Amazon announced Friday it is finally discontinuing its Kindle online services in China. This move marked the end of an era for Amazon’s pursuit of the vast Chinese consumer market and left avid readers scrambling to stock up on e-books before the platform’s closure. While the decision did not come as a surprise, as Amazon had previously announced its intention to cease operations of the Kindle e-bookstore in China, the company has not provided a specific explanation for the withdrawal.
In recent years, Amazon has faced tough competition from local Chinese rivals like Alibaba and JD.com, leading to a strategic retreat from various sectors within the Chinese market. In 2019, the company had already terminated its online retail operations for Chinese consumers. As part of its plan, Amazon intends to remove the Kindle app from Chinese app stores by June 30, 2024.
Following the discontinuation, Kindle users in China will lose the ability to purchase new books online, although they will still have the option to download previously purchased books onto their devices for another year. State media outlet China Daily reported that millions of Kindle reading devices were sold in China between 2013 and 2018, indicating a substantial user base.
However, industry experts point out that the widespread coverage of 4G and 5G mobile networks, coupled with the proliferation of smartphones, has made dedicated e-book readers like the Kindle largely unnecessary for Chinese consumers. Zhang Yi, founder of Guangzhou-based research firm iiMedia, shared insights from their user behavior research, highlighting the lack of significant demand for e-book readers among Chinese users.
Additionally, the availability of free e-books and the affordability of printed books have diminished the business value of the Kindle store, according to Li Chengdong, founder of Beijing-based tech-focused think tank Dolphin.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s strategic shift has raised concerns about the future of the e-book market in China. Questions have emerged regarding the protection of consumers’ interests after purchasing digital books. While other players in the industry are expected to fill the void left by Amazon’s departure, ensuring the security and accessibility of consumers’ investments in digital content will be a key challenge. The evolving situation holds the promise of reshaping the landscape of digital reading in China, and only time will reveal how the competition will unfold in this domain.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.