SYDNEY, April 20 (Reuters) - Global retail juggernaut Amazon.com Inc AMZN.O said on Thursday it plans to offer its retail shopfront service in Australia, confirming rumours which have circulated for years about its plans to expand into the world's 12th-largest economy.
The Seattle-based firm said in an email that after offering its internet cloud service in Australia in 2012 and opening an online e-book store in 2013, "the next step is to bring a retail offering to Australia".
"We are excited to bring thousands of new jobs to Australia, millions of dollars in additional investment, and to empower small Australian businesses through Amazon Marketplace," the email said, referring to the company's online retail shopfront service.