Story HD for $49 in US target?

[teh603]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

2. The target I was in did nothing to push this reader. Yes they had the reader out... they had let the batter go dead on the unit. There was nothing to indicate this was a Target exclusive and unless you had a working demo, there was nothing to indicate what made it unique (integration with Google Books or the high res screen). Add to that, that before the price was dropped, most of its direct competitors (price wise) had touch screens which many (myself included) don't care about but which many do... and well... It ends up looking like a Kindle clone.

That's about right for Target. My local one had a huge shelf of them listed for $499, when they were supposed to be on sale for $99. Might just be antipathy on the part of the sales staff, though.

[soilwork]

Originally Posted by teh603

My local one had a huge shelf of them listed for $499, when they were supposed to be on sale for $99. Might just be antipathy on the part of the sales staff, though.

That is hilarious. Probably, a clerk might have misread $49.99 for $499.99.

I also think Target is not really interested in promoting this product. In the local Target store that I picked up my Story HD, Story HD was not even on display. Instead, boxes of Stoy HD units were stacked behind secured windows under the diplay space.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by soilwork

That is hilarious. Probably, a clerk might have misread $49.99 for $499.99.

I also think Target is not really interested in promoting this product. In the local Target store that I picked up my Story HD, Story HD was not even on display. Instead, boxes of Stoy HD units were stacked behind secured windows under the diplay space.

No, this was from the sale last October when the list price was still $499. I got mine for $99, and the clerk was really surprised. Nobody at the store was aware of the sale, and she was going to have to come back and re-tag every last one of them.

There wasn't a display unit, either. Just lots of boxes on those locking pegs.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by teh603

No, this was from the sale last October when the list price was still $499. I got mine for $99, and the clerk was really surprised. Nobody at the store was aware of the sale, and she was going to have to come back and re-tag every last one of them.

It was never $499. I believe it was $149.99 before the sale.

[CJJ]

The original Target price was $139.99. The price dropped to $99.99 in October I believe.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by CJJ

The original Target price was $139.99. The price dropped to $99.99 in October I believe.

Thank you for that correction. Must have mixed up the pricing with something else (or maybe quoted a pre-release prediction).

[teh603]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Thank you for that correction. Must have mixed up the pricing with something else (or maybe quoted a pre-release prediction).

Hm... I could've sworn the Story HD was $499.

*shrug*

I probably got it mixed up with one of the iPad models.

[shootingMaNs]

I might go pick one up this week if Target still has one. I loved the Story HD I had before, but at the time I had four different ereaders, and it wasn't getting used much. I'm down to two, but the battery in my PRS-600 is dying, so maybe I'll pick up another Story HD as a back up.

[TonyKZ1]

I just picked one up during lunch time @ Target today, so far it's working pretty good.
Tony

[CJJ]

Originally Posted by TonyKZ1

I just picked one up during lunch time @ Target today, so far it's working pretty good.
Tony

Congrats and enjoy! For $50 you can't beat it.

[Mnementh666]

Woot! Picked up the last one available anywhere near me.
So far, so good.
Works awesome as a manga reader, reads cbz files, and way way faster and nicer at epubs than my old Astak EZReader.

[jlc]

I've been seeing the Story HD at the Target stores in my area. The online inventory checker confirms that almost all stores everywhere still have it in stock even weeks after the $49 price cut. What gives with the stagnant sales? Also, I wonder if the price will drop down even further if this trend continues.

[CJJ]

Originally Posted by jlc

I've been seeing the Story HD at the Target stores in my area. The online inventory checker confirms that almost all stores everywhere still have it in stock even weeks after the $49 price cut. What gives with the stagnant sales? Also, I wonder if the price will drop down even further if this trend continues.

Or Target says screw it and sells its stock to a liquidator. In which case all the stores will send back their stock. Doesn't mean you still wont find it somewhere, maybe even cheaper. But probably not with a 45 day return policy like Target.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by jlc

I've been seeing the Story HD at the Target stores in my area. The online inventory checker confirms that almost all stores everywhere still have it in stock even weeks after the $49 price cut. What gives with the stagnant sales? Also, I wonder if the price will drop down even further if this trend continues.

Lack of advertising. Lack of informing the staff to mark it down. Bad placement in the store. Any of the above?

[chuckz]

Crowd psychology - an average person wants what his/her neighbor has: an iPad of e-readers.
I've seen demise of promising MP3 players that were just a bit on the other side of an average consumer's dream. :-(
And people in general are suspicious of discounted goods.
On the other hand, this is a little strange considering American consumer's love of free lunch. :-)
Maybe the problem is that in this case the free lunch menu is not very familiar.

For myself, I am afraid that a downward spiral of insufficient future software development is what we should expect, unfortunately.
I am wondering also what will I get within my $7 2-year replacement policy purchased at Target if the Story stops breathing ?