How Amazon Haul aims to beat Temu and Shein with its $20-or-less store

If you've seen all the hype about Temu and Shein (here's our primer on Temu) but are a little leery about diving in, Amazon just made another alternative available.

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Called "Amazon Haul," the store features clothing, electronics, beauty items, jewelry, gadgets, household goods, and more -- all for under $20 an item. A quick browse around the site showed things like a $5 jewelry organizer, a $3 laundry bag, a $5 car phone holder, a $2 AirPod case, $12 men's polo and button shirts, and $4 kitchen shears. 

There's also a special "Crazy Low" category for the current lowest-priced items. To encourage you to spend more, Amazon offers 5% off orders from $50 to $74.99 and $10 off orders over $75.

Shipping is $3.99 for orders under $25, but free once you hit $25. Shipping times are in line with or even faster than Temu and Shein, as most orders take a week or two to arrive. No Haul orders will be eligible for Prime shipping.

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Returns are a little more strict than the standard Amazon process, though. You cannot return items under $3, and items over $3 can only be returned within a 15-day window. Amazon says returned items must be in new, unused condition.

The checkout process is the standard Amazon one. Your saved cards are available to use in the Haul storefront and you can use any rewards or gift cards you have stored. 

As with similar sites, Amazon says it will import Haul items from other countries and ship them directly to you. You are listed as the importer for customs purposes, but Amazon handles the customs process for you. A loophole in that customs process is what allows Temu, and now Amazon, to sell items so cheaply. It also means some of these goods may be produced using forced labor. 

Amazon Haul is only available through mobile devices, and Amazon recommends using the official Amazon app. To access it, search "Haul" or tap Haul from the categories at the top.