Are you tired of getting the things you buy online so damn fast? Do you live in Shanghai and want to find a way to slow down that city’s fast-paced rhythm a little? If so, you’re in luck, as Amazon has just quietly introduced a slower shipping option in Shanghai (as well as Harbin). On orders of over 99 RMB ($15), users can now select 4-7 day shipping that costs 3 RMB ($0.47) less than the default option.
Obviously, the draw here isn’t really that people want their items shipped more slowly; actually Amazon is trying to cater to customers who are interested in online shopping but put off by the shipping prices, especially for small items.
It’s a bit of a risky move, as slower shipping times means more time for online shoppers to change their minds, cancel their orders, or otherwise abandon the purchase, which could potentially increase the number of returns and customer service issues Amazon’s support staff has to deal with (and pay for). That, Amazon reps say, is why most other Chinese e-commerce sites prefer to offer only fast shipping options. Amazon hopes the competitiveness of the 4-7 shipping option’s price will give the company enough of an advantage to offset any damage done by the increase in pre-delivery buyer’s remorse.
But if you’re looking for that 3 RMB savings yourself, you could be out of luck, as presently the slower option is available only in Shanghai and Harbin. It is also available only for items that are sold directly by Amazon, so it won’t work with any of the items Amazon sells via third parties. If it works out, expect to see the service rolled out to other Chinese cities; if not, expect it to be canned even more quietly than its decidedly-low-profile rollout.
[Morning Post via Sina Tech]
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