NewsAmazon change their policy on shipping international orders to Australia
Amazon have revisited their decision to block Australian customers from using their international sites and will now accept some orders from overseas.
The online global retailer had previously announced that due to new GST (Goods and Services Tax) rules, they would no longer ship overseas from other Amazon sites to customers in Australia. This caused much frustration to Australian consumers – and, pertinent to SDE, Aussie music fans – particularly because the Australian Amazon is regarded as very much a work-in-progress with limited stock and often not very competitive prices.
“As a result of customer feedback, from November 22 Amazon customers will be able to ship eligible items from Amazon.com to Australian delivery addresses,” an Amazon spokeswoman said. Note that shipping from other Amazons, including the UK, Germany and France is still not permitted and Australians using the US site will be limited to products sold by Amazon direct and not third-party sellers.
Still, it’s a start and a move in the right direction, and hopefully over time all the international stores will be open to people based in Australia, allowing access to SDE ‘Deal Alerts’ and the like.
SDE helps fans around the world discover physical music and discuss releases. To keep the site free, SDE participates in various affiliate programs, including Amazon and earns from qualifying purchases.
Related Content
Deals
I have written to Jeff Bezos asking for explanation but I suspect it relates to in the case of NZ for example, our stupid goverement’s recent plan to introduce GST payable our end on online purchases. Is that all too hard for amazon administratively to incorporate, or does it somehow cut into their profit margins? Again, who misses out – the poor little man in the street! And by the way I see HMV in London is now closing up shop, despite the above correspondent’s claim!
I am from Melbourne Australia, and initially purchased from Amazon.com USA but then moved to their UK site firstly because their CD’s and postage was cheaper but their catalogue was superior as I like back catalogue re-issues. When they stopped us I did start using their Australian site but like JB Hi Fi, their catalogue is not the best. They have pathetic service and let me down with a pre-order of the Barry White Box Set which I had pre-ordered some time before it was released as it was listed on their site. After release I contacted them as it was not shipped. First 2 consultants told me it will get to me by expected date which I didn’t think would happen. I was right and on that day contacted them again to be told they cannot fulfil it. They suggested I cancel order and buy it through their Marketplace. I kicked up a stink as it would be $21 more than the Guaranteed Price I initially was promised. They graciously gave me a credit for $21 and I ordered as they suggested. I was promised a call back but over 3 weeks have passed and nothing. As a result I cancelled my Prime subscription. I now use sites on Ebay, which are cheaper and that includes the 10% GST. Amazon pride themselves on customer service but sadly for me they are now in same league as phone companies.
Something similar is happening for South American Countries. Now, all amazon sites in Europe dispatch vinyl, cd, et all (music i mean) only with amazon global shipping, (that is more expensive thn traditional method)
It’s happening for New Zealand too. oh well Discogs from now on
I live in Belgium and it’s impossible to order cds from Amazon.uk since (I think) September for most of the site. I don’t know why. I was a great customer but now “This item does not ship to Belgium” appears most of the time. I will be happy if anyone could give me the reason…
I don’t even think the customer service staff know why this is happening. If they do then they certainly aren’t telling the consumer. One time they suggested that I should try changing the postal address to a different country. When I asked how having CDs shipped to a country I don’t actually live in would help me, they didn’t bother getting back to me.
Location: Melbourne. Amazon UK was my go to. How can I order the McCartney re-issues due is December? Local JB does not have CD’s listed. So frustrating.
Amazon’s decision to ban Australians from their worldwide sites was as stupid as it was ridiculous. Initially I was gutted as I thought I’d miss out as the Amazon Aus site is utterly useless for lovers of the type of boxsets and reissues mentioned on this site. I have managed to source some things I wanted locally through Red Eye Records in Sydney. JB HI FI is largely lacking, while you can order the Kate Bush box sets through them they aren’t actually in store (like so many other items they advertise on their website). So Amazons decision has made me look further afield and I’ve found the “Burning Shed” site great, ordered the 1st Kate Bush remaster series and delivered its AUD $45 dollars cheaper than JB HI Fi Price (without delivery included). Also I will be ordering the Curosity Killed the Cat anthology through your site, so even if Amazon do let Australia back in the loop for the rest of their sites I for one will source it anywhere else I can, don’t even mind paying the extra postage to be honest…now.
