Early read says Kindle is the holiday item

Target was the first brick-and-mortar retailer to offer Amazon.com’s popular Kindle earlier this year, but new competition has arrived in the physical world as Staples too has secured distribution. Unlike Target, initial plans at Staples call for the offering of several variants including a base model Kindle for $139, the Kindle 3G for $189 and the large-screen Kindle DX for $379. Target offers the $189 3G model.

Introduced several years ago, the Kindle is Amazon’s best-selling, most-wished-for and most-gifted product for two years running. Although, it is unclear how much demand remains for the device after such strong sales, it would appear the Kindle is poised to be a heavily promoted holiday item as the brand matures, opening price points drop and with distribution at two retailers who operate physical stores.