By Hunky 
Amazon India has silently launched a new feature called Amazon “Bazaar”. This is an app only feature. Only accessible from their mobile app platform. Users can’t access this section from Amazon Website Site, be it desktop version of mobile web version.
Although you are accessing this within Amazon App, but it works and behaves like a separate app. As you can see from the above screen grabs, everything is a cut down version of the main app. Including the account section. Even the customer care section is also a cut down version. There are no 24×7 Customer Service.
What is this Amazon Bazaar?
If you look at the products available in this bazaar section, their pricing and crucially the reviews, few things are clear. It seems they are trying to compete with Meesho.
If you don’t know, Meesho is an app known for their ultra low cost products. In normal terms, what we Indians would like to call “Street Side” / “Street Vendor” / “Footpath Quality”. Now don’t take this otherwise, Footpath or street side quality aren’t always substandard but rather they are lower quality but very affordable compared to what you would get in big shopping malls. They are more functional over style. They may feel little outdated in design, but they meet the criteria of vast majority of our population with much lower purchasing power.
We have used Meesho and their return policy is as good as Amazon. Just keep the hopes or expectations low and at par with the price in which you are getting the product and you wont be disappointed. In case there is any unfortunate issue with the product, Meesho return policy works flawlessly and have earned same respect from us like Amazon.
let’s try Amazon Bazaar
There are a lot of things available. Anyone who has ever visited the footpath markets, street side vendors would know. From PC / Laptop Mobile accessories to kitchen items to bathroom stuff to jewelry for girls. But the best and high selling stuff is always the clothing market. Especially when big brands have made malls inaccessible for lower or lower middle class with their astronomical pricing.
So I thought let’s order from their clothing section. Searched around and found a “round neck cotton blend full sleeve sweatshirt for Rs. 191/- and a Zip type hoodie with Pockets. For two of those, its Rs. 503/- total. Both these products come with 5 days return policy.
I haven’t yet seen the products in real life, so can’t judge the quality yet but if platform based user reviews are something to go by then indeed it is something like street side or footpath quality. Which Amazon Customer base seems to be not aware of. You are getting what you are paying for, one must keep that in mind while shopping in Amazon Bazaar.
Just be aware, Shopping Cart is called “Bag” here and anything you add in the bag wont show up in main amazon app shopping cart. Order / Payment must be done within this mini app section only.
UPI / Cash Only
As I proceeded to the payment page, I saw one big surprise.
No card (Credit or Debit) payment is allowed. Even the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card won’t work here so there are no special credit or debit card discount to had. Infact only mode of payments are UPI / Cash on Delivery, Amazon Pay Balance or Amazon Gift Cards.
As you can see from this screenshot, you can’t purchase stuff from Amazon Bazaar in Credit or avail any special card offer. Everything is hard cold cash (or digital cash) only. This is something I really didn’t like since Meesho, their main competition supports all kind of payment methods, including credit cards.
Anyway, I went ahead with the payment via UPI.
Paying via Amazon Pay UPI is offering Rs. 15/- cash back (Amazon Pay Balance) on each order.
After the successful order, the main amazon app and website are now showing both the orders along with tracking. Although the products from Amazon Bazaar is Amazon Delivered but no Prime benefit available here, like, same day or next day shipping. For my location of Kolkata, the estimated delivery date is around 7-8 days for both of these products.
To Be Continued…
We have just ordered these and presently in wait for these to arrive. So, this review isn’t finished. We need to get these products in hand to judge their quality before making the final judgement. But purely looking at the price, at the time of writing, many of the products in Bazaar section are under cutting Meesho pricing for sure.
So stay tuned, we shall update the post with our feedback and finish the review after we receive the items.
Delivery Update #1
The jacket with hoodie is delivered on Nov 29, so well before their delivery estimate. The quality is much better than what reviews have suggested. It is not at all feeling like street side or footpath quality.
There are two layers like what you may except from a front chest chain jacket hoodie. Inner material is good enough to keep you warm in normal Indian winter at home. This exact same thing may definitely cost more than Rs. 312/- in street side or footpath stalls if you dont know how to bargain really hard. At this day, when I am browsing in Meesho for similar quality product based on their review and customer submitted picture, lowest is like Rs. 450/-
Personally, I am certainly pleased with the quality and the price in which I have got it. Dont forget the fact of free delivery and 5 days return policy. I am getting this delivered at my address along with free return policy of 5 days.
To be Continued..
Although the jacket is a win for me. But I am still in wait for the Roung Neck sweatshirt. That thing is still in transit. I shall update the post once I receive that and share my experience about the product.