If Red Barchetta owners can get trade-in credits, why not Amazon Kindle pioneers?
By Joe Wikert
Why couldn’t Kindle 1.0 owners get $150 in trade-in credit when they bought the next-gen Kindles? That’s a great idea posted on the Kindle forum earlier today. It’s like the loyalty programs of some automakers. “Trade your 2005 Red Barchetta”—great Rush tune, incidentally—”and you’ll qualify for the Barchetta loyalty discount of $1,000, addition to the usual rebates we’re offering.”
Kindle 1.0 will have to be supported long after Kindle 2.0 arrives. In fact, could you imagine being told at some point that your Kindle 1.0 device isn’t supported any longer? Now that would cause a ruckus!
The people Amazon should value the most
So, since Kindle 1.0 will be viable for many years, what’s the harm in Amazon buying back a bunch of them as owners upgrade to 2.0? They could easily sell them to new Kindle customers, albeit for something much less than the $399 charged for new units today. And what a great way to reward the customers you value most, your early adopters! They’re the ones out there showing off their new purchase and you can bet they’re evangelizing your product to their friends.
Apple has never done something like this, as far as I know. Jeff Bezos, why not use this opportunity to set a new standard in customer loyalty and rewards?
Moderator’s note: Blame me, not Joe, for the car not being an exact fit. CC photo credit: Storem. - D.R.
Leave a Reply