Target to sell Amazon Kindle

DMcCunney · 06-03-2010, 10:25 AM

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...gift-card.html
______
Dennis

kindlekitten · 06-03-2010, 11:54 AM

I thought this was old news?

rebarnmom · 06-03-2010, 01:51 PM

I think it was just rumors at the time.

Teddman · 06-03-2010, 01:57 PM

Target's been selling Kindles at a few select locations for about a month. The news is that now they'll be carrying them at all locations nationwide.

simplyparticular · 06-03-2010, 06:01 PM

That's good news, assuming they don't bolt it to the display like they have the Sony readers. I'd like to get a feel for the Kindle 2 ergonomics.

I really wish retailers would work on liberating their handheld electronic displays! For all its detractors, Apple has an excellent handle on this.

B&N is kind enough to have Nook tagged with a security sensor wire, so I could actually hold it. Unfortunately, button placement wasn't going to work for me.

Ajax · 06-03-2010, 08:14 PM

The kindle display is going to be on a security tether so that you can hold it and a get a feel for it. From what I have read at work, it is going to have a looped demo running on it rather than allowing you to play around with the OS.

pboss · 06-04-2010, 10:25 AM

I've just read that the nationwide roll-out is set for next week.

Ajax · 06-04-2010, 09:54 PM

Yep the set date is officially Sunday, but they could be set anytime next week.

My store's display arrived in store on Wednesday, I just wonder how many people are going to try and steal it.

kennyc · 06-04-2010, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...gift-card.html
______
Dennis

Great news.

~Kate · 06-04-2010, 10:47 PM

Today Target had a Kindle on display here in Kansas. As Ajax above said, it was tethered and had a looped demo running on it. You couldn't work with the OS.

abookreader · 06-05-2010, 05:46 PM

I was just at Target - the display was up and running but they aren't allowed to sell any Kindles until tomorrow. They really had a few people disgruntled over that. They had 3 or 4 covers that you could buy on the shelves.

I did get a couple of minute or two of playing on the demo and I personally would prefer that they just load some books up and let people play. It was a series of screens that explained "and this looks like a real page" etc.

There were people waiting to see it though and I already own a Kindle so I didn't want to keep them from looking - I only spent about 20 seconds with it. Maybe once you get through the sales pitch it lets you see a book?

SensualPoet · 06-06-2010, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Kate

Today Target had a Kindle on display here in Kansas. As Ajax above said, it was tethered and had a looped demo running on it. You couldn't work with the OS.

This is one thing Kobo in Canada did really well. Larger Indigo stores had up to eight units tethered and turned on. There was a very straight-forward "try me" poster with step-by-step instructions for opening a book, turning pages, changing font sizes, selecting another book, etc. Plus, when I was there, an Indigo salesperson -- not a techy geek or smarmy marketing type from head office -- to ask questions of. My rep was a kindly late 50s-ish grandma able to explain the basics.

One the best selling lines was: "last week we ran out of paper copies of XXX best-seller, but you could still instantly order the Kobo version". This coming from a bricks-and-mortar sales-person was impressive. I mean, if I buy this does it mean you lose your job 'cause I never need to shop in person again? Not to mention revealing you can use the Kobo to check out free library books ....

The other thing that struck me -- this was the first or second day the product was on sale -- three of us, around 11 am on Saturday, were in line at the cash, after having heard the spiel and played with the working units. And the average age wasn't 20-something ... I'd guess the collective age of the three of us close to 185! So, for those of us who "knew where we were when John Kennedy was shot", the affordable Kobo has strong appeal.

Kindle ought to take advantage of this kind of full-featured access instead of a canned demo. But perhaps Target (which doesn't operate in Canada so I don't have direct experience with them) isn't set up to answer questions like Indigo can with the Kobo.

Ajax · 06-06-2010, 04:27 PM

Target team members get almost no training at all when it comes to electronics. If they don't own one of their own or have a fully working demo to play with it's very hard to give people the information they want.

