Monday, November 30, 2009

Barnes & Noble Fumbles with the Nook e-Reader Launch – Delays Shipment Stores 12/7 Delivery 12/9

The new Barnes & Noble Nook e-Reader was announced with fanfare and seems like the first valid competition to the Amazon Kindle.  So as can be expected they were inundated with pre-orders and lots of press.  Unfortunately, today we learned that the Nook wouldn’t be available in stores this week as expected and then those of us who have pre-orders received this e-mail:

So basically, they are saying the nook will should be delivered by December 9th next week instead of being shipped today as my delivery status still says on bn.com.

Nook Ship Date

And we also learned that there should be Nook e-Readers available for purchase in certain Barnes & Noble Stores on December 7th!

Maybe they put the 9th as a fail-safe date on the e-mails but if those Nook e-Readers make it into stores before my pre-ordered Nook arrives at my house, I’ll be pretty ticked.  And I might just pick one up in the store and cancel that pre-order after all.  I can’t see how Barnes & Noble could fumble a launch much worse than this unless they don’t get them shipped at all before Christmas…

They are giving those of us who pre-ordered and were told our delivery date was 11/30 a free $10 gift certificate.  They’re also giving an upgrade to overnight shipping although I already paid for that so we’ll see what they do for that…

I’ll have a first-look & review of the B&N Nook e-Book reader as soon as I have it.  By the way, you can order one online, but they won’t be available for shipment until mid-January now.  The Kindle Global in the meantime is flying off the Amazon.com “shelves” & is supposedly Amazon’s hottest item this year and especially this November.

Related Stories:

Holiday Buying Guide – eBook Readers

Barnes & Noble Nook e-Book Reader Announced

Kindle Reviewed: from a geek’s perspective and one by my wife from a hard-core reader’s perspective.