How to Tell Whether Your Local Walmart Has Kobo eReaders in Stock
Earlier this week a friend asked if I knew a way to tell which Walmart stores had ebook displays. I didn’t have a good answer for him at that time; this info is not explained clearly online, and when I called Walmart and asked, the employees had no idea what I was talking about.
While I still don’t have a good answer for his question, I did find a way to mostly answer it. It turns out that there is a way to deduce which Walmart stores have ebook displays by looking at the Kobo section of the Walmart website.
First, select your local store from the "store availability" dropdown, and then look to see which Kobo models have “Free pickup today” mentioned underneath. If you see that label then it tells you that the store has them in stock, and very likely has an ebook display.
Right now it looks like the only model carried in stores is the Aura, though of course you can have other Kobo ereaders shipped to a Walmart store.
If you do stop by your local Walmart and look at the display, please let me know if it is as disappointing as the display at the Walmart nearest to me.
Comments
Allen F October 19, 2018 um 11:58 am
Yup, Wally World sees this as a really big deal …
Nope …
Jeffrey Johnson October 19, 2018 um 1:41 pm
Well if wal-mart had half a brain they invest in there website. Needs to have as great search abilities as Amazon. They have golden opportunity as Amazon loaded with Chinese garbage. Yes I had to buy from Walmart website as more easy to buy USA real items. But in certain areas that’s hard to do due there lousy search engine. Clothes I just give up buy at Amazon as easier. But when had stroke I got tired reach aids breaking week later from Amazon so bought USA made ones yes cost little more but years later they still work. If Wal-mart tried to enter e-books with real area they could have success. Wal-mart has some advantages due being able ship to its stores but it not fully using them due fact there site sucks.
Mary Davis October 20, 2018 um 10:02 am
My local Walmart employees, when asked about Kobo stated that they didn’t know what is that and they was all stolen. All in 1 sentence.
Sure, whatever Wally.
Employees who can’t string together a grammatically correct sentence are probably not going to make great salespeople.
I think we all knew how this"partnership" would play out.
Disgusting Dude October 20, 2018 um 6:21 pm
WalMart was conceived and operates primarily as a self-serve store.
They staff accordingly.
BJ Wanlund October 23, 2018 um 1:07 pm
Tried that method Nate and that didn’t exactly go as planned. No displays to be seen, anywhere. Not even a gift card for the Walmart eBooks store.
Nate Hoffelder October 23, 2018 um 1:24 pm
Sorry to hear that!