Borders Rolls Out New E-Reader Deals

Ann Arbor-based Borders Monday announced a new series of deals and promotions on e-readers in time for the holiday season.

Beginning today through Oct. 31, consumers can enjoy a savings of $30 on some devices, free shipping on online e-reader orders, a $25 gift card, free e-books, 20 percent off device accessories, and the opportunity to earn Borders Bucks faster on select purchases. 

Borders offers an assortment of e-readers ranging from an inexpensive, quality device, to stylish, multi-featured e-readers that play music, videos and more.   

Starting today, customers can pre-order the Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet at $299.99 and receive a $25 Borders gift card. The Android-supported device comes with a seven-inch full-color touch screen display, allowing consumers to enjoy a rich multimedia experience including reading, playing video and music and browsing the Web.

The company is also offering the Velocity Micro Cruz Reader with WiFi at $169.99, $30 off the Border's list price. Like the Cruz Tablet, the device also has a seven-inch full-color screen and multimedia capabilities. In addition, Borders is offering the e-Ink Kobo eReader, which lists for $129.99, at just $99.99, a great buy for consumers who want a high quality reader for under $100. As an added value, Borders Rewards members can earn Borders Bucks twice as fast with the purchase of a Kobo eReader for a limited time. Notably, the Kobo eReader is not the only low priced device at Borders — the retailer is also offering the Aluratek Libre at $99.99 through Nov. 15. The three devices are available for purchase in store and online.

Borders is offering five free e-books with the pre-order of the Kobo Wireless eReader, which at just $139.99, features a no-glare six-inch e-Ink screen, easy four-way button navigation and a lightweight, comfortable design. A total value of $75, the free e-books include "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" by Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith; "Soccernomics" by Stefan Szymanski; "Phantom of Pemberley" by Regina Jeffers; "Eye of the Raven: A Mystery of Colonial America" by Eliot Pattison; and "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America" by John Avlon.

In addition to these deals, with the purchase of the 2010 models of the Sony Touch and Sony Pocket, consumers will get a free Sony Reader cover with built-in light. Borders is also offering a 20 percent discount off all eReader accessories including a wide assortment of cases and covers with the purchase of any device.

"We are committed to offering our customers the most selection at the best value in our industry, hands down," said Mike Edwards, CEO of Borders Inc. "Every day more and more book lovers are joining the eReader revolution, yet there are millions of readers who have yet to experience eReading because they feel the devices are too costly. The fact is everyone should be able to enjoy books in whatever format they want. That's why we've worked aggressively to position ourselves as a leader in the eReading space, providing a multitude of eReaders with features that appeal to virtually all readers. We'll continue to work aggressively in this space, growing our device selection and pricing our e-readers accordingly with the goal of introducing as many consumers as possible to the joy of e-reading."

Borders recently brought the eReading experience into stores with the unveiling of Area-e, the company's new in-store digital hub that allows customers to test drive and purchase e-readers and download more than 1.5 million titles from the Borders' e-bookstore. Area-e spotlights Borders' extensive selection of e-readers, along with many accessories. Most Area-e stations are equipped with power and secure Wi-Fi connectivity for testing of leading Borders' branded e-reading devices. To date, virtually all store associates have been trained on the devices and are equipped to answer customers' questions and provide demonstrations. The company is also establishing a dedicated customer support line, which consumers can call if they have questions on any device that Borders sells.

More at www.borders.com.

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