Harper Collins had used Bookshout.com since 2016 as the platform for ebooks sold directly to customers from their websites, but recently the Harlequin site told customers that “BookShout closed their business in early 2020, ceasing all operations.” (In an earlier email, Harlequin had told customers, “On December 30th, 2019, Bookshout unexpectedly informed us of their intention to close their business on January 31st, 2020.”) Harlequin recently switched to Glose as their new ebook provider. Direct ebook sales have been disabled on the main Harper Collins online store, but the company tells us they are switching to Glose as well and […]
ebookstores
Kobo CEO Tamblyn’s Tips for Raising eBook Revenues
It’s only appropriate that a Book Industry Study Group (BISG) annual meeting Friday that opened with predictions of continuing tight markets for book paper and manufacturing concluded with Kobo (“often thought of as ‘Kobo-Who-We-Wish-Were-Bigger-In-the-US'”) ceo Michael Tamblyn running down six ways to sell more digital product — and retain readers’ attention — with better metadata. His biggest and most important suggestion/ask — which has been a staple of some of my own speeches for years — was, “Add series data. Every damn time.” As Tamblyn noted, series represent a whopping 52 percent of their ebook sales. Yet it is “one […]
EU to Allow Members to Drop E-Book Tax Rates
After two full years of debate (and years more of hand wringing), European Union member states now have the option to lower VAT tax rates on ebooks to the same rate charged for printed books — which in some countries are tax free. The measure unanimously agreed on by the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council on October 2 is “the final step to ensure that the unequal treatment of the two products – paper versus digital – becomes a thing of the past,” said the EU Commission. The measure does not force member states to align the rates, but […]
Walmart eBooks, Kobo Integrates OverDrive, NYPL’s Instagram Books
As we previewed on Tuesday, today is the official launch day for Walmart ebooks (including digital audiobooks as well), in partnership with Rakuten Kobo. In separate news, Kobo has added “one-touch public library lending” to all of their ereading devices, for libraries that use Rakuten’s OverDrive. Kobo ceo Michael Tamblyn says in the announcement, “The insights and feedback gleaned from readers on our most premium device showed that those who borrowed ebooks directly from their public library on average read 30 percent more than those who did not use the library feature. Avid readers clearly appreciate the easy access to more […]
Walmart Readies eBook Rollout
Walmart is preparing to launch their retail partnership with Kobo ebooks, audiobooks and devices, announced in January. One Texas MobileRead user took pictures of in-store fixtures as they were being installed. Walmart stores will sell Kobo ereading devices, along with cards redeemable for ebooks, and audiobook subscriptions. Walmart’s website features ebooks help pages now, and Kobo posted a video about the Walmart ebooks app on YouTube on Monday. A Walmart ebooks app will launch shortly. The video only displays a Google Play icon, though the help pages talk about both android and IOS apps. Not unsurprisingly, Apple customers will need to […]
Walmart Pairs with Kobo for US eBooks
As part of a broader “strategic alliance” in both the US and Japan between Walmart and Rakuten, Kobo will provide ebooks, digital audiobooks and ebooks devices to Walmart in the US. The two announced “an exclusive retail alliance that will enable Walmart to begin selling eBooks and audiobooks, as well as offer Rakuten Kobo eReaders, in Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com in the United States starting later this year.” Walmart will be Kobo’s “exclusive mass retail partner for the Kobo brand in the US. Walmart.com will sell Kobo edooks and audiobooks through a Walmart/Kobo co-branded app. Walmart indicates that […]