Kindle is setting Amazon’s Christmas trading on fire

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Amazon is a company that always does well at Christmas, but this year’s growth could be bigger than ever as the internet giant looks likely to receive a boost from its recent investment.

Last week the etailer hailed the success of its tablet introduction, revealing the Kindle Fire had been the best-selling product on Amazon.com since its launch eight weeks ago.

Reviews of the product to date have been promising and there are signs Amazon may be the first company to threaten the market dominance of Apple’s iPad. Amazon said it had sold four times as many Kindle devices on the big US shopping day Black Friday compared with last year. Target and Best Buy reported strong Black Friday sales for the Kindle Fire, and Target said that the Kindle Fire outsold the iPad to become the best-selling tablet in its stores. This Christmas, Amazon says it is even seeing a trend for some customers to buy multiple Kindles, demonstrating the success that can be achieved with a desirable and differentiated private-label line.

This week, Amazon’s Kindle ventured further overseas, making its market entry to Spain and Italy, with the launch of 22,000 Spanish and 16,000 Italian titles. With the Kindle now available across Amazon’s major international markets in Europe, the next step is expected to be a launch in Japan, which is sure to shake up bookselling in a country of avid readers and gadget fans.

Meanwhile, Amazon continues to expand its assortment across other product categories and can be expected to pick up increased clothing, toy, and health and beauty sales this Christmas.

During the course of 2011 the etailer has broadened and revamped its product selection across these categories, supported by the addition of new distribution facilities, and this is a strategy that is likely to continue.

As additional retailers look to Amazon to help them sell online (Mothercare’s Early Learning Centre being the latest) there seems to be no stopping the ecommerce giant. The introduction of Amazon collection lockers in the UK and US also seems to be expanding apace – there are now 13 lockers in London and eight each in Seattle and New York.

Amazon appears to have got its offering right and continues to delight its loyal customers with attractive delivery options and low prices. Competitors beware – it looks to be a very merry Christmas indeed for Amazon worldwide.