Before the e-reader wars, Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-readers were $259. Then B&N dropped the Nook to $199 and lowering its lower-end Wi-Fi version to $149. Amazon then dropped the Kindle’s price to $189. All the while, Borders stood in the background paring its nails. Border’s e-reader, the Kobo, has stayed steady at $149.99 and its smaller version, the Libre, at $119. Borders believes that’s the right place for the e-reader to be.
“According to Boston Consulting Group, high prices continue to be a barrier to eReader adoption. The consumer sweet spot for eReader cost (is) between $100 and $150. This positions Borders for strong consumer adoption and market penetration.”
The most Borders has done in reaction to the e-reader duel is to add a little baksheesh to their offers. This morning Borders announced it was bundling the Kobo with a $20 Borders gift card, and double Borders Bucks that can be used towards a future purchase.
Given that their two primary competitors are getting wise to the “sweet spot” idea, will Borders have to get its hands dirty? Before it counted on being by far the most reasonably-priced of the offerings. But what does it have if it loses that to its better known rivals? We have asked Borders and will publish an update if they respond.
In the meantime, the iPad, which has sold several million in a couple of months, is despite its monthly fee, a threat for the time being.
Read more ReadWriteWeb coverage of e-readers and e-books.
