11 hours ago Nov. 6, 2013 – 6:00 AM PST
Indie bookstores across the nation will now have the opportunity to profit from Amazon’s Kindle, thanks to a new partnership program that offers discounted units and accessories for resale.
Amazon Source, which launched today, allows indie bookstore owners to purchase any unit from the Kindle Family, including the new Kindle Fire HDX, at a 6 percent discount off of retail for resale at regular price in-store. The opportunity also extends to Kindle accessories, including but not limited to a variety of cases, at 35 percent off of MSRP. Booksellers will also have the option of receiving a continuing 10% commission for every book purchased from a Kindle device sold.
Amazon says that the program is a natural extension of its partnership with UK’s Waterstones, which brought the Kindle to 300 stores. This program, like that partnership, is also an overt strike against the Barnes and Noble Nook – enabling customers to buy e-readers while still patronizing their beloved local bookstore.
The burden does, however, fall on the bookstores themselves. While Amazon assures that the first order placed through Source has a six-month buy-back guarantee, bookstore owners are still buying units upfront that could perhaps cannibalize some of its other stock. It’s the delicate balance of working with small, independently owned shops versus large chains like Waterstones that can absorb the costs better. But it’s likely that this holiday, Kindles will be easier to buy than ever.
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