Waterstones (UK biggest bookseller) to sell Amazon's Kindle book reader

[Top100EbooksRank]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18141399

UK bookseller Waterstones is to sell Amazon's Kindle book-reader and launch other Kindle digital services.

Waterstones says the deal will dovetail with its current store refurbishment scheme, which is creating dedicated areas for digital books, free wireless internet and new coffee shops.

With almost 300 stores, Waterstones is the UK's biggest bookseller.

Amazon must have made a sweeter deal compare to Barnes and Nobles. Nook was rumored to come to Waterstones for months now.

[HarryT]

I wonder what they'll do with their eBookstore, which is an ePub store? It's going to confuse a lot of people if they buy a Kindle from Waterstones, go to the Waterstones web site, buy an eBook, and find that it won't run on their Kindle.

I'm moving this thread to the "News" forum, since I think it's of greater general interest than just to the Amazon community.

[gari189]

Only 6 months ago Daunt was referring to Amazon as a "ruthless money-making devil" and complaining about their tax avoidance. I wonder if he feels he's sold his soul to the devil?

Bit of a shock decision given his history with Amazon and yesterdays Observor newspaper was reporting Daunt saying their ereader would be "different from Amazon - and better"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012...gy-james-daunt

Great news for Kindle purchasers. They can handle them in a Waterstones store, then buy them cheaper from Currys, Tescos etc. Kindle owners can pop into a Waterstones book store, see a book on display, purchase the book from the Amazon website using the Waterstones wifi via their Kindle. I'm puzzled as to how Waterstones make any money out of this....and Waterstones might as well kill their ebook sales.

They should have gone with the Nook - as the only high street seller in the UK - at least it would have been unique.

I'd prefer it if Amazon just bought all the stores and used them as a high street sales outlet for Amazon. Waterstones staff are excellent and coupled with Amazon prices, they would be unbeatable.

[Top100EbooksRank]

Originally Posted by gari189

I'm puzzled as to how Waterstones make any money out of this....and Waterstones might as well kill their ebook sales.

I'm sure Waterstones will make a lot of money out of this. You don't shoot your own foot for no financial gains. Because this is what it is. You don't invite your BIGGEST competitor to set up shop in your own store unless it makes financial sense for you.

Waterstones have been negotiating with both Nook and Kindle (and probably KOBO) and I guess Kindle offered the most $$$$.


Amazon: For every Kindle you sell at Waterstone, we will give you $30. You also get a cut of ebook purchased.
Waterstones: Hey Nook, can you top that offer?
Nook + Microsoft: We can only go as high as $25
Waterstones: Kindle is great

[gari189]

Originally Posted by Top100EbooksRank

Amazon: For every Kindle you sell at Waterstone, we will give you $30.
Waterstones: Hey Nook, can you top that offer?
Nook + Microsoft: We can only go as high as $25
Waterstones: Kindle is great

Tesco's regularly sell the Kindles for £10 or £15 less than Amazon. Most people won't buy a Kindle from Waterstones - they can buy a Kindle anywhere and at cheaper prices, so even if they get a 50% cut its still poor income if they don't sell any.

Most of the money is to be made in the ebook sales and all of that will be going straight to Amazon, unless they somehow get a cut from Amazon downloads in Waterstones stores.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by gari189

Tesco's regularly sell the Kindles for £10 or £15 less than Amazon.

Do they? The only time I've seen them cheaper than Amazon's prices is at an airport. Looking at Tesco's online prices, they are the same as Amazon's.

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by gari189

Tesco's regularly sell the Kindles for £10 or £15 less than Amazon. Most people won't buy a Kindle from Waterstones - they can buy a Kindle anywhere and at cheaper prices, so even if they get a 50% cut its still poor income if they don't sell any.

Most of the money is to be made in the ebook sales and all of that will be going straight to Amazon, unless they somehow get a cut from Amazon downloads in Waterstones stores.

In the radio interview the MD implied (but I don't think stated outright) that they would get a cut of the money on eBooks sold. He also talked about a Waterstones themed and curated portal that Kindle owners could browse using instore wifi.

Andrew

[JoeD]

At least they're trying something different to keep their retail stores going.

