Amazon reportedly sold 95,000 Kindle Fire tablets during the device’s first day of pre-sales availability alone. According to estimates from market research and intelligence firm eDataSource, pre-order sales of Amazon’s upcoming premier tablet may be on an astounding pace. To put the company’s estimated day-one sales in perspective, RIM sold just 200,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets into sales channels during the entirety of its second fiscal quarter. How did eDataSource arrive at the 95,000 figure? “eDataSource’s panel of 800,000 inboxes allows us to gain insight into eCommerce sales” eDataSource CEO Carter Nicholas said. “Within hours we can get a read on hot product launches based on sales from leading eCommerce websites.” The company’s system then scours inboxes for purchase receipts and that data is used to estimate daily orders. As far as accuracy, the eDataSource notes that its first-day sales estimate for iPad in 2010 was 350,000 units; Apple would later announced that it sold “over 300,000 iPads” on the tablet’s first day of availability. EDataSource’s full press release follows below.
Kindle Fire Sales Reach an Estimated 95,000 Units During First Day of Sales According to Estimates Provided by eDataSource
eDataSource, a leading provider of online competitive intelligence, estimates that sales of Amazon’s new Kindle Fire reached 95,000 units during the first day that the device was made available through Amazon’s website.
“eDataSource’s panel of 800,000 inboxes allows us to gain insight into eCommerce sales” said Carter Nicholas, CEO of eDataSource. “Within hours we can get a read on hot product launches based on sales from leading eCommerce websites.”
By analyzing purchase receipts received by email, eDataSource is able to estimate the daily orders places at major ecommerce sites as well as what products are being purchased. eDataSource can then report on eCommerce trends at large or specific product sales.
The launch of the Kindle Fire, priced at $199, was announced on September 28 by Amazon and made available for pre-order immediately on the Amazon website. Shipments will take place starting in November. Simultaneous with the launch of the Fire, Amazon announced three other new Kindles, with prices of $79 for the new Kindle, $99 for the new Kindle Touch, and $149 for the Kindle Touch 3G.
Despite the higher price point, the Kindle Fire outstripped sales of the other three new Kindle units combined, according to eDataSource’s estimate. eDataSource estimates that sales of the other new Kindle units totaled approximately 25,000 units during the same period.
Lastly, recognizing that the folks who provide accessories often rake in the profits when fancy new devices are sold, eDataSource notes that 27% of Kindles were sold with some kind of accessory, and Marware protective covers were by far the most popular accessory for the Kindle Fire.
In April 2010, eDataSource estimated the number of iPad purchases to be 350,000 on the first day that product came to market. This compared to the 300,000 Apple subsequently reported for first day sales.
