Walmart eBook vs. Kobo Stores

rcentros · 08-23-2018, 02:52 AM

I've had a Kobo account for several years (since Sony closed their Reader Store). I haven't bought much from them but I'm looking at making them my first choice for eBooks -- just because I don't think Amazon should have all the business.

Since I have the Kobo account, when I clicked eBooks on the Walmart site, I was redirected to the standard Kobo eBook store (I think there was a referral URL, but nothing else different than just going to Kobo). But when my brother followed the link, he got a Walmart branded Kobo store -- so I booted up my laptop and, sure enough, the Walmart eBook store came up. Since I didn't have an account with Walmart eBooks, I used my Walmart login and now have a second Kobo account. At this point I don't mind that, but I wonder if there is a way to link the two accounts? Or will they always be treated as two separate accounts?

So then I logged out of my Kobo Touch (under accounts) to see if I could login to the new Walmart account. When the Touch rebooted it came up with the Walmart eBook logo and login as the default -- so, I guess, in the U.S. Walmart is now the "go-to" Kobo bookstore? (They also gave you the option to choose the Kobo bookstore, but that was secondary, below the FaceBook login.) Kind of weird to see that. Has anyone else experienced this?

John F · 08-23-2018, 05:36 AM

I don't see a Walmart ebook store. I get a few pages on a Walmart site, but as soon as I want to shop for ebooks, it goes to a Kobo site.

From and Ad on the Walmart (U.S.) site, it looks like there are Walmart ebook gift cards; I can't seem to find the ad again.

And the Kobo site still needs some work. I do a search, click on "media type - ebooks", and I get audiobooks.

Mrs_Often · 08-23-2018, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

At this point I don't mind that, but I wonder if there is a way to link the two accounts? Or will they always be treated as two separate accounts?

If you go to your account on the *real* Kobo site, there is an overview of Sign in options. Most of them have "Link this account" as a possibility. Walmart has been added at the bottom of the list

https://secure.kobobooks.com/profile?wslang=en-US

sakura-panda · 08-23-2018, 10:56 AM

When I logged into my Kobo account earlier today (from my PC web browser and I'm in the US), the first log in choice was WalMart, with Kobo, Facebook, Google, etc. below it. It used to be that it defaulted to the Kobo login, with Facebook, Google, etc below that. I assume it is all the same store, just different login options for people that don't want to create new login identities.

(I'm not interested in a single sign on, which is why I signed up with a Kobo login. The addition of the Wal-Mart login surprised me, although in retrospect, it should not have.)

I do not know if the accounts can be linked; I don't see why they couldn't, since the only reason there are so many login options is to make it easier for people to sign in and register.

Edit: I just followed the link to the post before mine and it looks like it is very simple to link accounts. I have nothing linked, and plan to keep it that way, but it's nice to see that it's a user-controlled option.

girlwithabook · 08-23-2018, 10:56 AM

@rcentros

If you log into either account, go to the kobo website My Account>Account Settings and on that page you'll see a link of partner to link, by linking the accounts you can sign in with either. If you need to merge content (if it doesn't after linking), I'd contact the customer care team, they can help

.

rcentros · 08-23-2018, 12:25 PM

Thanks everyone for the explanations. I was more curious than anything else. I'll probably delete the new "Walmart" account (or just leave it for experimentation). What was surprising to see was the Walmart being the default login when setting up the Touch (after logging out of my Kobo account).

To John F — I didn't see the Walmart version of the Kobo store either, until I went to a different computer (or at least a different browser). I guess cookies in the browser must divert you to your regular Kobo account if you've already got one. The Walmart Kobo Store has fewer options at the top (the link for eReaders goes back to Walmart's page, for example) — otherwise it looks identical to the Kobo standard bookstore, except with the Walmart eBook by Rakuten Kobo logo. (I've attached screen grabs of the two from two different browsers — once I go to the Walmart Kobo store in browser that hasn't been used for Kobo, that becomes the default.)

John F · 08-23-2018, 01:03 PM

I get a page similar to your first image, but it is a www.kobo... url, not a www.walmart... url.

I tried it on my computer, tablet, and phone, and they all go to a Kobo site (with references to Walmart).

rcentros · 08-23-2018, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

I get a page similar to your first image, but it is a www.kobo... url, not a www.walmart... url.

