“Negative ads seem to work better on voters than consumers,” Quentin Fottrell reports for MarketWatch. “Earlier this week, Amazon released – then pulled – an ad on its home page that portrayed Apple’s new iPad mini as vastly inferior to its own Kindle Fire HD. Amazon’s comparison chart also claimed the Mini had a ‘mono speaker.’ In fact, the iPad Mini has a stereo speaker, an Apple spokeswoman says. (Amazon did not respond to requests for comment.)”
Fottrell reports, “The advertisement was not only a bad call because of the error, analysts say, but also because Amazon cherry-picked just a few technical specs for comparison… Consider, for example: The iPad Mini has two cameras, while the Kindle Fire HD has just one. Apple also has over 700,000 apps; Kindle Store only has less than 58,000 apps.”
“As the biggest online retailer on the planet, Amazon is being frozen out by bricks-and-mortar stores: In September, Wal-Mart pulled the Kindle Fire from its stores; Target stopped selling it in May,” Fottrell reports. “Studies carried out even before the release of the iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad found that Amazon may have to fight for a share of the tablet market. Even before Apple announced that the new tablets would land on November 2, Apple’s tablet share by units shipped hit 68% in the second quarter, according to research firm IDC, while the Kindle only had 5%.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple’s new iPad mini sold out in New York City stores – November 2, 2012
The Independent reviews Apple’s iPad mini: High-end gadget is worth the price – October 31, 2012
CNET reviews Apple’s iPad mini: The new standard for little-tablet design – October 31, 2012
NYT’s Pogue reviews Apple’s iPad mini: ‘All the iPad goodness in a more manageable size; it’s awesome’ – October 31, 2012
USA Today’s Baig reviews Apple’s iPad mini: ‘A splendid choice; terrific for reading, watching movies and playing games’ – October 31, 2012
Mossberg reviews Apple’s iPad mini: ‘An impressive feat; the perfect solution’ – October 31, 2012
Like Target before them, Walmart stops selling all Amazon Kindles – September 20, 2012
Target to stop selling Amazon’s Kindle, outfit stores with special Apple iPad displays – May 2, 2012
A minor detail.
Tis not a ‘minor detail’ that they displayed easily-checked misrepresentations, it’s called dishonesty.
Er… I think he was trying to be sarcastic or ironic or one of those hard to spell things… LOL
I quit buying from Amazon the day they openly encouraged shoppers to go into retail stores and use their app to comparison shop. Now I may use the Amazon website to research products I’m considering purchasing, then buy them locally. I’d rather pay a bit more to buy from a local store that employs people from my community.
thats what I do, too: use their app to learn more about products I see in the store so I can decide whether they’re worth getting or not. I find the reviews especially valuable. Most of the time it’s not only easier to buy then and there, it’s essentially cheaper (or at least comparably priced) to do so as well. So, more convenient all around to buy locally, but better informed thanks to Amazon.
I use amazon to read reviews on a product and almost always buy locally, for 2 reasons, I want it right now, and help out my local retailers. Pricing is secondary to me, I want things that are good.
Exactly right!
If the world is to get out of this economic crap we are all in we need to buy from more local businesses.
Small local traders who care about their customers and not a faceless online store that only thinks that bar charts going up is great customer service.
I just did that yesterday to buy a new Panasonic Blu-Ray player at Best Buy (didn’t even consider the Samsung models, even though they were cheaper, since I’m replacing an old Samsung which has never played Blu-Ray correctly). Amazon’s customer reviews were quite helpful.
I do buy things from Amazon that I can’t find locally, though.
I’m reading this on my new mini. I thought Amazon was a river, who knew?
I returned the Kindle Fire HD today after getting the mini yesterday. I will also be ordering another mini with 4G because my wife fell in love with this one and wants one for herself.
Same here. It’s amazing that folks don’t keep sight of having a KINDLE app in iOS. What sort of uber proprietary Kindle-only ability requires an Amazon tablet? And is that ability so great/necessary that IT (not price) is the deciding factor in tablet choice? I think the analysts are way off track when they assume Amazon access is the reason people buy the Kindle line-up items. Price is the primary reason for a vast majority of non-iOS purchases.
The Kindle is a defensive move by Amazon. The fear is that Apple goes into the online retail business, ala Amazon, via iTunes. As long as Amazon has been around (pre-dates iTunes) Apple has far more credit cards on file than does Amazon.
That’s a real threat, although I think it unlikely.
You can’t be reading it on an iPad mini. Derek Currie said “Apple will not make an iPad mini”! So you must be confused sir.
can you tell us your experience with the new mini ? thinking to buy one but looking for a normal user experience 😉
There are places where shopping locally is not an option, especially in rural areas. Amazon has been a solid on-line retailer. Prices are often very good. They are efficient and I have rarely had a problem with them at all. I also like the Kindle ap and Kindle Store at Amazon which often has things Apple doesn’t have, sometimes for a lower price. I remain a supporter of Amazon…even if their effort to compete with tablets will be doomed.
Agreed. The few stores in the small town nearby rarely have the stuff I’m looking for, but I generally give them a shot. Amazon is a good alternative to driving three hours to a larger town.
If they don’t have what you need, ask them if they can order it for you. Sometimes even small rural stores can get things in a day or two from various distributors they might use. If you order it enough, they may decide to start carrying it.
Actually that is one of the biggest American problems for business now. Our brick and morter stores still think its 1950 and we live in small town america. Buy what I have to go somewhere else,,,, cause I built this…
But its a world economy and if I need something special, I like being able to get it. Even Walmart will ship to store anything they sell online for free. You pick up in store. Even if its not normally stocked there.
