With coronavirus restrictions in place in recent months, many people have turned to online retailers to get their shopping fix. If you’re one of them, you’ve probably already heard of Amazon but haven’t give it a go yet.
After all, Amazon is best known as a huge US-based online marketplace that sells pretty much everything. (It originally just sold books when it launched in 1994 but now it offers electronics, homewares, bedding, computers, books, toys, fashion, beauty and more.) And until 2017, Aussies could only use it to buy goods that had to be shipped to Australia from far-flung destinations, which had the effect of increasing the price of anything ordered.
Now, though, Amazon is full of retailers that focus on providing great deals specifically to Australian customers, which means no shipping fees and much shorter wait times to receive goods. In fact, many of the retailers are well-known Aussie brand names, simply gathered on one site to make it easier for you to browse their products.
So if you’re still trying to avoid the crowds at the malls and haven’t tried using Amazon Australia, it’s a great time to give it a try.
Your first step is to sign up for an account. But don’t worry, it’ll take you no longer than a couple of minutes and won’t cost a cent. All you’ll need is an email address or a mobile phone number and a password. If you’ve shopped with Amazon before (in the US, UK or elsewhere) you can use those login details to sign into Amazon Australia.
Once you’ve signed up, the fun part starts – shopping! Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or are just browsing, navigating amazon.com.au is easy. You’d think a site that stocks such a wide range of products would be overwhelming but everything is set out in separate categories that are easy to find.
If you’re looking for something in particular (say, a new smart TV), you can type that into the search bar at the top of the page, and you’ll be directed to all listings of smart TVs currently available on the site.
There’s also a tab at the top of the site where you can browse through the ‘Best Sellers’, ‘Today’s Deals’ and ‘New Releases’ to give you some inspiration if you’re just having a browse.
The best part is that you get free delivery and returns within 30 days of delivery when you shop on Amazon Australia, so you can shop with the peace of mind of knowing that if something isn’t quite right when it arrives, you’ll be able to get your money back.
It’s important, though, to make sure you have selected your address in the top left-hand corner of the page to ensure you are on the Amazon Australia site so that you’re eligible for free delivery and returns. (Failing to do this could see you directed to the US Amazon site, where you may have to pay shipping costs.)
There are a range of delivery options available on Amazon Australia to ensure you receive your order when you need it. Standard delivery to metro areas is free for orders and will arrive in 3-5 business days. Priority delivery will arrive in as little as one day to metro areas for a cost of about $9.99.
If you live in Melbourne or Sydney, you’re eligible for same-day delivery if you order before a certain cut off time, for a cost of $12.99.
As with most big online retailers and marketplaces, your Amazon Australia account will need to be linked to a debit or credit card. Then you simply select the item you want to buy by add it to your ‘cart’, navigating through to the payment screen and you’re done.
Amazon Australia accepts a wide range of cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Union Pay and Zip Pay. And if you want to update or switch the card linked to your account, you can update your payment method by visiting your Amazon Wallet (which you can find under the Account tab when you’re signed into your Amazon Australia account) at any time.
So, a huge range of products that you can buy from retailers with a local focus, low or no shipping costs and the opportunity to return anything you don’t like. What are you waiting for? Start shopping on Amazon Australia now!
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