I wonder if the "curated" store could offer discounts on certain books restricted to their wifi only, or other offers. If so, there'd be an incentive for people to pop into waterstones and use their wifi whilst having a coffee.

Get people in the door, never know what they might spot/pickup on the way out.

Discount would have to be pretty decent though to get a dedicated visit rather than popping in because you happen to be passing a waterstones anyway.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by gari189

Tesco's regularly sell the Kindles for £10 or £15 less than Amazon.

Not in my local Tesco. Prices have always been consistent with buying them from Amazon.

Would be nice if Waterstones introduced sideloading booths where you could drop in and download to the Kindle there and then. I like the idea of browsing pBooks instore and then picking up the eBook version immediately.

EDIT: Having now read the article in the OP, it looks like you may be able to do this, or something similar, soon.

[gari189]

Originally Posted by orlok

Not in my local Tesco. Prices have always been consistent with buying them from Amazon.

You can order from them Tesco Direct and get them delivered to your local Tesco store. Tesco Direct regularly do a £10 off a £75 spend discount code plus £3/£4 Quidco/Topcashback if you use them.

Currys or Dixons (whatever they're called these days) also sometimes do a buy an ereader and get a £10 promotional voucher to spend at a later date but Tescos Direct is the cheapest way to get a Kindle.

Not as good as the Staples deal for the Kobo Touch though (£54 and a free toaster - lilac is still in stock)
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/kobo...taples-1222011

[orlok]

Originally Posted by gari189

You can order from them Tesco Direct and get them delivered to your local Tesco store. Tesco Direct regularly do a £10 off a £75 spend discount code plus £3/£4 Quidco/Topcashback if you use them.

In fact that's how I got my last Kindle for daughter #3. But that's just a general money off voucher - the retail price is the same as Amazon.

I like the idea of a free lilac toaster as a freebie when you purchase an eReader. Who thought up that promotion...?

[fjtorres]

Nate the great has a video along with some analysis:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...#comment-44461

The deal kicks in by September.
Could be B&N coudn't move that fast.
For Amazon this could be a "takeaway" play, just like B&N buying up the BORDERS name and IP in the US.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

In the radio interview the MD implied (but I don't think stated outright) that they would get a cut of the money on eBooks sold. He also talked about a Waterstones themed and curated portal that Kindle owners could browse using instore wifi.

It would be suprising if Amazon felt that had to make that sort of concession (cut of each book sold). Kindles have a lot of retail presence in the UK, so it isn't as though this is breaking into retail for them.
Unless they just mean a cut of titles sold through the in-store wifi.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

It would be suprising if Amazon felt that had to make that sort of concession (cut of each book sold). Kindles have a lot of retail presence in the UK, so it isn't as though this is breaking into retail for them.
Unless they just mean a cut of titles sold through the in-store wifi.

My assumption was that it'd be a cut of the ebooks sold via their in-store wifi.

Whilst Amazon could do a wider affiliate setup for any books bought on a given device, I find it hard to believe they'd want or seek that.

[soulfuldog]

Kindles are never sold at a cheaper price in Tesco, they are always the same price as Amazon. The fact there is sometimes a £10 discount code available for spends over £50 or £75 at Tesco Direct has no effect on anyone that wanders into a store and buys a Kindle. So they'll be the same price instore at Waterstones as they are instore at Currys, Tesco etc. Therefore, there will be people who will pick them up and buy them. Why else would all these stores stock them if there wasn't money to be made from doing so?

It obviously makes sense for Waterstones to team up with a big player in the ereader market, and it does seem strange to hook up with a 'rival', but perhaps there's something in Barnes & Nobles tie up with Microsoft that Waterstones didn't like - more likely less money was on offer than with B&N pre Microsoft?

Perhaps they've just decided their best bet is to team up with the most popular ereader in the UK? They might be looking at the sales of the Kobo in WH Smith and think to themselves, Kobo has had to cut their price to try and compete with Amazon, we don't want to have to do the same?

Not quite so much Daunt selling his soul to the devil, but getting in bed with the devil to make some money!

As for what it means for their ebook store, is it feasible they could start to sell both epub and mobi?