Recently Kobo reached an agreement with the American Booksellers Association to bring Kobo’s entire line of e-readers and ebooks to thousands of independent bookstores in the USA. This new initiative between the Booksellers Association brings ebooks and e-readers to 1,000 bookstores in the UK and Ireland.
Kobo has made the strongest push into the United Kingdom out of all the major e-reader companies in the world. It currently does business with WH Smith and its network of 1,100 stores and 100 Kobo Shops across the UK. Kobo e-readers are also available at Asda, Dixons, Currys, John Lewis, Staples, Argos, and other leading retailers in the UK.
“We are very excited to work with independent bookstores across the UK and Ireland to bring e-reading to more booklovers,” said Todd Humphrey, Executive Vice President Business Development, Kobo. “With this partnership, independents will be able to offer a world class e-reading solution to their loyal customers and have a voice in the digital transformation.”
“We are delighted that Kobo has decided to expand its services in the UK. The BA wants ebook platforms to provide our members with easy, competitive, proven ebook retailing solutions,” said Tim Godfray, Chief Executive, Booksellers Association of the UK & Ireland, “Also, [we want] the customers of our bookshops to have access to a broad and diverse inventory of ebooks. Kobo ticks these boxes and gives our members increased choice of supplier. Today’s readers want a first-class shopping experience, both in-store and online, and Kobo has the infrastructure to help independent booksellers to meet the ever-changing needs of shoppers in a dynamic marketplace.”
Kobo will be debuting three new e-readers within the next month and should strengthen its ability to compete with the next generation of devices. The Kobo Arc, Mini, and Glo are poised for tremendous growth in the UK in the months leading up to the holiday season.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
