WH Smith Ebookstore now managed by Kobo

khalleron · 12-30-2011, 12:08 PM

I received the following email from WH Smith today:

"AN IMPORTANT REMINDER TO SECURE YOUR EBOOKS - DEADLINE SATURDAY 31ST DECEMBER

WHSmith has partnered with Kobo to bring you an improved eBook offer.

We are now able to transfer your library of eBooks purchased from WHSmith to a new Library with Kobo. The benefits of this are:
Read your books on almost any device.
Hold your library in one place.
Ensure that your previous purchases are available to you."

So much wrong with this - the lack of advance warning (you have to move your books by tomorrow) and the fact that the books I actually bought from WH Smith are geo-restricted and are unavailable from Kobo (which is why I bought them from WHS in the first place).

Glad I already had them backed up.

Boo for WH Smith - they're making the same mistakes Borders made. I hope this doesn't mean they're about to go belly up in the same manner.

ghostyjack · 12-30-2011, 12:17 PM

Lack of advanced warning?

I received several emails for at least the last month - if not longer - that this was going to happen.

I've made sure that all my books were safely backed up on my PC over two weeks ago.

khalleron · 12-30-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostyjack

Lack of advanced warning?

I received several emails for at least the last month - if not longer - that this was going to happen.

I've made sure that all my books were safely backed up on my PC over two weeks ago.

This was the first I'd heard of it.

Perhaps it would have been nice for you to have let the rest of us know as well?

HarryT · 12-30-2011, 01:35 PM

Kate,

See this from the middle of October:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=154034

As far as geo-restrictions go, Kobo should offer you the same books as Smiths, if you're in the UK.

ghostyjack · 12-30-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khalleron

This was the first I'd heard of it.

Perhaps it would have been nice for you to have let the rest of us know as well?

I didn't think I needed to tell anyone seeing as there was at least one thread here talking about it (see Harry's post for the link) already. Therefore my assumption is that people would have already been made aware of it.

Quote:

As far as geo-restrictions go, Kobo should offer you the same books as Smiths, if you're in the UK.

Nope Harry, they don't off the same selection as WHSmiths. Over half my purchases are not available from Kobo. When I followed their instructions to transfer them to my Kobo account, I was advised that many of my books were not available and I was presented with a list of them that I'd lose. Most of them was due to geo-restrictions.

sunnysmiles · 12-30-2011, 01:51 PM

The first email I got about this was today.

ghostyjack · 12-30-2011, 01:56 PM

Well that does seem odd.

I don't know why some people didn't get the previous emails, but WHSmiths had sent out numerous emails about this (I've still got all of them as I keep forgetting to clear out my inbox).

khalleron · 12-30-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Kate,

See this from the middle of October:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=154034

As far as geo-restrictions go, Kobo should offer you the same books as Smiths, if you're in the UK.

If you had looked at my location, you'd see I'm not in the UK.

Not that it matters - as ghostyjack confirms, many books are not available in the UK, either.

But in any case, as WHS should have learned from Borders, letting someone else sell ebooks for you is a BAD IDEA.

Graham · 12-30-2011, 02:34 PM

Hmm. I've not had the emails either, and I can't see them in my spam filter. I've had trouble with emails being filtered by Virgin Media at source before, so it might be that.

Thanks for the heads up.

Graham

HarryT · 12-30-2011, 02:38 PM

Sorry, Kate; I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression that the WH Smith's bookstore was UK only.

sherman · 12-30-2011, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry, Kate; I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression that the WH Smith's bookstore was UK only.

It is now, but that is a fairly recent development. They used to sell ebooks to a lot, if not most, commonwealth countries.

Kiwimick · 12-30-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostyjack

Nope Harry, they don't off the same selection as WHSmiths. Over half my purchases are not available from Kobo. When I followed their instructions to transfer them to my Kobo account, I was advised that many of my books were not available and I was presented with a list of them that I'd lose. Most of them was due to geo-restrictions.

