Target Lists 32GB Kindle Colorsoft at $249 in July 19-25 Sale

Q: Is Target's major Kindle pricing error a costly mistake or a clever marketing stunt?

It looks more like a genuine ad error than a deliberate stunt, though it is also giving Target free publicity. The facts point to a mistake: the weekly ad lists the 32GB Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition at $249, which is the normal price of the 16GB model, and the digital ad link sends shoppers to the base version instead of the premium one. That kind of mismatch across the ad copy and product link is typical of a merchandising or publishing error, not a polished campaign. The financial exposure is also fairly limited. The gap is about $30, not a massive loss on each unit, and only early shoppers who can document the ad and persuade guest services are likely to benefit. There is no broad legal requirement for retailers to honor every mistaken listing, and while shoppers say Target often fixes printed ad errors under about $40, that is usually a customer-service choice rather than a binding rule. At the same time, the mistake works like marketing. It has drawn attention to Target’s “Prime Day-level” Kindle sale, boosted interest in the new Colorsoft line, and reinforced Target’s effort to compete with Amazon on headline tech discounts. But there is no solid evidence that Target planted the error on purpose. So the most defensible reading is that this was a real pricing mistake with manageable cost, not a carefully engineered stunt, even if the buzz around it ends up benefiting Target.

1 articles · Updated · Good e-Reader · Jul 18

$249 pricing in Target’s July 19-25 weekly ad appears to put the 32GB Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition at the 16GB model’s standard price.
The digital ad undercuts that listing: its click-through link sends shoppers to the base 16GB Colorsoft, suggesting the 32GB price may be an error rather than a planned promotion.
Target is also advertising Prime Day-level Kindle discounts across the lineup, including the $109.99 Kindle 6-inch e-reader, Paperwhite standard and Signature models, and both Colorsoft versions.
Shoppers say Target guest services often honor printed ad mistakes when the gap is under $40, raising the chance early buyers could secure the higher-capacity Colorsoft at an unintended discount.