Amazon.com has found an interesting strategy to drum up interest in its electronic readers: crowdsourcing Kindle evangelism. The online retailer runs a website called "See a Kindle in Your City" connecting enthusiastic Kindle owners with those who want to check out the device before deciding whether to buy. Amazon apparently rolled out the site last year, and it's been getting a workout with the launch of the new Kindle DX in May. It's certainly a cost-effective marketing tool for Amazon. Those willing to show off their Kindles are doing it for free.
Here's a typical exchange from the Washington state discussion forum:
AllisonC:
If anyone is in Bellevue with a Kindle and would be willing to show it off, I'll buy the coffee...
Steve:
Hi Allison,
I have a Kindle2 and pass through Bellevue every day around 3pm. We could meet somewhere close to I-405 (Bellevue Square maybe) and you can have a look at it. The Kindle2 is the neatest thing I have purchased in a very long time.
AllisonC:
Awesome....thanks...how about the Starbucks on 8th across from Bell Square, 10214 NE 8th St. and which day would work best for you?
Amazon executive Ian Freed estimates that thousands of people have tested the Kindle through this informal program, reports the Wall Street Journal. So far, Amazon hasn't gone the route of other gadget makers and displayed the Kindle at brick-and-mortar stores, instead opting for online-only promotion.
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