Ditto. Im in the UK and lost a quarter of my books from the library. Have backed them up already but its still a bit rough

amjbrown · 12-30-2011, 05:26 PM

I am in the UK, and I had about fifteen books from pre-Kindle days. I had several mails, and finally followed the instructions last night. Very impressed with the smoothness of transfer, and although all my volumes had been liberated and backed-up into Calibre, the experience has seriously made me think about adding a Kobo to me eReader collection. Played with the iPhone app and quite enthusiastic about it.

amjb

Polarpenguin · 12-30-2011, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the heads up about this. I've not recieved 1 email from WHsmiths about this, nor had I seen the previous threads.
On the plus side 2 of my books have been stuck in DRM hell due to a ADE foul up & I've never been able to read them. Now they're free.

carpetmojo · 12-30-2011, 05:44 PM

I have to say, I got around 3 e-mails about this from around a month ago - and I'm sure I saw something here about it...

All the warnings, even though I had given up on Smiths ebook dept well before that - and emailed thm expressing my dissatisfaction over their "customer support" - in my case, zilch....

I too assumed everyone knew about it....

Sorry.

12-30-2011, 12:08 PM	#1
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	WH Smith Ebookstore now managed by Kobo I received the following email from WH Smith today: "AN IMPORTANT REMINDER TO SECURE YOUR EBOOKS - DEADLINE SATURDAY 31ST DECEMBER WHSmith has partnered with Kobo to bring you an improved eBook offer. We are now able to transfer your library of eBooks purchased from WHSmith to a new Library with Kobo. The benefits of this are: Read your books on almost any device. Hold your library in one place. Ensure that your previous purchases are available to you." So much wrong with this - the lack of advance warning (you have to move your books by tomorrow) and the fact that the books I actually bought from WH Smith are geo-restricted and are unavailable from Kobo (which is why I bought them from WHS in the first place). Glad I already had them backed up. Boo for WH Smith - they're making the same mistakes Borders made. I hope this doesn't mean they're about to go belly up in the same manner.

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12-30-2011, 12:17 PM	#2
ghostyjack Guru Posts: 718 Karma: 1085610 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, England Device: PRS-T1, 1825PT, Galaxy Tab, One X, TF700T, Aura HD, Nexus 7	Lack of advanced warning? I received several emails for at least the last month - if not longer - that this was going to happen. I've made sure that all my books were safely backed up on my PC over two weeks ago.

12-30-2011, 01:35 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Kate, See this from the middle of October: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=154034 As far as geo-restrictions go, Kobo should offer you the same books as Smiths, if you're in the UK.

12-30-2011, 01:51 PM	#6
sunnysmiles Addict Posts: 279 Karma: 1188010 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London Device: I pad air, kindle pw2 and kindle touch , kindle had fire Nook pad nook	The first email I got about this was today.

12-30-2011, 01:56 PM	#7
ghostyjack Guru Posts: 718 Karma: 1085610 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, England Device: PRS-T1, 1825PT, Galaxy Tab, One X, TF700T, Aura HD, Nexus 7	Well that does seem odd. I don't know why some people didn't get the previous emails, but WHSmiths had sent out numerous emails about this (I've still got all of them as I keep forgetting to clear out my inbox).

12-30-2011, 02:34 PM	#9
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	Hmm. I've not had the emails either, and I can't see them in my spam filter. I've had trouble with emails being filtered by Virgin Media at source before, so it might be that. Thanks for the heads up. Graham

12-30-2011, 02:38 PM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Sorry, Kate; I was under the (obviously mistaken) impression that the WH Smith's bookstore was UK only.

12-30-2011, 05:26 PM	#13
amjbrown Addict Posts: 322 Karma: 1231044 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle app on the iPhone	I am in the UK, and I had about fifteen books from pre-Kindle days. I had several mails, and finally followed the instructions last night. Very impressed with the smoothness of transfer, and although all my volumes had been liberated and backed-up into Calibre, the experience has seriously made me think about adding a Kobo to me eReader collection. Played with the iPhone app and quite enthusiastic about it. amjb

12-30-2011, 05:40 PM	#14
Polarpenguin Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 1834850 Join Date: May 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-300, Sony PRS- T3S, Kobo aura H2O Kobo aura One Kobo libra	Thanks for the heads up about this. I've not recieved 1 email from WHsmiths about this, nor had I seen the previous threads. On the plus side 2 of my books have been stuck in DRM hell due to a ADE foul up & I've never been able to read them. Now they're free.

12-30-2011, 05:44 PM	#15
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	I have to say, I got around 3 e-mails about this from around a month ago - and I'm sure I saw something here about it... All the warnings, even though I had given up on Smiths ebook dept well before that - and emailed thm expressing my dissatisfaction over their "customer support" - in my case, zilch.... I too assumed everyone knew about it.... Sorry.

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