Booktopia, Amazon Australia to use robots for fulfilment
Booktopia and Amazon will implement the use of robots in their Australian fulfilment centres in 2021. Booktopia announced it will trial autonomous robots at its Lidcombe Distribution Centre in Sydney...
Amazon Australia creates 500 permanent jobs after criticism of casual workforce
Amazon will create 500 permanent jobs in its Australian fulfilment centres following criticism about the insecure casual employment of its labour hire workers, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. The permanent...
Amazon reports 31% net sales increase in 2018
Amazon has released full-year financial results, showing a net sales increase of 31% in 2018. The retailer earned net sales of US$232.9 billion (A$321.3bn) this year, compared with US$177.9bn (A$245.4)...
Amazon unblocks Oz shoppers from US store
Australian consumers are now able to purchase and ship items from Amazon’s international website, according to a statement from Amazon. The retailer suspended shipping to Australian addresses from its international website...
Canadian literary prize suspended after authors protest Amazon sponsorship
In Canada, a Québécois literary prize has been suspended by organisers after prize finalists and the public protested the sponsorship by Amazon, reports the Guardian. The five finalists for the 2019...
Amazon’s AbeBooks backflips after booksellers protest
After two days of striking against Amazon subsidiary AbeBooks, antiquarian booksellers around the world have had success, with the retailer apologising and saying it would reverse the decision that prompted...
Booksellers protest Amazon’s AbeBooks withdrawing from several countries
Hundreds of antiquarian booksellers from around the world have removed their books from Amazon subsidiary AbeBooks, after it announced it would withdraw its services from several countries, reports the New...
Ebook marketer ordered to pay Amazon US$75,000
Amazon has won US$75,000 (A$104,000) in an arbitration case against ebook marketer Thomas Glenn of the Dominican Republic, reports GeekWire. The case was one of five arbitration demands that the company...
Audible UK revenue grows by 45%
Audible UK has reported a 45% growth in revenue in 2017 to £97 million (A$174.4m), up from £67.1 million (A$120.7m) in the previous year, reports the Bookseller. According to accounts filed...
‘Forbes’ pulls opinion piece arguing Amazon should replace libraries after public backlash
US business magazine Forbes has removed an opinion piece headlined ‘Amazon Should Replace Local Libraries to Save Taxpayers Money’ after backlash from American libraries and their communities, reports Quartz. The...
Amazon launches Prime in Australia
Amazon has launched its subscription service Prime on the company's Australian website, offering users free delivery and subscription access to ebooks, videos and games. The service will include free ‘expedited...
Amazon criticised for removing online book reviews from website
Amazon has drawn criticism from authors, bloggers and publishers for removing reviews from its online book listings, reports the Bookseller. According to reports, some Amazon customers have had all their reviews...
Book Depository to remit GST from July
Amazon-owned online retailer Book Depository has confirmed it will collect and remit GST on overseas purchases from July, when the new tax laws come into effect, reports the Australian Financial...
Amazon to block Oz shoppers from Amazon US
Australian consumers will be unable to purchase items from Amazon’s international websites as the multinational moves to comply with new GST laws affecting online retailers, reports the Sydney Morning Herald....
Amazon’s Sydney warehouse to open mid-late 2018
Amazon will open a Sydney-based warehouse in the second half of 2018, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. The US retailer announced on Thursday that it would open its new Sydney...
Amazon to axe hundreds of jobs
In the US, Amazon is cutting several hundred jobs at its Seattle headquarters, focused mainly on its established consumer retail business, reports the Seattle Times. The cuts come after the...
Amazon’s new education platform facing copyright issues
In the US, Amazon has been forced to remove material from its new educational resources platform Amazon Inspire over copyright issues, reports the New York Times. The free platform, which...
US mall operator comments on Amazon’s plans for physical bookstores
In the US, the CEO of a mall operator has said Amazon plans to open up to 400 physical bookstores, but has since clarified his comments to say they were...
Amazon revenue up 20% in 2015
Amazon’s fourth-quarter financial results show net sales increased to US$107bn (A$151.3bn) in 2015, a 20% increase on 2014, although net income remained marginal at just US$596m (A$842.52m) for the year....
Report finds Amazon responsible for $1.43bn in lost revenue
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) and retail research organisation Civic Economics have released a report blaming Amazon for US$1bn (A$1.43bn) in lost revenue to state and local governments in 2014,...