Minneapolis – Target
said it is phasing out its assortment of Kindles, accessories and Amazon.com-branded
merchandise this spring.
In a statement
issued to TWICE, the discounter said it “continually evaluates its product
assortment to deliver the best quality and prices for our guests,” and will
continue to offer a full selection of e-readers and accessories.
Target currently
carries Apple’s iPad and Barnes and Noble’s Nook in addition to Amazon’s e-book
readers and Kindle Fire tablet.
No reason was
given for the decision, which comes amid increased online competition from
Amazon, reports of a planned expansion of Target’s Apple business into
dedicated “mini-shops,” and this week’s $300 million investment by Microsoft
into a new Barnes & Noble digital subsidiary.
Target was the
first retailer outside Amazon to carry the Kindle e-book reader, which first
hit the discounter’s shelves two years ago last week, and last December Target
merchandising VP Nik Nayar cited Kindle Fire as “the best selling tablet in our
stores on Black Friday.”
