considering that some of this is Amazon America stock that is being listed (possibly to bulk up the search results to try to convince people they're now getting the real deal Amazon experience and not what we got when it first launched).

I'm a bit iffy too and suspect it might be some of this but am thinking of trying a purchase of a couple of "currently out of stock" TR items, just want to check the price guarantee and refund if unfulfilled options will apply in the fine print

[griffin]

When these "pre-order" items come into stock (IF they come in), we might have to start up a topic of "new items on Amazon Australia" topic in the Dealer section.
It would be really exciting if they do get in stock from America, to include items not released here (like missing waves or exclusives like that CW Groove).