Sony closes USA and Canada ebook store - Page 4

Rev. Bob · 02-06-2014, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simplyparticular

I am happy that Sony is making the effort to move customers to Kobo, but I'm guessing some money changed hands for that, just like B&N bought Borders lists.

Minor point: Borders sold Kobo units and used the Kobo bookstore. (I got my first e-reader, a Kobo Wi-fi, at a closing Borders store.)

As soon as I got the news, I rushed over to the Sony store and bought most of the stuff on my wish list. That included several Heinlein books published by Baen, since Kobo doesn't carry those and Sony offers about a 12% discount over the Baen site itself. I'll make sure to drop back by at the end of this month when three more must-have/non-promo books drop...

banjomike · 02-06-2014, 04:42 PM

I cannot see any reference to the UK store in the various statements from Sony or Kobo. Is it likely that they will keep that?
https://gb.readerstore.sony.com/

Bookworm_Girl · 02-06-2014, 05:10 PM

This news is sad but not surprising. It's nice that your library will be transitioned to Kobo and hasn't been completely abandoned. I am glad to have these accounts combined now. I like the Kobo iOS apps better anyway. I am not too worried about losing books. I lost a few books when Sony transitioned from LRF to EPUB, but they were obscure titles.

I am surprised that they are going to update the store links to Kobo for the Reader desktop software and on newer eink devices. That is good news! I figured they would drop those as broken links and unsupported.

Canuck_in_Japan · 02-06-2014, 05:11 PM

Welcome to Kobo, Sony Readers! Hope you enjoy your your stay. This seems very good of either Sony or Kobo. They could have just closed up shop and said "download all of your purchases now".

Hamlet53 · 02-06-2014, 05:18 PM

Even though I own and still use a Sony ereader device it has been over two years since I purchased a book through Sony. So it is no big deal as far as I am concerned. Always when I purchase an ebook from any source it gets processed so that I can read it on any device at any time in the future anyway.

robko · 02-06-2014, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

This seems very good of either Sony or Kobo. They could have just closed up shop and said "download all of your purchases now".

I'd be confident that Kobo paid to get the Sony store users and neither did it out of the goodness of their heart. Helps Sony out since they get some $ out of it, and Sony's customer list would be big enough to make it worth Kobo's time/effort to integrate it (some of the smaller stores that just closed probably wouldn't be worth doing it). Kobo has some experience with takeovers like this in Australia, so it might be less painful than might otherwise be expected (but there is no way that a transition like this will ever go perfectly).

pdurrant · 02-06-2014, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benham

Maybe we could copy the files to our hard drive or SD card?

Yes, I meant that you would no longer be able to download extra copies.

pdurrant · 02-06-2014, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

I cannot see any reference to the UK store in the various statements from Sony or Kobo. Is it likely that they will keep that?
https://gb.readerstore.sony.com/

I expect that the UK store will get closed down too. I don't think Sony have a big presence in the UK either.

library addict · 02-06-2014, 05:59 PM

I will miss the Sony Store.

Back during Agency pricing that is where I boiught most of my books.

benham · 02-06-2014, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Were those authors available on Sony (the ones you said were on Kindle but not Kobo)?

No. It was on Kindle. Generally books have been cheaper on Kindle than Sony. I hadn't checked Kobo in about 3 years.

Tarana · 02-06-2014, 06:15 PM

Quote:

They said we can opt out of this transfer process, but never mentioned what we could opt out to.

This means that you get nothing. There are those who do not want their customer information ported to another company, so that is why they give the opt out option. From my own experience with the BooksOnBoard closeout, start downloading now and removing DRM. While most of my titles transferred to B&N seamlessly, some never were because it was an ebook that B&N chose not to carry.

library addict · 02-06-2014, 06:17 PM

I read through the FAQ but didn't see anything about the AG Settlement checks. Sony was one of the stores which was supposed to issue checks so I hope that information is still valid. If they issue it as Kobo credit that would be okay too.

library addict · 02-06-2014, 06:19 PM

Anyone with Harlequin/Harlequin Treasury titles published before July 2010 should ensure they have downloaded their ePubs from Sony. At Kobo the vast majority of these titles have major formatting issues (chapter headings doubled, no italics, etc).

VydorScope · 02-06-2014, 06:26 PM

I would download and backup up every single book you care about. You can always delete it later if it transferred to Kobo fine, but if it did not, it will just be gone with no recourse. Better safe then sorry I would think.

Penforhire · 02-06-2014, 06:28 PM

Interesting how staggered their notifications are. I got mine just a few hours ago. Sad but in no way surprised.

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02-06-2014, 04:42 PM	#47
banjomike Addict Posts: 319 Karma: 397404 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: PRS-505,DSlibris,nook Glow & HD+,Tab S2,Moon+,Clara,Clara Colour	I cannot see any reference to the UK store in the various statements from Sony or Kobo. Is it likely that they will keep that? https://gb.readerstore.sony.com/

02-06-2014, 05:10 PM	#48
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	This news is sad but not surprising. It's nice that your library will be transitioned to Kobo and hasn't been completely abandoned. I am glad to have these accounts combined now. I like the Kobo iOS apps better anyway. I am not too worried about losing books. I lost a few books when Sony transitioned from LRF to EPUB, but they were obscure titles. I am surprised that they are going to update the store links to Kobo for the Reader desktop software and on newer eink devices. That is good news! I figured they would drop those as broken links and unsupported.

02-06-2014, 05:11 PM	#49
Canuck_in_Japan Wizard Posts: 1,476 Karma: 14328611 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: Aura, Aura H2O, Kindle PW3	Welcome to Kobo, Sony Readers! Hope you enjoy your your stay. This seems very good of either Sony or Kobo. They could have just closed up shop and said "download all of your purchases now".

02-06-2014, 05:18 PM	#50
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	Even though I own and still use a Sony ereader device it has been over two years since I purchased a book through Sony. So it is no big deal as far as I am concerned. Always when I purchase an ebook from any source it gets processed so that I can read it on any device at any time in the future anyway.

02-06-2014, 05:59 PM	#54
library addict Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,117 Karma: 37197878 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Nexus 7 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" (retired=Sony PRS650, Kobo Mini)	I will miss the Sony Store. Back during Agency pricing that is where I boiught most of my books.

02-06-2014, 06:17 PM	#57
library addict Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,117 Karma: 37197878 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Nexus 7 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" (retired=Sony PRS650, Kobo Mini)	I read through the FAQ but didn't see anything about the AG Settlement checks. Sony was one of the stores which was supposed to issue checks so I hope that information is still valid. If they issue it as Kobo credit that would be okay too.

02-06-2014, 06:19 PM	#58
library addict Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,117 Karma: 37197878 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Nexus 7 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" (retired=Sony PRS650, Kobo Mini)	Anyone with Harlequin/Harlequin Treasury titles published before July 2010 should ensure they have downloaded their ePubs from Sony. At Kobo the vast majority of these titles have major formatting issues (chapter headings doubled, no italics, etc).

02-06-2014, 06:26 PM	#59
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	I would download and backup up every single book you care about. You can always delete it later if it transferred to Kobo fine, but if it did not, it will just be gone with no recourse. Better safe then sorry I would think.

02-06-2014, 06:28 PM	#60
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Interesting how staggered their notifications are. I got mine just a few hours ago. Sad but in no way surprised.