<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amazon has unveiled a cheap new online marketplace in Australia as billionaire boss Jeff Bezos hopes the "trustworthy" brand can compete against the exploding popularity of Shein and Temu.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amazon Haul was rolled out in Australia late last week, offering hundreds of thousands of products under $25 that are being coupled with enticing promotions and sales. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Australians seek out value and convenience when they shop online, and we're excited to provide more options through the shopping app they already know and love," Amazon Marketplace Australia Manager Amit Mahto said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-central-coast-debris-balls-wash-up-on-beaches/f4fd705c-bd6c-421d-b971-eeaf0ec3543e"><strong><span>Mysterious debris balls wash up on NSW beaches again</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Haul items are not eligible for Amazon Prime delivery and are shipped within about two weeks with a 15-day return window.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amazon is running several promotional sales to successfully launch Haul in Australia, like limited-edition $1 flash deals, an up to 80 per cent off sale and an under $5 category.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Swinburne consumer expert Bo Pang, Amazon is trying to compete against the rise of cheap online marketplace giants Shein and Temu.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/amazon-haul-online-marketplace-hopes-to-compete-with-shein-temu/d3123f41-c5aa-4b17-af49-a32451fd89f3" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're actually getting a lot of momentum in terms of getting new customers in," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But if you look at the models, Amazon is doing this traditional platform, but Temu and Shein are competing with the ultra-low-cost products, so they're actually targeting different audiences."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Roy Morgan research from last year found that two million Australians purchased at least once from Shein, and 3.8 million Australians purchased at least once from Temu. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I can't think of another retailer that has seen a hike of 30 per cent in customers in such a short time, especially now, other than Amazon, who is already mounting a fight back against these platforms at the global level," Roy Morgan Head of Retail Research and Social and Consumer Trends Laura Demasi said at the time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/experienced-skydiver-deliberately-fell-to-death-after-breakup/491074e4-3c31-4f7e-86db-5665da26a184"><strong><span>Experienced skydiver deliberately plunged to death, coroner finds</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Roy Morgan research in May, however, found a growing distrust of the brands.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Temu was the seventh most distrusted brand among Australians, while Shein was the 15th most distrusted brand.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amazon has attempted to differentiate Haul, branding it as a "trustworthy shopping experience".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All products on Haul go through all relevant Amazon checks so customers can be confident they'll receive products that are safe and compliant with all applicable regulations and Amazon policies," Amazon said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government regulates companies operating in Australia to ensure they meet the consumer protection and product safety rules.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But for companies that have third-party sellers directly shipping items to individuals, Pang said compliance becomes virtually non-existent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's going to be shipped out from somewhere in China, and then they get shipped here in Australia, so it's going to be really hard for regulators to apply all these compliance checks," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Concerns have also been raised about the negative environmental impacts of cheap plastic products, which Pang said are usually thrown away within three months and accumulate in landfills.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-nsw-rain-flood-risk-forecast-warnings-updates/01a8b26d-c110-46a6-8f1e-dcec52c7bd7e"><strong><span>Major dam expected to spill 15 billion litres a day after huge rain</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pang, however, believes Amazon's brand could help raise the standards across other cheap online marketplaces.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think they're going to leverage from their own brand image, which is reliable, which is getting good customer service, and they can hopefully introduce some level of compliance in terms of product quality," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think the end game here is not competing with price, rather than competing with value for money. So reasonably priced, but good quality."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shein and Temu said they require their sellers to comply with local laws and standards.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Shein spokesperson said the site also has a code of conduct. If any non-compliant products are discovered, Shein removes them from the website while the company investigates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Temu spokesperson said it has a quality assurance system that includes vetting sellers and product listings, physical spot checks, monitoring and enforcement action. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Temu is also looking to be a signatory to the ACCC's voluntary online product safety pledge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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