Kindle availability for international users [chart] – 26.10.12

Many users around the world are interested in buying e-readers and tablets from Amazon, but Kindle availability depends on the shipping address.

Kindles ship from Amazon.com to over 170 countries, but usually, when new models arrive, the priority is given to US residents. This is also happening with this year’s models: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire HD 7″, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9″. However, unlike last year (Kindle Touch), the new models are available before Christmas to users from other countries – but only these with localized Kindle Stores:

• Kindle Store UK
• Kindle Store Germany
• Kindle Store France
• Kindle Store Spain
• Kindle Store Italy
• Kindle Store Japan

In the chart below we show which models are available (or not) to customers of different Kindle Stores. Under “US” we list only models that can be bought in Kindle Store US by users living outside United States. It’s the whole purpose of this chart – to spot Kindles that can be bought by non-US customers.

Things are changing fast, when it comes to availability and shipping delays. We’ll make a similar chart at the end of November to check if any of the new models join the international basket.

In Kindle Store US availability may vary by region or country. In fact, the only models you can be sure to buy are Kindle and Kindle Keyboard 3G. In some countries also Kindle DX is listed, but it’s being sold by third-party sellers, not Amazon.

Amazon made a huge effort to make the new models available also to users of localized Kindle Stores. Usually, there are five models available: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite 3G, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD 7″. In UK there are on offer already Fires with special offers. Fire HD 16GB with ads costs £159, but if you want to buy the same model without ads, you’ll pay £10 more.

One issue to keep in mind is that there are essential shipping delays. The longest are for Paperwhite. UK example: if you ordered Paperwhite today, you can expect delivery in the week of December 3rd. It’s 5 weeks!

In view of Paperwhite’s enormous popularity, I doubt that this model will become available to non-US customers of Kindle Store US any time soon.