I tried it on my computer, tablet, and phone, and they all go to a Kobo site (with references to Walmart).

The only way I can get to the Walmart Kobo page on this computer is with a browser I never used for logging into the regular Kobo store. If I've ever logged into the Kobo store with a specific browser, the link on Walmart's page will only take me to that page. (I'm guessing I could delete all cookies in the cache and "fix" it but I don't want to have to "rebuild" everything else.)

It works in the opposite direction as well. Once I've logged into the Walmart Kobo Store in a particular browser, even if I directly enter "kobo.com," it goes to the Walmart version of the Kobo page (even after logging out).

John F · 08-23-2018, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

The only way I can get to the Walmart Kobo page on this computer is with a browser I never used for logging into the regular Kobo store. If I've ever logged into the Kobo store with a specific browser, the link on Walmart's page will only take me to that page. (I'm guessing I could delete all cookies in the cache and "fix" it but I don't want to have to "rebuild" everything else.)

It works in the opposite direction as well. Once I've logged into the Walmart Kobo Store in a particular browser, even if I directly enter "kobo.com," it goes to the Walmart version of the Kobo page (even after logging out).

When you say "Walmart Kobo page", what is the url?

John F · 08-23-2018, 01:55 PM

I just tried a new laptop (never visited the Kobo store before), and I get a Kobo url.

rcentros · 08-23-2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

I just tried a new laptop (never visited the Kobo store before), and I get a Kobo url.

That's odd. You're doing this from the Walmart eBook link?

Here's what the full URL is when I follow the link from the Walmart eBook page in Chrome (a browser I never use because Google stopped supporting Chrome for 32-bit Linux a couple years ago).

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebooks/tr...=eBooksCP_page

(EDIT: In my normal browser, on this computer, the link goes to regular Kobo store. In the Chrome browser, it goes to the Walmart one.)

sakura-panda · 08-23-2018, 03:50 PM

My guess is that you have a Walmart cookie, after logging in with Walmart, and it defaults to that site. (Only a guess!)

I always end up at the regular Kobo site -- probably because right now I'm logged in -- but I don't have any sort of Walmart login to overcome.

NiLuJe · 08-23-2018, 04:15 PM

Over here (France), the ordering of the affiliate login button (in our case, Fnac) has moved around over the years. It used to be the default choice at one point, now it appears on the bottom section above FB/Google.

That said, I've never used it, always went through a vanilla Kobo account, so, that's as far as my experiments on that subject went

.

rcentros · 08-23-2018, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakura-panda

I always end up at the regular Kobo site -- probably because right now I'm logged in -- but I don't have any sort of Walmart login to overcome.

I do too, on this browser (my main browser, Pale Moon, which is a Firefox variant). I can't even log out of Kobo's site — I log out and nothing happens, I'm still logged in. I must have told Pale Moon to automatically log me in at Kobo, or something. Not that it bothers me, I can jump to another web browser if I want to log into the Walmart version of the site.

John F · 08-23-2018, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcentros

That's odd. You're doing this from the Walmart eBook link?

Here's what the full URL is when I follow the link from the Walmart eBook page in Chrome (a browser I never use because Google stopped supporting Chrome for 32-bit Linux a couple years ago).

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebooks/tr...=eBooksCP_page

(EDIT: In my normal browser, on this computer, the link goes to regular Kobo store. In the Chrome browser, it goes to the Walmart one.)

I think we are both seeing the same thing.

08-23-2018, 02:52 AM	#1
rcentros eReader Wrangler Posts: 7,888 Karma: 52039845 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boise, ID Device: PB HD3, GL3, Tolino Vision 4, Voyage, Clara HD	Walmart eBook vs. Kobo Stores I've had a Kobo account for several years (since Sony closed their Reader Store). I haven't bought much from them but I'm looking at making them my first choice for eBooks -- just because I don't think Amazon should have all the business. Since I have the Kobo account, when I clicked eBooks on the Walmart site, I was redirected to the standard Kobo eBook store (I think there was a referral URL, but nothing else different than just going to Kobo). But when my brother followed the link, he got a Walmart branded Kobo store -- so I booted up my laptop and, sure enough, the Walmart eBook store came up. Since I didn't have an account with Walmart eBooks, I used my Walmart login and now have a second Kobo account. At this point I don't mind that, but I wonder if there is a way to link the two accounts? Or will they always be treated as two separate accounts? So then I logged out of my Kobo Touch (under accounts) to see if I could login to the new Walmart account. When the Touch rebooted it came up with the Walmart eBook logo and login as the default -- so, I guess, in the U.S. Walmart is now the "go-to" Kobo bookstore? (They also gave you the option to choose the Kobo bookstore, but that was secondary, below the FaceBook login.) Kind of weird to see that. Has anyone else experienced this?

