Googlebook laptops are already selling out just days after pre-orders opened

Google gave US shoppers barely enough time to decide whether its shiny new Googlebooks deserved a spot in their backpacks before making that decision a little harder. Pre-orders only opened on September 21, but just a few days later, Google’s own online store appears to have burned through its available inventory. For a brand-new laptop family that starts at $899, that is either a very encouraging debut or Google stocked the shelves with the confidence of someone expecting a quieter launch.

A Reddit user spotted the shortage after checking the Google Store several times and finding every listed model sold out. Other users in the thread reported the same thing, with several saying they simply switched to Best Buy and successfully placed an order.

We also checked Google’s US store, where the three Googlebooks it sells directly — the Acer Googlebook, Dell XPS Googlebook, and Lenovo Googlebook — are no longer available to pre-order. Interestingly, Google sells only those three through its own storefront, even though the first Googlebook wave also included models from HP and ASUS.

That limited selection could partly explain why Google’s allocation disappeared so quickly. Or perhaps Google simply underestimated how many Android users were ready to try its latest shot at the premium laptop market. Either way, selling through the initial Google Store stock this soon after pre-orders opened is not necessarily a bad problem for Google to have.

The good news is that this is not a nationwide Googlebook drought. Best Buy is still accepting pre-orders for Googlebook models, with the laptops scheduled to officially go on sale on October 4. So, if you were planning to order directly from Google, you can either wait for the store to get another batch, or head to Best Buy instead.