We appreciate your support Paul – anyone who opts to go through an independent “bricks & mortar” retailer helps those of us still around a great deal. The team here spends most of its time sourcing the best price possible price from around the globe so, while sometimes we can’t compete with megastores like amazon sometimes it’s worth checking with us to see if our price is close to an overseas price plus shipping. We’re here to help all those who love physical product (god knows all of us here do!) so stay in touch or contact me direct for any queries.
Cheers,
NK.
I think that Amazon started this ban to try and force Aus customers to buy from the com.au store, only to find that profits are still down, down-under and that people could live quite happily without Amazon if they have to.
I stopped putting my money in to their tax-dodging multi billion doller pockets after they banned me from their overseas websites. I’m not going back
https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2018/02/01/amazon-grows-revenue-31-2017-profit-tops-3-billion/
I live in Canada and we have a GST tax as well. We have our own Amazon.ca and can order from any other Amazon on the planet. I don’t understand the difference other than we’re right next door to the U.S.
There has been a bit of press in the last few days. The emphasis is that it is the US store that is available:
Just checked
Amazon UK will not ship
Amazon.com will
haven’t tried other european ones
so currently seems only US deal alerts are worth watching
I feared that it would only be the American site and not the UK one, which wasn’t made entirely clear down here in Oz in the media reports I saw.
I always bought a lot of Blu rays from Amazon UK – especially Eagle Rock music/concert titles.
Unless you have a region “unlocked” Blu ray player, accessing locked “REGION A” discs from America doesn’t help us in Oz one jot when it comes to this format.
The US site additionally has appallingly high delivery costs; really prohibitive.
The UK and Australia share the same “REGION B” for Blu rays, with very competitive delivery charges.
Until the UK site opens itself up to Australian shipping, this customer will never be buying from Amazon again, which helps no one.
Dave could not agree more it was great buying from Amazon UK as the bluray discs are the same region code in Australia and their American site the biggest rip off postage wise and i enjoyed buying rare music that you just cannot buy in Australia & once in a blue moon i would by from Japan too as most of their albums from major artists have always had extra tracks and it was even better each item i bought in advance they would discount the product for me too, 2 examples the Jethro Tull 40th Anniversary edition from the UK $110 Aussie dollars & the same box set in Australia $200 Aqualung & Sgt Peppers from UK $100 Aussie dollars & their edition @ JBHI fi over $200
Oh well what can we do i didn’t realize i had been shopping from Amazon since 2004 & that was directly from their UK site & one of the reasons why i didn’t buy from their US site is the rip off postage alone, and the only reason was to purchase rare albums that rarely get a release in Australia & i guess because of the big nobs in Australia weren’t getting their business profits, it was decided by our Government if you do import we will charge between 7 & 10% of each purchase i guess that’s the only thing that annoys me it would be great to have a choice, in the end it will be limited but it’s a start & thanks Paul for your info!
I think that has to be the longest single sentence I have ever read. It made me breathless just trying to read it :-)
Trash i just hope it made sense to you, i know what you mean, you can now try wowhd.co.uk i’d imagine they would ship to Australia & rest of the world, they have an American site too & you can choose either one.
Wonderful news for the .com fans but I’ll hold out hope for the UK branch to open up to us Australians again soon. Better selection of music and better prices.
I live in NZ and buy occasionally from Amazon UK and US as there are now v few local stores selling new music and they don’t always stock new releases. We’ll be in same boat next year re sales tax and there is no Amazon NZ. Even now there are some odd non-availabilities. For example I can buy John Mayall’s The Turning Point from UK but not Bare Wires. Anyone know why that is?
With no international Amazon, I’ve been learning to appreciate Burning Shed more and more and will keep up my increased loyalty to them now. Good postal packaging, good delivery cost. Timely. But I’m very glad to read Amazon US are back at least, for all the other stuff. I’ve always preferred Amazon UK for various reasons, but this is still great news.
