by Michael Corkery at The New York Times
Walmart is making a circuitous and belated push into the digital book market, teaming up with a Japanese company to sell e-books and audiobooks.
The deal with Rakuten, an e-commerce giant based in Japan, will allow Walmart to start selling digital books on its website for the first time later this year.
The move, which was announced late Thursday, comes years after Walmart’s archrival, Amazon, began to dominate the market for digital readers.
Walmart customers will be able to read the books through Rakuten Kobo e-reading devices — which have not taken hold with Americans the way Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble’s Nook have.
The partnership is part of Walmart’s effort to ensure that its online offerings include every conceivable product line, giving shoppers no reason to click over to Amazon.
Read the rest of the article at the New York Times.
Ugh. I never made the switch to Kobo from the Sony Reader at least in part because of the “congratulations, you opened a book” type merit badge stuff. Not exactly an acceptable approach to dedicated readers. I can’t even imagine how bad an idea adding Walmart is going to be.
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I see a rise in Kobo sales on the horizon! 😂
Many people are anti-Walmart, but Amazon’s Draconian rule leaves a bad after-taste! 😝
This could get interesting… or maybe the evil empires will find a way to make a partnership out of all this! 😊
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This is very exciting.
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Reblogged this on Nesie's Place and commented:
Had enough of Wal-Mart yet? Too bad! Here they come! 😂
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Reblogged this on The Book Review Directory.
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It’s still not clear why an E-Commerce giant like Walmart need to tie up with Rakuten and more importantly why they kept the barrier like you can read with Rakuten Kobo only. I think this has more to do with business later on. Lets keep our eyes open 🙂
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Interesting.
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this great post from A Writer’s Path blog on Wal Mart’s entry into the eBook market.
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Reblogged this on Anna Dobritt — Author.
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Thanks for sharing!
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Reblogged this on TheKingsKidChronicles and commented:
Walmart Gets Into e-book Business. This is a surprising (although I suppose we should have seen it coming) turn of events. I wonder if their prices will compete with Amazon’s. Be interesting to find out. Reblogged
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Reblogged on thekingskidchronicles at http://www.aletakay.wordpress.com but when I was typing in the reference on the reblog box an ad popped up and didn’t let me finish the reference for the site from which the blog was reposted. Sorry about that.
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Sorry about that tidbit happening. Thanks for sharing!
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It’s worth noting that, OUS, the Kobo is the most popular reader. I, like another reader above, predict a rise in US sales.
I was an early adopter of Kobo, and have found the platform delightful.
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I agree, Sharon. Kobo has never been strong in the U.S. That’s probably about to change with this deal.
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