Barnes and Noble, one of the nations largest book retailers, announced on Monday that the arrival of the long-awaited Nook will be delayed at least a week. The bookseller’s Nook is their answer to Amazon’s Kindle, and is an electronic reader for e-books. The company website states the delay is due to high demand for the product and that consumers can expect the electronic gadget in stores December 7.

Just ten days ago, Barnes and Noble disappointed many customers who were told that any orders placed after November 20 would not be delivered until after the holidays. Afraid of missing the big profits for Christmas, the bookseller encouraged customers to order anyway and they would send an “elegant Nook holiday certificate” promising the e-reader in a week or so. Today, the frustration continues with the latest delay, as well as the fact that even on December 7, the inventory in stores would be a “very limited number” of Nooks. The Nook is retailing at $259, an identical price to Amazon.com’s Kindle, the latest generation.

The Nook advertises benefits over the Kindle, such as WiFi in addition to 3G technology, a microSD slot and a secondary multitouch color display to navigate the device. On the other hand, the Nook’s battery will last about 10 days, while the Kindle can keep you reading for two full weeks. The Nook also allows readers to loan books to others for up to two weeks. There is also an app for Blackberry and Motorola phones, so you can switch between the Nook and reading on your phone at will.

Electronic book readers are a hot item for consumers, with capability of storing about 200 books, while weighing only about 10 ounces. The readers are lighter and thinner than a typical paperback, making them far more convenient than storing dozens of books. Books are downloaded within a minute of purchase and are owned permanently. Many of the e-readers also function as an MP3 player.

Although Amazon and Barnes and Noble will likely be the biggest contenders in the e-reader wars, they are not the only players on the field. Sony has launched two versions and Adobe is in the running as well. Amazon has a sister product called the Kindle DX, with a larger screen and a larger price to match.

Whether you pick one up after Christmas, or settle for an announcement certificate, there is little doubt Barnes and Noble’s Nook will give the Kindle a run for its money. Consumers will likely be waiting for the next revolution in the e-reader world soon.

Barnes and Noble’s Nook Not Ready as Planned was created by and is property of American Consumer News.