Home Kindle Sales on Black Friday Up 400% Over Last Year

Kindle Sales on Black Friday Up 400% Over Last Year

Amazon’s Kindle sales on Black Friday were up 400% over last year, according to the company. The Kindle Fire tablet is now the bestselling item on Amazon.com. Prior to its release, Amazon ordered 5 million Kindle Fires to meet demand.

Amazon also refreshed the e-ink Kindle line this year, introducing a touchscreen version. Amazon is usually cagey about Kindle sales and won’t specify numbers or the breakdown across the Kindle family. But 2011 has been the year of the Kindle, and Amazon wants to demonstrate its success.

The new, basic Kindle model is $79 ($109 without screen saver ads). E-readers haven’t yet replaced the printed book altogether, but a $79 price point is a great start for consumers. Between the basic model, the Kindle Touch, and the 3G Touch, the line of Kindle e-readers has options all along the price spectrum with the $199 Kindle Fire tablet as the top-of-the-line Kindle.

Amazon treats the Kindle line as an end-to-end retail service, rather than just a range of products. While it touts the hardware and its features, Amazon describes the Kindles as a “service” for consumers who buy media and other goods through Amazon, especially through Amazon Prime membership, which brings streaming video straight to the Fire.

The Kindle & Online Shopping

This year’s Black Friday sales were “good” for retailers, so the story is that it was “good” for America. It’s hard to argue that consumers pepper spraying each other to get at the goodies is “good.” But the clear trend this year is toward online shopping and, consequently, away from the “chaos” of stores.

More than five times as many people shopped from mobile devices to beat the rush (and skip the violence) this year. The Kindle family is Amazon’s handheld digital shopping portal, and its success this Black Friday is in line with this marked trend toward digital shopping.

Have you shopped on a handheld device this holiday season?

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.