Staples Will Soon Be Able To Fulfill All Your Kindle Needs

For the longest time the Kindle was only available via Amazon. It’s actually a wonder that it did so well without a brick and mortar presence, but a few months back, Target started displaying and selling the ereader within its stores. Soon, Staples will be the latest to hawk the best-selling ereader device in 1,550 of its stores. Participating Staples locations will begin selling all three Kindle models sometime this autumn.

The Kindle is Amazon’s best selling item of all time and the latest refreshed model broke all previous sales records. The Staples partnership will only help Amazon’s cause and will likely not hurt Amazon’s own sales. If anything,  it gives consumers another outlet to try out the ereader before ordering one directly from Amazon. But the brick and mortar stores opens up the device to demographics that shop very little or not at all online. Some people simply feel better about buying from a store where they know they can return the device or visit if they have any issues.

Along with the Kindle models themselves, Staples will also carry a full line of accessories later this year.

The All-New Kindle and Kindle 3G, Available in Staples Stores Nationwide Early This Fall

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) announced today plans to offer customers Kindle, Amazon’s #1 best-selling, most-wished-for and most-gifted product for two years running. Staples is the only office superstore to carry the wireless reading device in all of its stores nationwide beginning this fall. Interactive displays will allow customers to experience the product before they buy and to learn more about the new generation Kindle which recently launched to rave reviews from the New York Times, Wired, CNET, PC World, PC Magazine, and more.

“We are excited that such a great company and brand as Staples will be offering the new generation Kindle to its customers”

“Staples is not just bringing this incredible product to our 1,550+ US stores, but we are offering customers a chance to discover first-hand Amazon’s revolutionary reading device,” said Jevin Eagle, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing at Staples. “As part of our efforts to offer customers a wide range of top technology products and services at amazing values, the new Kindle is a natural fit.”

Kindle is Amazon.com’s best-selling product, a reading device that wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight. The all-new Kindle has a new electronic-ink screen with 50 percent better contrast, is 21 percent smaller and 15 percent lighter, boasts 20 percent faster page turns, up to one month of battery life with wireless off, double the storage to 3,500 books, and more — all for only $139.

Kindle offers the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. The Kindle Store now has more than 670,000 books, including New Releases and 107 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 550,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 73 New York Times Best Sellers. Kindle lets you Buy Once, Read Everywhere — on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off.

Staples will carry the following new Kindle devices:

  • Kindle ($139.00) – 6” diagonal
  • Kindle 3G ($189.00) – 6” diagonal
  • Kindle DX ($379.00) – 9.7” diagonal (available at Staples late fall 2010)

“We are excited that such a great company and brand as Staples will be offering the new generation Kindle to its customers,” said Steve Kessel, Senior Vice President, Amazon Kindle. “Staples will be offering its customers a great experience with Kindle — the ability to think of a book and be reading it in less than 60 seconds, read on a screen that is easy on the eyes even in bright sunlight, carry thousands of books with them wherever they go in just 8.5 ounces — all for only $139.”

Staples will also carry a full assortment of Kindle accessories. Kindle is part of several new exciting technology products available from Staples in time for the 2010 holiday season. Staples will announce their full line-up of top tech products and other great savings for the season later this fall.

Customers can take advantage of Staples’ extensive technology offerings year-round as well. Staples makes buying technology easy as one of the leading retailers of computers, printers, software, ink and toner. In addition, at every U.S. store, Staples EasyTechs provide customers with a wide range of technology services such as new computer set-up, hardware and software installations, data transfer and security, and repair and troubleshooting. Visit www.staples.com/techservices to learn more.

About Staples

Staples, the world’s largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products and services. Our broad selection of office supplieselectronicstechnology and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and copying and printing, helps our customers run their offices efficiently. With 2009 sales of $24 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia serving businesses of all sizes and consumers. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today ranks second worldwide in e-commerce sales. The company is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com/media.</div>