I've owned a K2 since it was released so I told the electronics people to give me a call if anyone had questions on it.

happy_terd · 06-06-2010, 04:53 PM

I hope they have a little demo area up to fiddle with it.

J. Strnad · 06-07-2010, 12:39 AM

I have to wonder if simply putting it out there is enough to make a difference. Obviously, Amazon wants more sales. But with no one to demonstrate the device and to give the sales spiel, will it really help?

06-03-2010, 10:25 AM	#1
DMcCunney New York Editor Posts: 6,384 Karma: 16540415 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: PalmTX, Pocket eDGe, Alcatel Fierce 4, RCA Viking Pro 10, Nexus 7	Target to sell Amazon Kindle http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...gift-card.html ______ Dennis

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06-03-2010, 11:54 AM	#2
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	I thought this was old news?

06-03-2010, 01:51 PM	#3
rebarnmom Wizard Posts: 1,289 Karma: 4525055 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: rural Illinois, USA Device: Sony PRS-700 (traded in), Sony PRS-650	I think it was just rumors at the time.

06-03-2010, 01:57 PM	#4
Teddman Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 695 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Target's been selling Kindles at a few select locations for about a month. The news is that now they'll be carrying them at all locations nationwide.

06-03-2010, 06:01 PM	#5
simplyparticular Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 1395952 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New York Device: Oasis 3 & GlowLight 4	That's good news, assuming they don't bolt it to the display like they have the Sony readers. I'd like to get a feel for the Kindle 2 ergonomics. I really wish retailers would work on liberating their handheld electronic displays! For all its detractors, Apple has an excellent handle on this. B&N is kind enough to have Nook tagged with a security sensor wire, so I could actually hold it. Unfortunately, button placement wasn't going to work for me.

06-03-2010, 08:14 PM	#6
Ajax Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 17083352 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Device: K4 Touch, Kindle Fire, HP Touchpad	The kindle display is going to be on a security tether so that you can hold it and a get a feel for it. From what I have read at work, it is going to have a looped demo running on it rather than allowing you to play around with the OS.

06-04-2010, 10:25 AM	#7
pboss Evangelist Posts: 408 Karma: 646 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: none	I've just read that the nationwide roll-out is set for next week.

06-04-2010, 09:54 PM	#8
Ajax Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 17083352 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Device: K4 Touch, Kindle Fire, HP Touchpad	Yep the set date is officially Sunday, but they could be set anytime next week. My store's display arrived in store on Wednesday, I just wonder how many people are going to try and steal it.

06-04-2010, 10:47 PM	#10
~Kate Connoisseur Posts: 85 Karma: 1087068 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Tornado Alley, USA Device: Paperwhite 2, Fire HDX 8.9, Nexus 7 2013	Today Target had a Kindle on display here in Kansas. As Ajax above said, it was tethered and had a looped demo running on it. You couldn't work with the OS.

06-05-2010, 05:46 PM	#11
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I was just at Target - the display was up and running but they aren't allowed to sell any Kindles until tomorrow. They really had a few people disgruntled over that. They had 3 or 4 covers that you could buy on the shelves. I did get a couple of minute or two of playing on the demo and I personally would prefer that they just load some books up and let people play. It was a series of screens that explained "and this looks like a real page" etc. There were people waiting to see it though and I already own a Kindle so I didn't want to keep them from looking - I only spent about 20 seconds with it. Maybe once you get through the sales pitch it lets you see a book?

06-06-2010, 04:27 PM	#13
Ajax Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 17083352 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Device: K4 Touch, Kindle Fire, HP Touchpad	Target team members get almost no training at all when it comes to electronics. If they don't own one of their own or have a fully working demo to play with it's very hard to give people the information they want. I've owned a K2 since it was released so I told the electronics people to give me a call if anyone had questions on it.

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06-06-2010, 04:53 PM	#14
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	I hope they have a little demo area up to fiddle with it.

06-07-2010, 12:39 AM	#15
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	I have to wonder if simply putting it out there is enough to make a difference. Obviously, Amazon wants more sales. But with no one to demonstrate the device and to give the sales spiel, will it really help?