eBook availability in Sweden has come a long way since 2007. The country now has most major bestsellers available in digital form the same day the trade edition is released. This has caught Amazon’s attention as the company may start selling eBooks and Kindle e-Readers as early as the Spring.
Amazon is in final negotiations with wholesaler Förlagssystem, and Bokrondellen whose database contains all the information about every single Swedish book published. Amazon has also mentioned opening up a fulfillment center in Sweden, which would create hundreds of jobs, this would put political pressure on the publishing companies to accept the Amazon terms. Christer Perslöv, Business Development Manager at Bokrondellen talked a bit about the negotiations “We have been tough – we do not want to give them any advantage over Swedish bookstores.”
If negotiations fall through in Sweden, Amazon plans on opening a store anyways, by way of Germany. Their intention is to develop a portal for people to buy traditional books and also digital book and Kindle e-Readers.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and Verge.