Yesterday, Amazon launched its dedicated website for Ireland, Amazon.ie. The company said the launch would give customers in Ireland access to “over 200 million products with low prices in Euro, and fast, convenient delivery and returns”. However, there’s been a very mixed response to the launch
One-Day Delivery
One positive element I’ll kick off with is the quick deliveries. I ordered some things I had my eye on for some time yesterday. My first orders from Amazon.ie. The order was placed around 6pm on Tuesday and was delivered at 2pm Wednesday. That’s pretty cool I have to say.
The great thing about getting this order in early was that, even though I’m happy with my products and going to keep them, I could see what the return process would look like.
The Returns Process
One element that was an absolute “must improve” for me with Amazon.ie launching in Ireland was returns. I largely decide who I shop online based on how easily they will let me return products.
I was initially shocked to see what seemed to be a worse return process. But this was because I had first selected “No Reason for Return” which meant I would have to pay €3.99 and print a label to return the product at my local An Post location.
However, I then selected a reason such as “Item is defective or does not work” I can either choose a refund or replacement. In either case, a defective item will get a free return through An Post.
It’s still annoying that I have to print my own label, in a world where label-free returns are incredibly possible to do. Just look at the likes of ASOS and countless other clothes brands.
Pricing
Amazon.ie’s pricing is very much a mixed bag right now. I spent yesterday comparing various products and I have to say that largely, Amazon.ie doesn’t hold up well against Amazon.co.uk or European Amazon stores such as Amazon.de.
I could find examples of every scenario. Whether that be Ireland being cheaper or more expensive than other stores, with plenty just being the same too.
However, the mixed pricing has done little to instil confidence amongst Irish shoppers looking to switch over to Amazon.ie from Amazon.co.uk, leaving everyone sure of only one thing. You have to shop around to ensure you’re getting the best price.
Product Selection
Alongside the returns process, the most disappointing element of Amazon’s Irish launch is the still limited product selection. I can only assume this is going to improve over time.
The first thing I checked was Anker Powerbanks, knowing this was always going to be the first product many were interested in; a fact confirmed in my TikTok comments.
While some Anker powerbanks are available, an improvement from my own recent research, none are available on next day delivery. In fact, they have rather long lead times. This suggests that they are still shipping from other distribution centres.
Hopefully this is addressed in the near future for ranges far beyond just power banks. I’ve had hundreds of comments on my TikToks surrounding the launch, many of which address the limited product range and higher pricing on Amazon.ie.
Supporting Amazon
Another key trend to emerge in my comments was people just not wanting to support Amazon or Jeff Bezos. It’s a conflict of convenience and supporting a company with ties to Donald Trump and poor treatment of workers.
There’s also the question of just what impact this launch will have on Irish businesses who either choose to compete or comply with Amazon practice.
Lost Features on Amazon Prime Ireland
Finally, some features have not carried over to Amazon Prime Membership in Ireland. While Amazon celebrates Prime being cheaper in Ireland, it is for a reason. While the migration to Amazon.ie meant lost of order histories and both lists and wishlists, features were also lost. Family sharing and Prime Reading don’t feature in Prime Ireland.
Many have asked what impact there is on Prime Video. From what I can see, there’s no change. I was already on an EU-level account, but time will tell if that changes or not.
Overall, Amazon.ie feels like a mediocre port of various international Amazon websites instead of a truly dedicate Ireland website. However, I’m sure that will evolve over time as Amazon carves out an identity and footprint in Ireland. Just how much people want that, remains debatable, but The Journal’s poll which shows 70% of Irish shoppers would use Amazon suggests it’s unavoidable.
