Amazon have quietly launched three new stores on their US site. The Under $10 Store specialises in low cost items with free shipping and the Amazon Plants Store looks set to compete with garden centres selling plants and Interesting Finds is full of quirky items.
Amazon.com Under $10 Store
Amazon’s Under $10 Store, which also carries an Under $5 section, looks set to aim for the offline discount pound shop type business. Carrying the $5 Store, Women’s, Jewelry, Men’s, Electronics, Gifts, Home Décor and Watches. All items come with free shipping and every item we looked at is sold by a third party merchant fulfilled from their own warehouse.
This would appear to be a way to attract customers on a budget without the limitations of Amazon Prime minimum order values attached to products in FBA.
Normally on Amazon.com, the search options only enable you to specify items under $25, so for those looking for a bargain the Under $10 could be attractive. Sadly however, there are no search options so unless you enjoy visual browsing it’s going to be a somewhat frustrating experience to try and find a product you’d like to buy.
Amazon Plants Store
You’ve been able to buy plants on Amazon.com for years, but they’ve now brought them all together into the Amazon Plant Store, really just a rebranding of the Patio, Lawn & Garden > Live Plant category.
As well as 8 promoted brands, you can also sort by ‘For Your Garden & Patio’, ‘For Your Home, and ‘Great Gifts’ for visual browsing. It looks very much like the only products in the Amazon Plant Store are from the eight chosen brands promoted at the top of the store. Thankfully, as the Amazon Plants Store operates as a category you can use the normal Amazon search bar once you’ve found a plant that you like and will find alternative offers for similar plants from other vendors.
Interesting Finds
Amazon have a third store promoted from above the menu bad – ‘Interesting Finds‘. This is a page designed to suck you in and keep you browsing until you stumble across that must have item. It’s reminiscent of IWOOT as in the main items aren’t particularly expensive but are quirky, cute or just interesting.
Why three new stores
Amazon’s three new stores are all designed to get consumers browsing visually and keeping them on Amazon for longer. It’s an interesting move, but how many new stores could Amazon launch before maintaining them and keeping them fresh and exciting becomes too much work?
