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MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. plans to begin selling Amazon.com’s popular Kindle electronic reader in select stores this weekend, with a larger rollout later on.
Target Corp. plans to begin selling Amazon.com’s popular Kindle electronic reader in select stores this weekend, with a larger rollout later on.
The discount chain said Wednesday that it will be the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry the e-reading device.
Plans call for Kindle, which will retail for $259, to become available at Target’s flagship downtown Minneapolis store and 102 south Florida stores starting on Sunday, April 25. The company said more Target stores will begin offering the device later this year.
Thus far, Kindle has been available for purchase on Amazon.com exclusively.
"We’re excited to be working with Amazon to help even more readers discover Kindle, in-store only at Target," Mark Schindele, senior vice president at Target, said in a statement. "We strive to enhance our product offerings to include surprising products and services at great values, so we’re proud to be the first brick-and-mortar retailer to sell Kindle, allowing our guests to feel how lightweight and easy on the eyes Kindle is."
Target and Amazon have a long-standing online relationship, with the Internet retail giant providing the discounter with e-commerce technology, fulfillment and other services. Last summer, Target announced that it aims to build and manage its own platform for Target.com, with a launch slated for late 2011.
"Target’s reputation for excellence and value makes it the perfect fit for Kindle," commented Steve Kessel, senior vice president for Amazon Kindle. "We’re excited to work with them to bring readers around the country a new way to discover and buy Kindle and, with it, wireless access to a massive selection of over 500,000 books."
The Kindle handheld reading device wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a high-resolution "e-ink" electronic paper display that’s designed to look and read like real paper, as well as be easy on the eyes. More than 500,000 books are available for the device.