Race to the Bottom for E-readers: Nook Wi-Fi Priced at $149

In What's the Buzz by Hannah Johnson

Barnes and Noble Nook

By Hannah Johnson

Barnes & Noble has a new Nook e-reader, the Nook Wi-Fi. Priced competitively at $149, the Nook Wi-Fi does not have 3G access, but still includes the eInk screen and color touch screen for navigation. B&N also announced that it will lower the price of the 3G Nook to $199.

The Kobo eReader recently became available on June 17 through Indigo in Canada and Borders in the US, and is also priced at $149. To customers who are considering an e-reader purchase, this lower price point is much more appealing than the $249 Amazon Kindle. It could ultimately be the deciding factor in which e-reader can gain more customers in the near future.

And if history is any indication of Amazon’s pricing strategy, there might be a price drop in store for the Kindle as well. Could this race to the bottom be the demise of the e-reader? Or will it be a boon for customers looking to enter the world of e-books?

About the Author

Hannah Johnson

Twitter

Hannah Johnson is the publisher of international book industry magazine Publishing Perspectives, which provides daily information and news about book markets around the world. In addition to building partnerships with international cultural and trade organizations, she works with the Frankfurt Book Fair to organize and support a number of its overseas initiatives. Hannah has also worked as the managing editor for an online media company, The Hooch Life, focused on craft distillers and cocktail experts. Prior to that, she worked as a project manager for the Frankfurt Book Fair’s New York office, managing various business and marketing activities.