K4 availability closer to Christmas - what do you think?

[TraceyC/FL]

I've been good about spreading my purchases out, and right now the only thing left is the K4 Santa wants to bring to the kids (well, and something else for my parents & grandma if I decide to add to what i have.) I'd like to wait until my next check to get it, but that isn't until the 21st. I just don't want to stretch myself overly thin right now you know?

Is the 21st going to be too late? I can't remember what happened last Christmas with availability, I was at that point trying to create something from nothing so it didn't matter!

Thanks for any input 

[The Hooded Claw]

Don't forget to allow for delivery time. My uninformed, unsubstantiated hunch is that Amazon will not run out of Kindles. I am not so sure about local retailers, if that is where you are planning to buy. Best Buy and others have had supply problems before.

[TraceyC/FL]

Well, I'm a normal "overnight" ship for amazon when it leaves from KY, so provided I pay for shipping (prime trial expires, um, today!) I should get it. I would never expect SuperSaver to arrive for anything placed from now on (I got royally burned by it a few years ago on a Christmas order. Never again and it took about a year for me to order anything from amazon again).

However, I think even amazon ran out last year, but I can't remember.

I will probably just hold the money in savings until it is closer, and then order it. I'm just stressed because i had unbudgeted expenditures of over $300 for gas related to sick kids in September and October. A repeat performance would have me in a mess right now. The money is technically budgeted for Christmas, but well, I just don't want to spend it yet! I have a child that can't decide if she is sick or not.

[pitbullandfire]

Also, if you do ship overnight, please be aware that with the high volume sometimes it won't make it by the delivery date.  I encountered this today and then spent over 1.5 hours on the phone trying to get it pseudo-resolved and very frustrated.  I'll just leave it there for now 

[Ann in Arlington]

The first two years ('07 and '08) Amazon had a shortage of Kindles at Christmas.  I don't recall that they've had that problem since. 

I read somewhere that you can order up to the 19th and Amazon will guarantee Christmas delivery -- except where noted for an item.  Of course if you use two day or one day shipping you probably have until the 22nd or so. . . .Christmas is a Sunday this year; you might have to pay extra for Saturday shipping.

[Annie]

If you can, I would recommend ordering it right before you get your paycheck, just a couple days. That way, you'll have more leeway in regards to availability and adequate delivery time. I'm in a similar situation; I'm on the last homestretch of saving up for the rest of my brother's Christmas presents from both Santa and I, and I'm trying to figure out when the appropriate time to purchase is, in case I have an emergency expenditure that I have to make.

[TraceyC/FL]

The earliest I could order is the 20th, or it would, um, cost me bank fees if I manage to spend it before then.

I'm supposed to be getting a check in the mail for some gifts, but i don't want to plan on that in case something comes up for that person.

I just redid some math and I should be ok, but i think I will wait until next week some point just in case.

Ann, thanks for the hope Amazon won't run out!!

I forgot to check target today for their stock, but they didn't have any of the new ones last time i checked. I can get it there for close to the same amount with my target debit card (and somewhere I have a $5 off coupon I got yesterday). BUT, who knows if they will have any either.

I got one last small order in before the prime vanished, and drat, I just remembered something else I meant to order for my mom!

I think the part that is mucking me up is that it seems like SOOOO far away, but it's not! 

[TraceyC/FL]

I'm going to be testing this out for the last minute.... Nothing like $75 in unbudgeted doctor visits, and really, I'm so over kids with strep throat it isn't even funny!! And I had to buy another thermometer because the doctor thinks mine is just reading high. Love my spreadsheet showing it is the same. Ha.

Wish me luck, but at least if i can't get it I can stick a note in a box and get it when I find it again.

[maries]

Can you get this at Walmart with the lay away?   I was there the other day and the only thing sold out was the K-Fire.   Same at Target so at this point the Fire seems to be the hotter selling item.   Hard to say what availability will be like without knowing how many they had made to prepare.   But many places are selling them besides Amazon so you have more options.

[Ann in Arlington]

Can you get this at Walmart with the lay away? 

I'm thinking you'd have to ask at the Walmart.

[sanshoku]

I think it takes around 1-3 days for shipping. Amazon might not ruin their name selling kindle.

[mooshie78]

I wouldn't expect to see the K4 or K-Touch sell out.  Tablets are the hot gift item this year, so the Fire will be tougher to find.  But shouldn't be any issues with e-ink Kindles.

[The Hooded Claw]

I wouldn't expect to see the K4 or K-Touch sell out.  Tablets are the hot gift item this year, so the Fire will be tougher to find.  But shouldn't be any issues with e-ink Kindles.

I agree that tablets are hot, but I think the low price of the K4 will make eInk hot for a lot of people who wouldn't have given a Kindle before.  I still think Amazon will probably keep them in stock, not so sure about big box stores.   The layaway suggestion is a good one.

[TraceyC/FL]

I had thought about the WM layaway but I think you had to have them picked up by the 15th. I can't remember and as my target has been insane, I've been trying to avoid WM!! LOL!!

I'm just going to have to take my chances, We were in the ER yesterday with some funky elbow thing and they are wanting her to go to a hand surgeon.... I'm waiting to hear from her neurologist first. I swear, just when i think I'm going to get ahead, BAM, new medical issue crops up.

