Amazon has opened a way for Indians to shop internationally hassle free. The American e-commerce giant on Wednesday announced the launch of its Global Store in India.
Now it’s not like Amazon didn’t already make it possible for international shipping before. Indians could very well order stuff from the U.S .portal of Amazon, provided that they do international delivery. But this page has dedicated listings of all items that can be shipped to India from anywhere else in the world. Of course, you’ll have to wait 10-15 days for delivery of the product, because it’s covering a lot more mileage than before.
Nothing has changed as far online payment methods are concerned. Net-banking is still there, and so is the function of using debit or credit cards. Just this time, there won’t be any COD or cash on delivery. And it makes sense, for obvious reasons. Now when it comes to customs authorities, each item will be cleared for verification and the special customs charges levied will be included in the selling price when the customer buys the product. Amazon even promises to refund the money in the case that the customs taxes fall a little lower than asked for. But buyers will need to show proof of identity that they actually placed the order once the package arrives at their door-step, especially those being shipped from the U.S.
So far, the categories that Amazon has listed for buyers to shop from range from watches, clothing, shoes, electronics, books, office equipment and much more. Each listing includes its own global product tagging so it’s easier to spot on Amazon. Plus, they indicate the exact amount in Indian currency of the various costs of acquiring the product – from import duties to delivery charges. Perhaps the only quirk towards this offering that might put off some potential buyers is that returns are not accepted, but the amount paid can be refunded.
Being a mainly global brand, it’s nice that Amazon has taken that step to make more and more items available to the masses online in India. While Snapdeal and Flipkart operate only within India, Amazon seems to have an upper hand with delivering more goods and providing much diversity with its products. Hopefully, Amazon should open up their online global store to offer more products and categories to Indians as well.
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