[6charlong]

This thread got me thinking. Preordered eReaders offer an important opportunity for Kobo. They are a purchase that initiates a long term commitment between Kobo and their customers so wouldn’t it be nice if Kobo’s Customer Service department were to send a series of little update emails to customers on the preOrdered list during that long wait? eMail doesn’t cost much more than the already budgeted cost of internet access. This seems like just the kind of thoughtful touch needed to maintain friendly contact with customers, something to reassure them Kobo wants to maintain an ongoing dialog about books and reading, more than the ads they send to buy books.

I’m thinking of information about where the eReaders are now in the supply process and what to expect from the shipping process once the ereaders arrive from the factory. They can provide links to reviews of the product and how to use it, plus videos about Kobo itself--nothing new, just links to things that are already on the Kobo site. Links to information about the coming eReader, links to the User Manual for the new device, links to accessories, information about their books including vetting free books with instructions about how to get them and explain how to put one in your library where it will be ready to download when your eReader arrives. Maybe explain ePub and ePub3--not the technical bits, rather what the two formats will look like on your new eReader. Basic stuff like that but an attempt to build a relationship with their customers. Just basic marketing like merchants have been doing for thousands of years.