Red Zune to Sell for $220 Exclusively at Target, Amazon for 30 Days

[Damion Chaplin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=62043' target='_blank'>http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=62043</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>&quot;Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its Zune music player this week with an announcement that the new, brightly colored red Zune will go on sale at a retail location whose brand is closely aligned with the very same color - Target - and also at Target's online retail partner, Amazon.com.&nbsp; The red Zune will be available exclusively at Target and Amazon.com for 30 days beginning Sunday and then will be available at the same retail locations where Zune currently is sold thereafter. Red Zune will retail for $220 and have the same tech specs as its Zune peers.&quot;</em></p><p><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2007/red-zune-off-1-may4.jpg" /></p><p>The red Zune goes on sale tomorrow, but only at Target stores and Amazon.com, at least for 30 days.&nbsp; It will also debut at $220, which will nicely coincide with Father's Day, which is coming the following Sunday.</p><p>Interestingly, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.zunethoughts.com/news/show/937/ipod-amnesty-bin-at-zune-hq.html">iPod Amnesty Bin</a> was mentioned at the end of the article: <em>&quot;The 'iPod Amnesty Bin' was a lighthearted gesture among Zune employees and was intended to be simply a humorous motivator for only the people who are working on the project,&quot; Ball says. &quot;It was not a company-wide program, and the bin is no longer in the lobby of the Zune building.&quot;</em>&nbsp; C'mon guys, it was a joke.&nbsp; You didn't need to take it away because some people didn't get it...</p>

[Macguy59]

Maybe they did as I hear it didn't work. The employees were keeping their ipods.

[Sven Johannsen]

Went by a Target yesterday and they hadn't heard of a Red Zune. They did however have some Pink ones in stock and my wife actually prefered that (I'd have never guessed). Nice thing was that they were selling the Zunes at the list of $249, but were throwing in the home connection pack for free. That's normally $99. Has some nice stuff in there, wall charger, extra sync cable cradle, remote, and A/V cable. If you were interested in the A/V stuff to begin with (we were), together that was a pretty decent deal.

[Mike Temporale]

I can't find it on the Target website either. I CAN find it on the Amazon.com site. I guess I'll be ordering it from Amazon if Target doesn't get things moving soon.

Has anyone found the Red Zune in a Target store?

[Damion Chaplin]

Boy, that's pretty annoying, eh?

FWIW, I called the Target in Walnut Creek and they didn't have one, didn't know when they would be getting them and hadn't even heard of their exclusive deal... :rolleyes:

[Jason Dunn]

Maybe they did as I hear it didn't work. The employees were keeping their ipods.

They took it away because of all the media scrutiny over this issue - people didn't seem to get it was a joke, a symbol. I think they knew even if someone was switching from an iPod they'd probably sell it on eBay...

[Chris Gohlke]

I guess no one at Target or Amazon got the memo on this. Went to Target (since I had an in store 10% off coupon) and they had no idea what I was talking about. So I went to Amazon.com and they have it, but are selling it for $249.99.

[Jason Dunn]

I guess no one at Target or Amazon got the memo on this. Went to Target (since I had an in store 10% off coupon) and they had no idea what I was talking about.

Man, this is so incredibly bizarre. Why the heck would they launch this product, have a 30 day exclusive window, and then not SELL it. :confused: