Amazon made an announcement on Friday regarding the launch of Amazon Bazaar, a fresh, budget-friendly shopping platform designed for Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This will be a separate app from the main Amazon shopping platform. The retailer notes that on Bazaar, the majority of items are priced below $10, with some as cheap as $2.
The product range, which is currently live on both Android and iOS, will be accessible via its own dedicated app in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Nigeria.
Amazon has stated that the app will become available in additional markets in the coming months.
The app shares many similarities with Amazon Haul, which was introduced last November to compete with Shein and Temu. Haul is integrated into Amazon’s primary website and app, and will continue to be offered in its current markets, such as the U.S., UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Australia.
In some regions, Amazon had already rebranded Amazon Haul as Bazaar, which was accessible through Amazon’s main shopping app. This version will also remain available in Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. (It may be confusing that Amazon uses two different names for the same affordable product selection! However, Amazon believes the different names are more appealing to local languages and cultures.)
The creation of a separate shopping platform for its more economical inventory suggests that Amazon is intensifying its rivalry with budget-friendly Chinese shopping applications such as Temu, Shein, and TikTok (via TikTok Shop). These platforms have gained considerable traction among younger demographics and individuals with limited funds for expenses like apparel, decorations, gadgets, and other home essentials.
According to the retailer, the Bazaar app will provide these users with access to “hundreds of thousands” of reasonably priced items across various categories, including fashion, home decor, and lifestyle products. Product pages will incorporate well-known Amazon features like consumer feedback and star-based ratings.
Shoppers can log in and make purchases using their existing Amazon details, and they have the option to use Visa, Mastercard, or American Express for payments. To be eligible for complimentary shipping, orders must meet the local minimum purchase requirement, which varies depending on the market. Orders that do not meet the threshold are subject to a regular delivery charge.
Deliveries are expected to take approximately two weeks or less. Returns are accepted without charge within 15 days of receiving the order, and Amazon provides customer support in multiple languages. The app itself is available in six languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Traditional Chinese.
The app will also include engaging elements for users, such as social media-style lucky draws and promotions, which have become popular among Chinese shopping apps. New users will also be offered a 50% discount on their first order as an added incentive to use the app.
