Amazon extending free shipping promo: Walmart, or Nook Color and Google eBooks related?
Amazon is reportedly extending its free shipping promo in time for the Christmas season that is obviously another money-maker aside from the recently concluded Black Friday and Cyber Monday. According to NY Times, the e-commerce website will still carry out the free shipping promo for single orders over $25.
Aside from the Christmas shopping season, there’s a possibility that the free shipping extension of Amazon is a response to Walmart’s promo that is even more aggressive, offering free shipping for all items with no minimum amount of orders.
But is it only because of Walmart?
Well, there’s also a possibility that Amazon wants more Kindle sales during the Christmas online shopping rush. Amazon has sold Kindle 2 for only $89 last Black Friday, a strategy to increase the sales of their popular e-reader because more Kindle gadgets means more Kindle books sales, and more profits.
Free shipping will also help the company to compete with iPad, the gadget recently dubbed as the Kindle killer. Aside from iPad, Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color and Sony’s Reader are also getting a lot of attention. Android powered Nook Color is one good example why Amazon needs free shipping.
After the much-publicized hacking of the B&N e-reader, there were reports posted on the internet claiming that the company manufactures 18K Nook Color units each day, one good hint of strong sales.
Another possible Kindle electronic books and readers “killer” is the Google eBooks. The search-engine giant recently unveiled its very own eBooks store, giving Amazon another competition.
According to a February 2010 report of Information Week, Amazon’s Kindle sales have pushed the company’s profits up by 71%.