Just a thought in todays world wide economy. PS. Buy an iPod and get a notice that its shipping fed ex from china.
Sorry, Plucky, that’s just not the way of things. Of course, some things can be ordered. But it almost always takes substantially more time than if we get it from Amazon (or elsewhere) and if time is an issue for someone, waiting who-know-how-long for the store to process an order and for it to come in using slow, but cheaper shipping times, isn’t always a good option.
I do lots of local shopping. I support local stores. But I know the limits of the stores. And my need for one product every two months is not going to be enough to have them figure out where to shelve an additional product. It all depends, of course. But I gave up ordering through local stores a long time back. Returns are often more difficult, too, and a hassle for the stores who don’t always have a good attitude about returns.
Local stores need to consider a new paradigm in operations. I want them to succeed. But they need to evolve.
Just placed an order with Amazon a few hours ago for several items, one being a birthday present for my wife. None of them were available locally, and I got free shipping and no tax (yeah, like I’m going to voluntarily send it to the state). My wife just switched from her Kindle Reader to her iPad, and enjoys them both. I’ve used Amazon for years and will continue to do so; they aren’t even close to being another Google. I love Apple, but they basically are a one trick pony, while Amazon has it all.
Concur, you’re exactly right when you say Amazon is not another Google. If they become one, they’ll lose lots of us.
People have to stop lumping all other non-Apple companies into the same bedpan. In addition, Amazon helps lots of smaller retailers to sell through them giving us access to many third party sellers that we would otherwise not even know about.
Amazon has been a core part of my shopping.
Since they now charge Ca. tax which adds a lot when you tack on shipping costs as well. They are no longer a bargain. I would even pay a bit more just to keep my $ in my community.
Didn’t know they charged Calif tax now. I thought they had successfully negotiated the maze of all the state tax laws to have avoided it. (I’m in Calif at the moment, but am usually out of state.)
Not sure about this. I did pay tax for something I ordered two weeks ago and another I did not. Either way: Fsck California! Money grubbing good for nothing politicians to cowardly to loosen silly ass enviromental laws to lower gas prices and then want us to increase taxes for “education.” What the hell was the state lottety for? Personally, if you can avoid paying state taxes the better especially if your state can’t balance a simple checkbook let alone a state budget!
Watch your mouth, dickwad! If you don’t like California, you are free to leave. It’s crazy to think the politicians are any better anywhere else.
As for Amazon charging sales tax to CA residents, my latest purchase was not taxed; but my friend down the street was charged sales tax. Go figure.
heybuf you want to continue getting gouged go right ahea ads wipr but you let that happen to you and not ither people that do not want to pay taxes especially when they are being wasted and there is no of improvement. And as for leaving california how about you and you tax everyone for everything asdhole leave? Funny how you defenders if the staus quo approve dissent if its your ilk.
Mr. Tuttle:
What do you know? Grammar?
Environmental laws? We invented smog, then found ways to reduce it with a cleaner gas formulation. BTW it takes ganas to vote for such laws, there’s nothing cowardly about doing the right thing. Want to balance the budget? Reverse Prop 13 and close some 3-strikes prisons. Meanwhile, California continues to lead the nation in innovative business: Apple, Google, Facebook, Disney/Lucas, Pixar, etc.
first reversing prop 13 is last thing i want to happen. Prop13 put a stop at runaway property taxes who many were losing there homes because the politicos were getting caried away. I am complaining that the politicians waste tax dollars and when there are budget deficits their immediate response is eirher getting rid of rank and file police, fire fighters. Yes there is innovation but at the sametime there are restrictions. Smog control, yes the state reduced but why now cars 10 years older have stricter smog requirements knowing that an older car might not pass. So the family that can only afford an old car is out of luck? This same old car can pass Federal Emmisiion standards but nit California? Seems the politicians are getting an elitist attitude that say if you do not follow our regulations we will make life difficult. Got farmers who had crops die because the state restricted water because of some small fish that the state felt more important than crops that not only feed the US but the rest of the world. I am not against taxes but seems people like to give these california politicians a pass when there is a budget deficit and pass higher taxes because the governer pulls the “schools will be taking cuts” if i do not get my tax increases. Oh yeah and our governer wants to create a high speed rail train at this time where family assistance is being cut back because of budget cuts.
I’ve never used the Amazon app for price comparisons, I always use Red Laser, which gives me a whole range of price comparisons, which Amazon may do as well, (I don’t know), but also acts as a useful reminder of books and CDs that I’m interested in. I do use the Kindle app, there’s plenty of stuff not available in iBooks.
I don’t really get why Amazon got into the tablet business. The e-readers are great and I have the older 6″ keyboard Kindle that I love for taking to the beach or the park as the iPad is pretty much useless outdoors in bright sunlight. I’m even thinking about getting the new Paperwhite, but the Android tablet business just doesn’t make sense.
Amazon has the Kindle apps and Apple customers like me would still buy e-books from Amazon if the apps work good and they offer good pricing and the widest selection. I understand that it’s a defensive move since they also have to fight Google that also wants to get in on e-commerce. Well, if they want to beat each other to a pulp by giving their stuff away, let ’em have at it.
Apple should stay above this fray and it makes perfect sense for the minis to start at $329. I’ve compared the mini to the Kindle Fire HD in my hands and there really is no comparison. Yes, the screen is very crisp on the Kindle Fire HD but the overall experience on the mini was just so superior.
I have a friend who bought her daughter a kindle fire back in June and she told me she hates it. She wants a iPad mini. And since all 5 kids have iPod touchs it makes since to go to a mini or an iPad 2 or 3.