Amazon Haul at a glance

With the launch of Amazon Haul, the US company is declaring war on Chinese low-cost platforms such as Temu and Shein. The strategy behind this is clear - Amazon wants to score points with prices of no more than 20 euros and, above all, with its strong infrastructure. The latter is certainly the biggest advantage over the competition. We take a look at the new player in the low-price segment for you.

What is Amazon Haul

Amazon Haul is a new, independent channel within the Amazon universe. This is exclusively can be accessed via the Amazon shopping app and focuses specifically on particularly affordable products from the lifestyle, fashion, home and household categories. The focus is, of course, on prices. The range is between one and a maximum of twenty euros, with the majority of items being offered for less than ten euros. Amazon Haul combines the playful design and impulse buying experience of well-known flash sale apps with Amazon's established infrastructure for customer service, payment, shipping and returns. The offer is aimed primarily at shoppers under the age of 35 who appreciate bargains and quick deals but don't want to miss out on Amazon's reliability.

How online retailers can use Amazon Haul

The new channel is particularly suitable for online retailers with inexpensive sources of goods or large remaining stocks, while sellers of higher-quality products are less likely to feel addressed due to the price limit. At the moment, access is still heavily dominated by Asian sellers and is only available to a limited extent for traditional Amazon sellers. Observers of the scene expect this to change in the future. However, participation is currently by invitation only. Amazon awards access to online retailers who are requested or suggested by an internal Haul team. Interested parties can still contact interested-sellers@amazon.com by email and request access. There is no guarantee of admission.

The new marketplace is aimed at online retailers who offer high-volume, low-priced products in selected categories. These include no-name gadgets, affordable home accessories, everyday helpers and basic fashion items. Those who work directly with Chinese manufacturers or white label partners can achieve high margins on large quantities. Existing Amazon listings cannot be transferred automatically. They must be created separately for Amazon Haul and listed as an independent offer.

The new marketplace also offers the opportunity to implement impulse purchase strategies in an independent sub-shop without getting lost in the main range. Haul is a suitable platform for those who want to quickly test new low-price products on a young audience and accept longer delivery times.

What buyers can expect

Shoppers should find the new bargain paradise here with extremely low entry prices starting at one euro. The products are generally unbranded and are deliberately offered at lower prices than traditional Amazon offers. Personalized recommendations, the appealing, playful interface with curated trend bundles and user-friendly navigation increase the impulse purchase rate and length of stay. The already low prices are supplemented by constantly changing special promotions with discounts of up to seventy percent and there are graduated discounts for higher value goods, further reducing the average purchase price per item. The same payment options are available as on the parent platform and the usual A-to-Z guarantee protection.

The shipping fee is 3.50 euros and delivery is even free for orders over 25 euros. Prime shipping is not available here. Shipping times are one to two weeks, depending on the item. There is also a 15-day right of return with free DHL, Hermes or UPS returns. The majority of items are shipped directly from manufacturers in China and not from established German Amazon sellers. In most cases, the risk of loss of the goods is transferred to the buyer when they leave the foreign warehouse. Compared to platforms such as Temu or Shein, however, customers benefit from faster, more accommodating service and better processing.

Where are the risks

A key risk lies in the quality and safety of the products, as most items are shipped directly from Chinese warehouses and only undergo basic checks. We have already reported on the problems with hazardous products. The risk of counterfeiting and infringements of intellectual property rights is increasing because counterfeiters like to use cheap platforms to sell their goods. Tests on other low-cost platforms have already shown this. Despite the Amazon controls, a residual risk remains here too. This also poses challenges for online retailers from Germany. It is often difficult for them to understand how legal and safe the items they sell, which are produced cheaply in Asia, actually are.

Delivery times of up to 15 days can increase uncertainty and lead to increased returns, which in turn increases the effort and costs for everyone involved. Finally, it is to be expected that planned regulations, such as the abolition of the duty-free limit below 150 euros, could make the low price models more expensive.

Conclusion

Amazon Haul is a strategic response to the growing pressure from discount apps such as Temu and Shein. The concept combines extremely low prices with the usual Amazon service and could permanently change European discount e-commerce, offering online retailers a sales market for low-price products. Customers need to bear in mind that high-quality products are not the norm here. However, everyone should keep an eye on the special features and possible future regulations in order to make the most of the opportunities and minimize risks.