Walmart/Kobo – Meh?

rcentros · 11-23-2018, 05:41 PM

I went to the second Walmart that put up a Kobo display. Although they finally (after about a month and a half) got electricity to the video display, there's still no Kobo Aura or tablet in the clamps. Just the book and gift cards and the video playing in the background.

Going into Black Friday, Walmart has four of the five current Kobos on sale, but are missing the Forma (sold out). But they only show three of them on the Kobo page. If you go to their Kobo device link, you wouldn't know the Kobo Aura One was in stock.

https://www.walmart.com/cp/3252253

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/581680587

It does look like the Kobo Aura is being sold out (kind of like the Paperwhite 3 at Amazon). After first dropping the price of the Aura to $70, they've now dropped it down to $50. So, I'm guessing, the $70 price wasn't producing enough sales.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/621781419

So what happens when the Aura is sold out? Will Walmart start stocking the Clara in-store? Will they drop the price another $10 (or so)? So far it doesn't look like Walmart is putting that much effort into the Walmart/Kobo E-Book push.

MGlitch · 11-23-2018, 06:33 PM

I'm not sure if it's still the case, but last I looked walmart no longer listed the black forma sleepcover on their website. Not as in 'out of stock', simply not being on the site anywhere.

I wonder just what the contract Kobo has with Walmart specifies, because it sure doesn't seem to me that Walmart is living up to any sort of reasonable expectations.

HLS · 11-23-2018, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

I went to the second Walmart that put up a Kobo display. Although they finally (after about a month and a half) got electricity to the video display, there's still no Kobo Aura or tablet in the clamps. Just the book and gift cards and the video playing in the background.

Going into Black Friday, Walmart has four of the five current Kobos on sale, but are missing the Forma (sold out). But they only show three of them on the Kobo page. If you go to their Kobo device link, you wouldn't know the Kobo Aura One was in stock.

https://www.walmart.com/cp/3252253

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/581680587

It does look like the Kobo Aura is being sold out (kind of like the Paperwhite 3 at Amazon). After first dropping the price of the Aura to $70, they've now dropped it down to $50. So, I'm guessing, the $70 price wasn't producing enough sales.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/621781419

So what happens when the Aura is sold out? Will Walmart start stocking the Clara in-store? Will they drop the price another $10 (or so)? So far it doesn't look like Walmart is putting that much effort into the Walmart/Kobo E-Book push.

kobo told me they have no plans to sell any devices instore other than the Aura

rcentros · 11-23-2018, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcladyz

kobo told me they have no plans to sell any devices instore other than the Aura

Okay. But happens when they're sold out? Or are they still making Auras? It seems like Walmart's $50 sale is a "get 'em out of here' price drop.

rcentros · 11-23-2018, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

I'm not sure if it's still the case, but last I looked walmart no longer listed the black forma sleepcover on their website. Not as in 'out of stock', simply not being on the site anywhere.

I'm guessing (I don't know) that Kobo has a shortage of Formas and Forma cases. Maybe Walmart pays less so they have to stand at the end of the line.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

I wonder just what the contract Kobo has with Walmart specifies, because it sure doesn't seem to me that Walmart is living up to any sort of reasonable expectations.

I have to agree. But I don't know how much of that is Walmart's fault, or if there is a of shortage of Kobos available. It might be that Kobo can't keep up with Walmart's demand — which would be a good thing in the long run.

MGlitch · 11-23-2018, 10:11 PM

I’d ordered a case from kobo directly shortly after seeing it was gone from Walmart it’s already arrived so I’m not sure how much of a shortage Kobo has.

rcentros · 11-23-2018, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

I’d ordered a case from kobo directly shortly after seeing it was gone from Walmart it’s already arrived so I’m not sure how much of a shortage Kobo has.

They may give themselves and their other, longtime sellers priority over Walmart. Which, if true, I would applaud.

Barbara1955 · 11-24-2018, 12:47 AM

Walmart don't have any thing to do with the store setups. That's an Independent Contractor. They are not saying a thing.

rcentros · 11-24-2018, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

Walmart don't have any thing to do with the store setups. That's an Independent Contractor. They are not saying a thing.

I know. I just kind of wish they would have put a little more into this. Maybe in April when the new floor plans are set up. We'll see. Meanwhile it's kind of nice that Kobos can be picked up at the local Walmart, even if you have to wait a couple days for your order to come in.

11-23-2018, 05:41 PM	#1
rcentros eReader Wrangler Posts: 7,888 Karma: 52039845 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boise, ID Device: PB HD3, GL3, Tolino Vision 4, Voyage, Clara HD	Walmart/Kobo – Meh? I went to the second Walmart that put up a Kobo display. Although they finally (after about a month and a half) got electricity to the video display, there's still no Kobo Aura or tablet in the clamps. Just the book and gift cards and the video playing in the background. Going into Black Friday, Walmart has four of the five current Kobos on sale, but are missing the Forma (sold out). But they only show three of them on the Kobo page. If you go to their Kobo device link, you wouldn't know the Kobo Aura One was in stock. https://www.walmart.com/cp/3252253 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/581680587 It does look like the Kobo Aura is being sold out (kind of like the Paperwhite 3 at Amazon). After first dropping the price of the Aura to $70, they've now dropped it down to $50. So, I'm guessing, the $70 price wasn't producing enough sales. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kobo-Aura...bled/621781419 So what happens when the Aura is sold out? Will Walmart start stocking the Clara in-store? Will they drop the price another $10 (or so)? So far it doesn't look like Walmart is putting that much effort into the Walmart/Kobo E-Book push.

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11-23-2018, 06:33 PM	#2
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,855 Karma: 22003124 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	I'm not sure if it's still the case, but last I looked walmart no longer listed the black forma sleepcover on their website. Not as in 'out of stock', simply not being on the site anywhere. I wonder just what the contract Kobo has with Walmart specifies, because it sure doesn't seem to me that Walmart is living up to any sort of reasonable expectations.

11-23-2018, 10:11 PM	#6
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,855 Karma: 22003124 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	I’d ordered a case from kobo directly shortly after seeing it was gone from Walmart it’s already arrived so I’m not sure how much of a shortage Kobo has.

11-24-2018, 12:47 AM	#8
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Walmart don't have any thing to do with the store setups. That's an Independent Contractor. They are not saying a thing.