Amazon Calls Kindle a Best Seller But Still Declines to Reveal Sales Figures

Amazon.com this morning announced that its Kindle eBook reader was the number one selling product in its online store for all of November. But once again, the company declined to reveal any actual sales numbers for the device. Which is apparently doing really well. Maybe.

Amazon.com today announced that November is already the best sales month ever for Kindle, even before Cyber Monday. Kindle continues to be the most wished for, the most gifted, and the #1 bestselling product across all product categories on Amazon. The latest generation Kindle – just released in October – is $259 and available for immediate shipment today at www.amazon.com/kindle.

"Kindle is a great gift for anyone who loves to read and it's flying off the shelves faster than any other product Amazon sells," said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "We're seeing lots of people buying from one to a handful of Kindles as gifts for friends or family, as well as many businesses and other organizations buying Kindles in large quantities for their employees or customers."

Kindle is the revolutionary portable reader that wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution 6-inch electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle utilizes the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. The latest generation Kindle with Global Wireless enables readers to wirelessly download content in over 100 countries and territories.

Not to beat this to death, but the Kindle is admittedly awesome, and I still use mine every day. My review of the current model is available here, but I should note that when this article was written, the device was much, much more expensive ($390 vs $260 today), had middling battery life (since corrected with a firmware update), and offered no international capabilities (now also corrected). If I were reviewing the device today, I'd give it at least 4/5 stars (there's still no color option) or perhaps 5/5 stars.

Discuss this Article 7

whiplash55
on Nov 30, 2009
I'm sure the Kindle is great, so is their Kindle for PC software, especially if you have a touchscreen running Windows 7. My Latitude XT allows me to increase Font size and scroll to the next page with simple gestures. This is perfect for a family member with MS, she can turn pages by just touching the screen once on the side. This is no beg deal to the average person, but when you can't hold a book or negotiate the small buttons on the Kindle or other eReaders its nice to set a book in front of her and let her read. Sometimes its the small things that can make a person a little more independent that are huge if your disabled.
palavering
on Nov 30, 2009
I agree with ther comment above; the KIndle for PC is much more to my liking. I don't have MS, but I do have decreasing eyesight. I need something that is backlighted, but that is adjustable. The Kindle for PC is the perfect solution.
EricoF3
on Nov 30, 2009
We can see how this kind of thing is popular here... Nobody reply!!
lotsamystuff
on Nov 30, 2009
I know you've got a dog in the hunt since you've professed your love for the Kindle, Paul, but I still think the B&N Nook is a more compelling offering. Unfortunately, they muffed up the introduction, but apparently they're selling well too. Maybe. It'd be nice to see some reporting on the competition, not just the one you happen to own.
Ocean
on Nov 30, 2009
"I still think the B&N Nook is a more compelling offering." Why? ePub? Thats a firmware update away if it becomes necessary. So far, it hasn't prevented the Kindle from being the best reviewed and most sold ebook reader on the market. As for the nook: don't get me started on the battery eating LCD at the bottom that does nothing but navigation...
joiseystud
on Nov 30, 2009
I like the kindle, but its pretty annoying that Amazon is now delaying book releases to Kindle to improve the book sales. The advantage of Kindle is gone to some degree because of this. I wanted to read "Under the Dome" last week, but its delayed until Christmas eve on Kindle. What did I do? Bought the book. Good in one way because thats what Amazon wanted me to do, but now my Kindle will collect dust while I real the 1000 page hardcover... Why is Digital a disadvantage suddenly?
Fanfoot
on Nov 30, 2009
Analysts estimates of sales are out there, and while they're obviously estimates I assume they're not crazy. Predictions that Amazon will sell 2.7 Million Kindles in 2010 for example. And that they'll make up 5% of Amazon's revenue (I'm assuming this covers both Kindles and digital books).

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