AFTER years of speculation, Amazon has released a statement officially confirming the company will be launching retail services within Australia.
The online retailer has confirmed it is actively searching for a large distribution and fulfilment centre in Australia, the first step to launching services here.
“Amazon Web Services launched an Australian region in 2012, we launched a Kindle Store on Amazon.com.au in 2013, and we now have almost 1000 employees in the country,” the company said in a statement.
“The next step is to bring a retail offering to Australia, and we are making those plans now. We are excited to bring thousands of new jobs to Australia, millions of dollars in additional investment, and to empower small Australian businesses through Amazon Marketplace.
“We are optimistic that by focusing on the things we believe customers value most — low prices, vast selection, and fast delivery — over time we’ll earn the business of Australian customers.”
The distribution centre is tipped to be in Melbourne or Sydney.
The company also plans to launch Amazon Marketplace, a sales and logistics system for third-party retailers.
“Sales through Amazon Marketplaces now represent 50 per cet of all items sold on Amazon websites globally. There are already thousands of Australian businesses selling their products on existing Amazon Marketplaces. We are excited to bring the Amazon Marketplace to Australia next,” a banner on its Australian website reads.

http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/amazon-breaks-silence-on-australian-retail-plans/news-story/1ffb99091150d24b2ef35714f1ae82b8

Two things that are going to be tougher for them financially:
1) Employment laws
2) Freight costs

I think more competition is good, but I can't see prices dropping too much generally

There are also plenty of grey importers, so even on that count they may actually often be more expensive

Freight wise plenty of opportunities for new businesses to piggy back off them. There is that current mail business out of Sydney that is taking on Australia Post, and I think someone with the selling power of Amazon could offer huge contracts to freight companies (however, they'd probably have to reduce their individual costs in order to win any contracts).

just say no to amazon.
tax avoiding , zero hours contracts , an operation that requires unlimited cheap labour.