Amazon is set to launch a new discount section with products from China to rival Shein and Temu. Amazon, the US retail giant which sells to UK consumers too, has reportedly met with Chinese merchants to discuss its plans, which would initially launch in the US.
Amazon hosted a closed-door event for sellers in China, where it presented plans for a new budget storefront that features low-cost apparel, home goods and other items. The storefront would directly compete with Temu and Shein, two emerging e-commerce sites with ties to China that have grown in popularity in the US.
It’s unclear when Amazon intends to debut the storefront, but the presentation notes it will start accepting products this fall. In a statement to CNBC, Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti has said: “We are always exploring new ways to work with our selling partners to delight our customers with more selection, lower prices, and greater convenience.”
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Amazon said in 2023 the number of items sold by Chinese sellers on its site grew more than 20 per cent year over year, while the number of Chinese merchants with sales upward of $10 million increased 30 per cent amid changing shopping and consumer trends.
Sellers joining the bargain site can determine their product selection and pricing, and they can produce in small batches to test the demand for any new products they plan to launch, the report added. Current delivery plans Amazon has sees Prime members offered next-day delivery on certain items.
In comparison, standard shipping from Shein takes seven-to-eight business days, while Temu says packages will arrive in six-to-eight business days with standard delivery. Amazon did not comment on the report when approached by UK media publications – outside of the brief statement given to the Wall Street Journal from retail spokesperson Ms Boschetti.