Kindle sales predicted to surpass estimates

by Sarah Griffiths on 22 December 2010, 09:59

Tags: Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qa3ou

Add to My Vault: x

Reading between the lines

Despite increasing demand for tablets, it is believed that Amazon will shift some 8 million Kindle e-readers this year, far exceeding analysts' predictions.

For some unknown reason given the Kindle's popularity, Amazon has not disclosed just how successful its e-reader has been but Business Week said 2 people who know about Kindle sales figures told them that Amazon is likely to sell over 8 million Kindles this year, over 60 percent more than analysts predicted.

Bloomberg reportedly surveyed a bunch of analysts who on average predicted sales of 5 million Kindles in 2010. Business Week reported that its source revealed the e-tailer shifted around 2.4 million Kindles in 2009.

If accurate, these figures suggest phenomenal growth in the e-reader market despite the emergence of tablets, which at one point were predicted to damage e-reader sales.

In terms of market share, Amazon is thought to be gaining share rapidly against its key rivals Sony and Barnes & Noble, reportedly outpacing analysts' estimates once more.

The e-tailer launched its e-reader in 2007 to fuel demand for its digital book store and edge its way into the hardware business, but has so far not disclosed how successful the risk has been, or reportedly confirmed these new figures rumours.

However, hinting at continued growth, Amazon did say back in October that the sales of the new version of the Kindle, which was launched in July, has eclipsed the sales of the older model in Q4 of 2009.

The company now has 3 Kindle flavours, including the £109 Kindle with Wi-Fi and £149 model with 3G, which both sold out before Christmas (but are now back in stock for post-Christmas delivery).

Buoyed by the Kindle's success, Amazon shareholders have had a fruitful year, with shares reportedly gaining 37 percent in the past 12 months.



HEXUS Forums :: 2 Comments

Login with Forum Account

Don't have an account? Register today!
Not bad for a company that ran out of Kindles to sell 3 weeks before Xmas…. Me thinks that sales have well exceeded their forecasts…
Yes, but that is bad, they are missing out on plenty of revenue, opertunity lost is sometimes as bad or worse than having overstock.

But I'm sick of everything been compared to the iPad, for a start off they aren't that good, even with the Apple marketing machine they've failed to hit targets:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6f638e54-db10-11df-a870-00144feabdc0.html

But why on earth compare a kindle to one? They are nothing alike. A friend of mine, she has both, both 3g too, and the iPad never leaves her flat, its not portable enough, its crap for watching 16:9 ratio videos on, the screen is just glossy to read from in many environments (not to mention the finger marks).

The Kindle on the other hand is a very low cost, low power specalised device, oh you can browse the web on it, in the same way you could browse the web on a 2400 baud dial up modem, you just wouldn't bother unless it was the last option open to you… Same with games.

But it is brilliant to read off, its easier to read from than most paper backs, you have a brilliant bookstore, which despite missing some of my favourites has enough to keep me entertained, and most importantly a month long battery life, I've only recharged mine three times since uk launch day!

They are seperate ‘needs’ they fill. Stop comparing them, they are not in the same price bracket either.

Its also worth noting if you can genuinely afford an iPad, you can easily afford a kindle from your beer money fund.