In any large store, and even in smaller ones like those at gas stations, you can find gift cards for popular app and video game stores such as Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store. These online stores allow you to purchase all kinds of multimedia content, and by redeeming the code found on the cards, you can increase your virtual balance.
Amazon has launched a new pilot program in Washington state that allows readers to purchase a gift card for a specific ebook or a three-month Kindle Unlimited subscription. This way, users can buy gift cards for Amazon's current top 20 bestsellers and redeem them directly from the online store.
Amazon has always offered gift cards that allow users to increase their account balance to purchase items from its website. The ebook gift card is entirely new and marks a milestone as it's the first time specific digital titles have been available for instant redemption.
The counter where these ebook cards are displayed is small and offers a wide variety of them. At the top, there are two options for purchasing a three-month or six-month Kindle Unlimited subscription . The main advantage of Kindle Unlimited is that it provides access to over 100.000 ebooks and allows users to read as much as they want for a monthly fee.
This small kiosk contains the 20 current bestsellers , which may include fiction or non-fiction titles. The main difference lies in the price of the gift cards, which significantly increase the price of the ebook compared to the price directly from the Kindle store. For example, Andy Wier's * The Martian * costs $14,99 on a gift card, but the Kindle version drops to $8,99.
It remains to be seen whether this program will be rolled out to more markets or if Amazon will begin offering it in its first store in Seattle. This is yet another initiative from Amazon to offer its digital content to customers who enter its stores.