The name of Amazon’s new $20-and-under storefront, Amazon Haul, says it all.
The platform, which launched in beta on Wednesday, sells products including fashion with “ultra-low prices” and is seen as a bid to compete with China-affiliated retailers Shein and Temu. (The model for all three is largely the same: ship products directly from China, with typical delivery times of one to two weeks.) That’s the wrong game to get competitive on, say environmentalists. Shein and Temu have faced a slew of criticisms and investigations from regulators in the US and Europe who are concerned about their labour practices, “overuse and abuse” of the ‘de minimis’ shipping exemption and Shein’s ongoing pursuit of an IPO.
