Australian retailers will get an Amazon boost too

The start-up of Amazon in Australia provides a good moment to look back at the damage done to local retailers before it even took its first order.

JB Hi-Fi stock is down 14 per cent since the start of the year, Harvey Norman is down 22 per cent, Super Retail Group which owns Rebel and Super Cheap Auto, is down 23 per cent and footwear retailer Accent (formerly known as RCG Corporation) is off more than 37 per cent.