Maybe I will hunt down a printable paper kindle and wrap that! LOL!! My oldest did that with her iPad while waiting for it to ship 

[krm0789]

Re: Last year's availability: Mine was apparently ordered last year on 12/17, available when ordered but then went into backorder. Order history shows it as having shipped on 12/20, but we had Prime & paid for overnight & I know it didn't arrive til the 23rd, so.

I feel like with all the options this year, it *should* be less of an issue... Good luck!

[kindlegrl81]

In the stores I have visited the last few days the K4 and the K Touch have been in stock and don't look like they will run out any time soon.  The Kindle Fire is a totally different story. 

I went to Target wanting to use the $10 GiftCard coupon they had on their website...sold out. 

I went to Toys R Us since it was just down the road from Target and they had a deal running where you could get a $15 GC with any tablet purchase $199.99 or less....sold out

Walmart...Sold out

Stopped by Best Buy since it was on the way home and not only did they have them, they had rack upon rack of them on display and the guy said they had even more stored in back.  I think Best Buy must have stolen everyone else's supply 

[ProfCrash]

Europe had problems last year with the K3. I strongly believe that the reason the Kindle Touch is not being sold outside the US is because they want to avoid the problems they had in the US with the K1 and K2 and in Europe with the K3.

[TraceyC/FL]

The mailbox trip today netted me a generous check from my Aunt to buy the kids something, SOOO, I can go ahead and get it!!! Yahoo!!!!

I had a target register coupon for $5 off I was going to use to ensure i got it in time, but it seems to have vanished. If i can't turn it up tonight I will just order it and pay shipping. I so don't trust Supersaver this time of year.

Thanks everyone for the stock levels 

[Ann in Arlington]

The mailbox trip today netted me a generous check from my Aunt to buy the kids something, SOOO, I can go ahead and get it!!! Yahoo!!!!

I had a target register coupon for $5 off I was going to use to ensure i got it in time, but it seems to have vanished. If i can't turn it up tonight I will just order it and pay shipping. I so don't trust Supersaver this time of year.

Thanks everyone for the stock levels 

I've you've never done the 30 free trial of Prime, now might be a good time to try it out.  Just remember to cancel it so you don't get charged.

[kisala9906]

The mailbox trip today netted me a generous check from my Aunt to buy the kids something, SOOO, I can go ahead and get it!!! Yahoo!!!!

I had a target register coupon for $5 off I was going to use to ensure i got it in time, but it seems to have vanished. If i can't turn it up tonight I will just order it and pay shipping. I so don't trust Supersaver this time of year.

Thanks everyone for the stock levels 

Awesome! So glad that you were able to get it!
I hope that the medical issues that you and your family are having get better soon!

[The Hooded Claw]

Hurrah for your aunt!  I believe Amazon claims super saver shipping will still make it on time, but I can understand your nervousness.  I'm sure the Kindle will be a great gift.

[TraceyC/FL]

I've you've never done the 30 free trial of Prime, now might be a good time to try it out.  Just remember to cancel it so you don't get charged.

I wish I could, but I'm not eligible for another trial! Drat!!

[TraceyC/FL]

Hurrah for your aunt!  I believe Amazon claims super saver shipping will still make it on time, but I can understand your nervousness.  I'm sure the Kindle will be a great gift.

I got really really really burned a couple of years ago with a Supersaver order placed the Tuesday/wednesday after thanksgiving. They sat on the in-stock items until the 17th and then cancelled the order because by then the items had gone out of stock. They did nothing but tell me that was the risk I took with Supersaver because prime orders had priority. By then the biggest item in the order, my oldest DD's only gift that year had sold out everywhere......

It was a couple of years before I even ordered from them again period.

[TraceyC/FL]

It's in da house, er, car anyway! Lol!!

I didn't know target was doing the $10 gift card without a coupon so that was a nice surprise saving on a Lego set I picked up!

Now to attempt to get it set up without the teen seeing it. She's always around!

[Annie]

It's in da house, er, car anyway! Lol!!

I didn't know target was doing the $10 gift card without a coupon so that was a nice surprise saving on a Lego set I picked up!

Now to attempt to get it set up without the teen seeing it. She's always around!

I had the same problem today. I just arrived home for the holidays, and I carelessly almost opened the Kindle box right of him the recipient. I just locked myself into my room and set it up. I suggest doing that. Haha.

[TraceyC/FL]

I had the same problem today. I just arrived home for the holidays, and I carelessly almost opened the Kindle box right of him the recipient. I just locked myself into my room and set it up. I suggest doing that. Haha.

My biggest problem was getting it on the wifi. I run MAC address filtering so I had to get to the computer to enter it. My youngest spent the night with their dad Tuesday, so yesterday morning instead of getting them to school I set it up! The teen never gets up until I go in there, so it worked out perfect. I do need to charge it, but I have a plug in my closet and can pull that off. The bulk of the books are on it and in collections, and I have some sitting there to send once I turn wifi back on.

It was good thinking on my part as it's my only chunk of time between now and Christmas "kid free"!!