Amazon has announced the release of a new Kindle designed specifically for the Chinese market. It’s fair to say Amazon doesn’t exactly have the biggest presence in China, with most Chinese customers opting to use the likes of Tmall or JD.com when it comes to online shopping. In comparison, only a very small fraction of customers choose to use Amazon. The launch of a China-specific Kindle may seem like an odd decision considering their lack of presence in the territory, but the device offers a number of incentives which, in turn, should hopefully attract customers to the company’s services.
Just like all other Kindles, the e-reader has access to a number of titles from Amazon’s library. Thanks to a partnership with China Mobile, though, the customers who purchase the device will also have access to Migu, which also offers a huge library of e-books. This alone is sure to entice many customers, though Amazon is also offering another incentive. Those who purchase the device will also receive a one-year subscription to Amazon’s Prime service. This is perhaps the most important incentive, at least from Amazon’s perspective. If the company manages to sell enough Kindles, interest in Amazon, as well as its services may well surge significantly, though the company certainly has a tough road ahead. After all, its market share last year sat at a mere 0.8 percent which, when compared to the 56.6 percent held by Tmall, shows just how unpopular the company’s services are in the Asian country. The partnership with China Mobile could be just what the company needs, though, with the telecom giant’s popularity sure to help increase awareness of the company or, at the very least, increase sales of Kindles in the country.
It remains to be seen if Amazon’s new Kindle will attract enough attention to warrant the incentives on offer, though it’s likely that Amazon is simply pleased that it has struck a deal with China Mobile. After all, the company is China’s biggest carrier so the fact that Amazon has struck a partnership could open a number of doors for the company in order to expand their services throughout the country. It’ll remain to be seen if Amazon’s new Kindle will be deemed a success or if Amazon manages to increase its customers off the back of the release. Nonetheless, the company still has a long way before it can successfully compete with Tmall and JD.