After a four-year hiatus, Target has begun selling Amazon e-readers and tablets on its website again and will stock the products in stores beginning in October, Bloomberg reported.
"Target continually evaluates our assortment to deliver quality products at a great value," the company said in a statement. "We know our guests love the many aspects of shopping at Target, and believe they will appreciate the convenience and savings of finding these items in our stores and on Target.com."
In 2012, Target removed Kindle e-readers and tablets from its stores and website, a move seen as a response to Amazon's price-checking app, which increased the amount of showrooming occurring in bricks-and-mortar stores. At the same time, Target opened Apple "mini-stores" in some of its stores. Earlier, Amazon had run Target's website but that arrangement ended in 2011.
Bloomberg noted that "a lot has changed for Target and Amazon in the last four years," including the arrival of a new Target CEO; a revamping of Target's online strategy; and the belief that stocking Amazon's devices will drive traffic to Target stores and boost its electronics business. Also, Bloomberg continued, with the popularity of Amazon Prime, "there's less risk today than four years ago that a Kindle device sold in Target will convert someone into a loyal Amazon shopper."
For Amazon, of course, the move gives it a presence in 1,800 bricks-and-mortar stores.