Oprah's Kindle Discount - $50 Off

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

It sure would be nice if folks could look at this as a good thing for ebook readers and not as an opportunity to bash the Kindle.

Why bash it over this? Oprah likes it... you can get it on sale... there's lots of books that her audience would like to read, including (you know) everything in Oprah's Book Club, available on Amazon. And like iPod-n-iTunes users, Kindle-n-Amazon users won't have much to grumble about with the basic book-buying process.

Overall, seems like a promotional win for Kindle in particular, and e-books in general.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Why bash it over this? Oprah likes it... you can get it on sale... there's lots of books that her audience would like to read, including (you know) everything in Oprah's Book Club, available on Amazon. And like iPod-n-iTunes users, Kindle-n-Amazon users won't have much to grumble about with the basic book-buying process.

Overall, seems like a promotional win for Kindle in particular, and e-books in general.

I was referring to the previous post about using the Kindle for a doorstop.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I was referring to the previous post about using the Kindle for a doorstop.

Oh.

Never mind.

[Mom of 4]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Isn't that credit card special still on? (Was it the Amazon card?) If so, could you combine these offers... was it $150... so $200 off would be like getting the Kindle for less than half price.

BOb

It was $100 offer, long over and not everyone got it. Lots of problems with Chase.

[Alisa]

There was a $100 discount for getting an Amazon Rewards Visa from Chase awhile back. I think it may have expired. I'm not sure.

[ks1k]

The Amazon credit card offer was $30. If Oprah gives $50 then it is still pretty good.

Too bad I ordered mine last week :-)

Dave sends

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by ks1k

The Amazon credit card offer was $30. If Oprah gives $50 then it is still pretty good.

Too bad I ordered mine last week :-)

Dave sends

Just email them... price protection should kick in here and get you a $50 refund. If not, tell them you will just return it and order again with the coupon code.

BOb

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

The Kindle is way too light for a doorstop. I would think (guess) that anyone receiving the Kindle who is not a reader would "re-gift" it to someone who is.

It sure would be nice if folks could look at this as a good thing for ebook readers and not as an opportunity to bash the Kindle.

Daffy, I do think it is a good thing and I'm not bashing the Kindle. It's the followthrough that worries me.

My concern is this: In 2 weeks the reports will be headlined everywhere -- Oprah sells 100,000 Kindles -- and Amazon will talk about how it is dominating the market for ebooks. Then Amazon will put additional pressure on publishers and authors to lower the price to Amazon and to sell exclusively to Amazon. And so the cycle goes.

I would rather learn that Oprah sold 100,000 Kindles and 90,000 recipients of those Kindles have become regular book buyers, buying and reading at least 1 book a month. In which case, I would swallow hard, let Bezos do his thing without (much) complaint, and be glad for the ebook world.

I fear that the Oprah revolution will fizzle when it comes time to actually buy and read books on the Kindle, especially as many of the purchases may be holiday gifts for children who aren't interested. That's why my interest in how many purchasers will become readers rather than turning their Kindles into doorstops.

BTW, FWIW the Kindle is the target because Amazon has chosen the route of publicizing the Kindle. Lots of Oprah folk buy Oprah recommendations because Oprah recommends it, not because they will use it or need it. In this case, it will tend to distort the ebook market picture. The problem would be the same if it were the Sony rather than the Kindle that Oprah pushed.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Lots of Oprah folk buy Oprah recommendations because Oprah recommends it, not because they will use it or need it. In this case, it will tend to distort the ebook market picture. The problem would be the same if it were the Sony rather than the Kindle that Oprah pushed.

While I would hope that people wouldn't spend their money on a reading device if they didn't actually want to read, regardless of what Oprah says, I wonder if this will be a lot like exercise equipment. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of Oprah viewers like the idea of her book club and think they should be reading more but regardless of whether they buy a paper book or a Kindle, they just won't. People know they should exercise and want to do it more but the treadmill just turns into a coat rack even though they bought it with the best of intentions.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I would rather learn that Oprah sold 100,000 Kindles and 90,000 recipients of those Kindles have become regular book buyers, buying and reading at least 1 book a month. In which case, I would swallow hard, let Bezos do his thing without (much) complaint, and be glad for the ebook world.

I fear that the Oprah revolution will fizzle when it comes time to actually buy and read books on the Kindle, especially as many of the purchases may be holiday gifts for children who aren't interested. That's why my interest in how many purchasers will become readers rather than turning their Kindles into doorstops.

BTW, FWIW the Kindle is the target because Amazon has chosen the route of publicizing the Kindle. Lots of Oprah folk buy Oprah recommendations because Oprah recommends it, not because they will use it or need it. In this case, it will tend to distort the ebook market picture. The problem would be the same if it were the Sony rather than the Kindle that Oprah pushed.

Well, I don't know how this is going to turn out but I'm choosing to be positive. I hope that folks watching the show who are readers and were unaware of the ebook readers on the market will jump on board.

I was unaware of the existence of the Kindle and Sony and all but Palm readers until this past April. I had stopped reading books for years in favor of audiobooks. I decided to change that at the end of last year and started purchasing books at my local Borders. That led me back to Amazon (which I used for purchasing anything other than books for a few years) for books I couldn't find, which led me to learn of the Kindle, which led me to the Sony and both led me to MobileRead.

There may be others like me who weren't thinking about ebook readers because they didn't know. Now there is a much higher chance that will become aware.

The price of the readers, even with discounts, may discourage those who are less serious. Time will tell.

I won't see the Oprah show until tomorrow, so I'm curious as to how the Kindle was presented and if good demos were given.

[tcv]

I knew she wouldn't let us down. Go O! Go e!

[Barcey]

I guess next week Dr. Phil will have a show on e-book addiction.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Barcey

I guess next week Dr. Phil will have a show on e-book addiction.

And this would be a fine place to recruit guests if he does.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Alisa

And this would be a fine place to recruit guests if he does.

someone should send him the url.

[vivaldirules]

Maybe he could have pshwynk and PscychoticDoctorJoanne appear as guests on his show and we could find out (a) why professional psychotics crave fancy cars, and (2) if Dr. Phil does same.