Barnes & Noble offering free e-book collection worth $315 with Nook purchases
Figuring out a summer reading list could be cheaper and easier with a Nook purchase as Barnes & Noble is giving away instant e-book collections this summer.
The package deal, which Barnes & Noble asserts is worth roughly $315, includes 30 books from all over the literary spectrum, including comedy, crime, history, and that all-time favorite - reference. These books will be pre-loaded onto a free 2GB microSD card starting on July 1st for a limited time.
However, there is a catch: you can only get the free books when upgrading to a Nook. To put it more simply: Besides actually buying a Nook e-reader, customers also have to bring an old e-book reader to at least show (not necessarily give away) to take advantage of this offer.
The all new Nook (which won't be "all new" forever much less for the rest of summer, so that is going to need a new title soon) retails for $139, and the Android 2.2-based Nook Color costs $249. There is speculation that the reasons these e-book readers sport relatively affordable and (at least to some) low price tags because they are really gateways to buying books, which is what Barnes & Noble is all about at the end of the day.
However, this digital book bundle likely won't deter from any major sales as most of the titles available under this promo aren't bestsellers. Here's a few examples:
- The Good Housekeeping Cookbook
- Glory in the Fall: The Greatest Moments in World Series History
- 21st Century Crossword Puzzle Dictionary
There are also some classics included, such as The Secret Garden and Robinson Crusoe, although it's likely that some of those titles are already free to begin with.
The most likely incentives for B&N behind this promotion are not only to encourage consumers to move to its e-reader brand by giving up an old one, but also to demonstrate its platform with a bunch of free books in order to get customers excited about buying more. Thus, it really is all about buying books at the end of the day.
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