AFP, Sydney :
Amazon’s Australia launch was the company’s biggest-ever opening day for orders, the US giant said Wednesday, but some shoppers were underwhelmed by the range of goods and prices on offer.
The country’s retailers have been scrambling to lift their online presence and cut costs amid expectations that Amazon, one of the world’s most valuable companies, would shake up the market and eat into their profits.
Amazon said first-day orders on Tuesday were “higher than for any other launch day” in its history, with “tens of thousands of customers visiting the website during the first 24 hours”.
“We are thankful to Australian customers for making this a landmark day in Amazon history,” Amazon’s Australia country manager Rocco Braeuniger said in a statement.
“From early in the day, we experienced visitor numbers that far exceeded our expectations.”
Despite the US giant’s high-profile launch, local retailers who expect to be hurt by Amazon-including electronics chain Harvey Norman and department store Myer-saw their shares close higher Tuesday.
Amazon’s Australia launch was the company’s biggest-ever opening day for orders, the US giant said Wednesday, but some shoppers were underwhelmed by the range of goods and prices on offer.
The country’s retailers have been scrambling to lift their online presence and cut costs amid expectations that Amazon, one of the world’s most valuable companies, would shake up the market and eat into their profits.
Amazon said first-day orders on Tuesday were “higher than for any other launch day” in its history, with “tens of thousands of customers visiting the website during the first 24 hours”.
“We are thankful to Australian customers for making this a landmark day in Amazon history,” Amazon’s Australia country manager Rocco Braeuniger said in a statement.
“From early in the day, we experienced visitor numbers that far exceeded our expectations.”
Despite the US giant’s high-profile launch, local retailers who expect to be hurt by Amazon-including electronics chain Harvey Norman and department store Myer-saw their shares close higher Tuesday.
