Amazon took a big stride into India’s e-commerce market when it launched its Marketplace site in the country, and today the company began listing its Kindle tablets and e-readers, which will be available to buy from June 27.
Amazon.co.in initially launched stocking books and DVD content only, but now the Kindle e-reader range and Kindle Fire HD devices occupy top billing on the landing page.
Indian consumers will be able to get their hands on the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD for 15,999 INR ($276) while the 8.9-inch Kindle will retail at 21,999 INR ($380). The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite 3G will also go on sale from June 27, and are priced at 10,999 INR ($190) and 13,999 INR ($240) respectively.
Prospective customers can sign up for email alerts to nudge them when a particular device goes on sale.
One item that is already available is the regular Kindle — which has been available via Web and physical retailers since August 2012 — although it is provided by Amazon’s local partner Croma since Amazon is not yet able to sell goods direct to consumers in India due to restrictions on foreign direct investment (FDI). At this point, the other devices are likely to be sold the same way as the Kindle — but that remains unconfirmed for now.
The company has spent the past year or so exploring India’s e-commerce space after it launched Junglee — a price comparison and aggregation site — in February 2012.
The impending launch of the Kindle in India follows the long-awaited launch of the devices in China. After more than a year of speculation, the Kindle Paperwhite with Wifi, 16 GB and 32 GB Kindle Fire HD went on sale in the country.
Amazon seems like it is finally stepping up to address the online retail potential within two of the world’s largest countries.
Hat tip to @rajatagr for spotting this.
Headline image via Joe Klamar / Getty Images
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