08-23-2018, 10:56 AM	#4
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	When I logged into my Kobo account earlier today (from my PC web browser and I'm in the US), the first log in choice was WalMart, with Kobo, Facebook, Google, etc. below it. It used to be that it defaulted to the Kobo login, with Facebook, Google, etc below that. I assume it is all the same store, just different login options for people that don't want to create new login identities. (I'm not interested in a single sign on, which is why I signed up with a Kobo login. The addition of the Wal-Mart login surprised me, although in retrospect, it should not have.) I do not know if the accounts can be linked; I don't see why they couldn't, since the only reason there are so many login options is to make it easier for people to sign in and register. Edit: I just followed the link to the post before mine and it looks like it is very simple to link accounts. I have nothing linked, and plan to keep it that way, but it's nice to see that it's a user-controlled option. Last edited by sakura-panda; 08-23-2018 at 10:58 AM.

08-23-2018, 12:25 PM	#6
rcentros eReader Wrangler Posts: 7,888 Karma: 52039845 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boise, ID Device: PB HD3, GL3, Tolino Vision 4, Voyage, Clara HD	Thanks everyone for the explanations. I was more curious than anything else. I'll probably delete the new "Walmart" account (or just leave it for experimentation). What was surprising to see was the Walmart being the default login when setting up the Touch (after logging out of my Kobo account). To John F — I didn't see the Walmart version of the Kobo store either, until I went to a different computer (or at least a different browser). I guess cookies in the browser must divert you to your regular Kobo account if you've already got one. The Walmart Kobo Store has fewer options at the top (the link for eReaders goes back to Walmart's page, for example) — otherwise it looks identical to the Kobo standard bookstore, except with the Walmart eBook by Rakuten Kobo logo. (I've attached screen grabs of the two from two different browsers — once I go to the Walmart Kobo store in browser that hasn't been used for Kobo, that becomes the default.) Attached Thumbnails

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08-23-2018, 05:36 AM	#2
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,941 Karma: 70583139 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	I don't see a Walmart ebook store. I get a few pages on a Walmart site, but as soon as I want to shop for ebooks, it goes to a Kobo site. From and Ad on the Walmart (U.S.) site, it looks like there are Walmart ebook gift cards; I can't seem to find the ad again. And the Kobo site still needs some work. I do a search, click on "media type - ebooks", and I get audiobooks.

08-23-2018, 10:56 AM	#5
girlwithabook Member Posts: 13 Karma: 25000 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Aura ONE, iPhone 6s	@rcentros If you log into either account, go to the kobo website My Account>Account Settings and on that page you'll see a link of partner to link, by linking the accounts you can sign in with either. If you need to merge content (if it doesn't after linking), I'd contact the customer care team, they can help .

08-23-2018, 01:03 PM	#7
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,941 Karma: 70583139 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	I get a page similar to your first image, but it is a www.kobo... url, not a www.walmart... url. I tried it on my computer, tablet, and phone, and they all go to a Kobo site (with references to Walmart).

08-23-2018, 01:55 PM	#10
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,941 Karma: 70583139 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	I just tried a new laptop (never visited the Kobo store before), and I get a Kobo url.

08-23-2018, 03:50 PM	#12
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	My guess is that you have a Walmart cookie, after logging in with Walmart, and it defaults to that site. (Only a guess!) I always end up at the regular Kobo site -- probably because right now I'm logged in -- but I don't have any sort of Walmart login to overcome.

08-23-2018, 04:15 PM	#13
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Over here (France), the ordering of the affiliate login button (in our case, Fnac) has moved around over the years. It used to be the default choice at one point, now it appears on the bottom section above FB/Google. That said, I've never used it, always went through a vanilla Kobo account, so, that's as far as my experiments on that subject went .

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