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I think it's a good idea overall. Their target market is not website sales. It's adding e-books to B&M book stores. I know I'm increasingly in the minority, but I still enjoy browsing (or showrooming) in bookstores, but I always feel a little guilty when I go home and buy the book on-line instead, (or not buy, as the case may be, but that's whole other topic.) But after all the work it took to clear out my books, I'm just not interested in acquiring more paper books. I think it would be great if could buy the books that catch my eye in the store right there.
The big obstacle, of course, is getting publishers on board. Reading all the press releases, it looks like they've been doing this since 2012, but so far, it looks as though Open Road is their only ally. (and Harper Collins, testing a bit with books long past their prime.). And they are completely ignoring the entire Indie market, which you would have thought would be a natural fit for them to bolster their catalogue with.
I did take a moment of my day to check out Walmart. Indeed, even though I never noticed it before, there is a display next to the books with e-book gift cards I can buy.
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