Thanks for letting us know! Amazon haven’t.
I live in Luxembourg and over the course of the last few months have found more and more albums on CD on Amazon UK that they won’t post abroad. I’ve contacted them twice regarding this matter but their customer service on the help pages is very poor. Each time I just got the standard copy and paste replies that don’t help at all and then eventually, after the second or third email, I don’t hear back at all. There are even plenty of albums I’ve previously bought from them that now show the message “this item can’t be delivered to your country”.
@kieron
i concur with your experiences.
it’s has been a frustrating 3 – 4 months shopping music cds & vinyls @ amazon uk.
i order from Malaysia.
1. u can buy a neil young cd for £5.99 but not another neil cd…
2. just bought a judy collins cd the other week, soon after the very same cd is unavailable for purchase…
3. is there a logic which cd can be purchased and by whom and when, or is it just random algorithms?
4. can any 1 helpshed some light?
I live in nz as well and I fear the same will apply to us next year , I appreciate it’s designed to help the local market but what happens when the local market doesn’t help us ? Jb hifi has turned to crap as far as music selection for what SDE followers are interested in and I think the warehouse are doing away with music completely so where to next ?
It’s already happening for NZ customers – went to the uk site yesterday to order a couple of Beatles CDs and was told they could not be delivered to my location – not a third party seller, the main site. So weird and quite annoying. On the de site it would send one of the albums to NZ but not the other… blimmin Amazon. Grr.
At least they are doing something about it.
I wanted to buy the recent Wet’s Popped In 5-disc that was on special price. It’s dificult to find som bands releases in Australia, let alone at a decent price.
I’ve also been keen on the Lennon Imagine and Kate Bush box sets. Just awaiting your full review Paul :) It’s a lot of money to fork out, so I always appreciate your trusted views.
Thx for posting this nes.
cheers
Andy
I saw a good price for the Kate Bush remastered CD box on eBay. Shipping from Uk. In Oz as well. I settled for the Hounds Of Love remaster myself. Cheers
Andy – worth checking in with Import CDs. They had a 10% sale last week with Kate Bush going for US$55 (just under AU$80).
Thx for the tip James. Was that ImportCDs.com or the one on eBay (Import CDs au)? Perhaps they are the same, I couldn’t tell.
I just picked up Primal Scream Memphis Sessions from JBhifi for $20. I always liked the original release but felt there was a lack of cohesiveness. This new ‘sessions’ release is is such a pleasure to listen too. It’s Sunday arvo music with a cup of brew in your hand.
Usually I find JB to be overpriced, or as some people here have noted, they don’t actually have the product in stock,
Paul – sometimes it’s unclear if DVD/BR-releases are region free. Is it possible to include this info as a standard part of your reviews? Ordering stuff to Australia is expensive, and even more so if there’s a chance it will not play. I love your website. I wouldn’t have known about Primal Scream otherwise.
cheers
Andy
A move in the right direction but still leaves some toys out of the pram.
As has been said before they collect VAT for U.K. customers on .co.uk so I can’t understand their problem – I can only think that they didn’t like being told what to do. Got so big they think they’re more important than Governments!!
The contempt shown towards Australian users of Amazon.UK, Amazon.de, Amazon France and Amazon Italy will continue. Lifting the restriction on every site is required.
Thanks for this update, heard it here before anywhere in the Australian media. Still annoyed I missed the Suede coloured vinyl box.
Meanwhile the high street retailers are dying out thanks to Amazon. Three cheers for Amazon killing off the UK high street.
HMV sells more physical music than Amazon via the high street
This is a bit too easy, sorry. Sure Amazon isn’t much of a help but neither are greedy landlords nor record companies offering items way cheaper to Amazon than to single shops as obviously Amazon order probably 1000x as many items of an album in advance so they get way better deals from the industry…
A move in the right direction, indeed. Paul and his Deal Alerts are back!
A big thank-you to Paul, we’ve heard nothing from Amazon on this.
I wonder what we missed out on…., oh, wait. I already know.