Yahoo Finance Amazon 'set to launch' in Australia this week
E-commerce giant Amazon appears set to launch in Australia, potentially as soon as this Thursday.
There are growing reports retailers have received emails from the company asking them to be ready to take orders from Thursday afternoon.
It is part of what the organisation has called a soft launch, however it’s predicted the full site will be up and running to coincide with the Black Friday sales in the United States.
In the US, Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving and is considered to be the start of the Christmas shopping period. This year Black Friday falls on November 24.
"To prepare for the launch of the Amazon Marketplace in Australia we will start an internal testing phase with a small number of customers," the email reads according to tech site Lifehacker.
"As your products will be able to be purchased, please make sure your pricing and stock is up-to-date".
"Let's make history!" it says.
There has been much speculation and worry as to the impact Amazon's Australian launch will have on existing retailers, with many big name businesses attempting to get on the front foot in a bid to compete with the global juggernaut.
Just last month photos of Amazon’s first distribution warehouse in Australia emerged.
The warehouse, built on 24,000sqm in Dandenong South, has a sign out front welcoming “Amazonians”, prompting speculation as to when the warehouse will begin shipping.
“It’s still day one! Are you ready to make a difference?” the sign reads.
