Quote:
Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan
Maybe someone can email him and ask what's going on  |
I tried a couple of months ago. He of course didn't bother to reply. Neither did Valerie Motis, who is responsible for Reader Division's PR. On the second try (when trying to inquire about availability of 650 covers) I got a reply from someone at SonyListens team:
Quote:
Thank you for contacting SonyListens.
I apologize for the lack of availability of the Reader cover you are seeking.
I did research this issue and have been advised this cover is no longer available from Sony. It was suggested perhaps a third party vendor may still have some available and be able to fulfill your request, unfortunately I cannot provide the name of a company that may have the inventory.
I regret I was unable to assist you further and wish my response today could have been more positive.
Thank you,
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A friend of mine at one of the Sony authorized retailers told me a while ago that covers, not readers, were the high-margin item. Covers cost Sony next to nothing to produce, they have no high-tech parts, they can be deeply discounted and still make money. Covers! B&N has thirty different designer cover models for their nooks, and no availability problems.
I agree that it is highly unlikely that Sony is killing the Reader. There are markets to be had, with high margins and hungry customers. They have been talking about officially selling in Russia, they are hot in Japan, South Pacific, Europe.
I am afraid for the U.S.A. the Sony Reader is pretty much over. I wouldn't be surprised if the next year's models were not released here at all, or continued with limited availability via SonyStyle.com. Essentially, Sony has given up the U.S. market, having realized that the content sales cannot compete with better entrenched albeit younger competition.
And they have only their own people to blame for U.S. marketing failure. Too cautious and too greedy, Japanese style...