Kobo: "Beat Amazon." Not so in Japan.

[Alexander Turcic]

The NYT has an interesting write up on how Kobo is losing its race against Amazon to dominate the Japanese e-reader market.

Amazon’s victory over Sony and Rakuten, which got into the e-reader business when it bought the Toronto-based Kobo in November 2011, began with aggressive pricing. Amazon sold the Kindle Paperwhite for 7,980 yen, or about $80. Not only was its price about $40 less than it was in the United States, it also matched that of Rakuten’s Kobo and Sony’s PRS-T2. [...]

But Amazon wasn’t winning just because of price. It also gave consumers another reason to prefer the Kindle. “The reason for the Kindle’s success in Japan is the same as it was in America,” said Munechika Nishida, author of “The Truth About the E-book Revolution” and a technology analyst. “The Amazon Web store is the easiest to use, the easiest to understand.”

The current market shares according to Tokyo-based MM Research Institute:

• Amazon: 38.3 percent
• Kobo/Rakuten: 33 percent
• Sony: 25.5 percent

Many of you have noticed that Kobo is currently revamping its online e-book store. Could this be the key for a successful fight against Amazon's market dominance?

[image: Haruhiko Okumura / Flickr]

[spellbanisher]

This is very surprising. In video games and consoles American companies do very poorly in Japan. The same goes for automobiles. I can't think of any other American products that sell better in Japan than the Japanese versions.

[mr_nihilism]

Quality eReaders at aggressively cheap prices. Awesome.

Oh, and I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that even there Sony is losing the race.

[DStyle]

Originally Posted by spellbanisher

This is very surprising. In video games and consoles American companies do very poorly in Japan. The same goes for automobiles. I can't think of any other American products that sell better in Japan than the Japanese versions.

Amazon is very well known in Japan. Most ppl do like to shop with Amazon even though price isn't that cheap compare to local online store.

Talked about KOBO website, ordered a Aura HD on the website and got charged in Canadian Dollar rather than NZD. Complaint to customer service and escalate to 2nd level. Hope KOBO take this very seriously and learn from Amazon. If not, it will loose customers.

I have to admit, Amazon is one of my prefer online shopping website.

[charmian]

Kobo flubbed their launch hard with poor software. There were a massive number of complaints. I'm surprised that Sony is still doing that well, considering their high prices in the face of Amazon's very aggressive pricing.

[DStyle]

Sony is Japanese company and their e-reader price is lower in Japan compare to international price.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by charmian

Kobo flubbed their launch hard with poor software. There were a massive number of complaints. I'm surprised that Sony is still doing that well, considering their high prices in the face of Amazon's very aggressive pricing.

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...-user-reviews/

It’s been just under a week since the Kobo Touch started shipping in Japan, and things are going so well that Rakuten has removed from their website all the reviews of the Kobo Touch.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Kobo's initial launch was not good, that's for sure. Still, 38% to 33% is still a horse race. I really don't think Japan matters, at least when it comes to ereaders. I think I've seen about 3 or 4 ereaders in the wild since Rakuten and Amazon started selling them. Ebooks, on the other hand could be important as everyone uses a smartphone.

[spellbanisher]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

Kobo's initial launch was not good, that's for sure. Still, 38% to 33% is still a horse race. I really don't think Japan matters, at least when it comes to ereaders. I think I've seen about 3 or 4 ereaders in the wild since Rakuten and Amazon started selling them. Ebooks, on the other hand could be important as everyone uses a smartphone.

Here in the United States I've only seen 3 or 4 ereaders in the wild (all Kindle Keyboards). I've seen quite a few ipads though.

[DStyle]

So, should I go with Amazon or KOBO e-reader?

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Originally Posted by spellbanisher

Here in the United States I've only seen 3 or 4 ereaders in the wild (all Kindle Keyboards). I've seen quite a few ipads though.

Really? I would have thought ereaders would be far more ubiquitous than that. Do you find yourself in places where people would normally be using an ereader? Like on the train or bus?

[Stitchawl]

When in Japan, I saw almost no e-readers, and virtually no one asked me what I was using when on the trains or in coffee shops reading. Now in Thailand, half the people I see sitting in guest house restaurants, coffee shops or in parks reading are using an e-reader of some brand or another. Very popular here, and folks are often discussing them.


Stitchawl

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

Really? I would have thought ereaders would be far more ubiquitous than that. Do you find yourself in places where people would normally be using an ereader? Like on the train or bus?

The most likely places to find ebook readers in use in the US are the family room, the patio, and the bedroom. Reading is a private activity.

[spellbanisher]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

Really? I would have thought ereaders would be far more ubiquitous than that. Do you find yourself in places where people would normally be using an ereader? Like on the train or bus?

Nah, trains and buses are not a major form of transportation where i live. i see ereaders and tablets at university.

Originally Posted by spellbanisher

Nah, trains and buses are not a major form of transportation where i live. i see ereaders and tablets at university.

Trains and busses aren't a major form of transportation in Canada either. Yet the people who do use mass transit are as likely to be using an ereader as a pbook in the cities that I have visited.