Walmart and Rakuten Announce New Strategic Alliance

[Ashartus]

I hope the book cards will work similar to how the Kobo ebook gifting used to. Someone can buy you a specific ebook for a present, but you have the option to either download it or exchange for a store credit if you don't want it. I miss getting books for Christmas, a gift card just isn't the same.

[JSWolf]

[QUOTE=barryem;3649379This is the first I've heard of that Washington state law. Can you cite some sources? I have mixed feelings about that. While I'd sure love to see all devices have replaceable batteries I'm not real comfortable with government telling them they have to do that. As it is we get nothing but disposable devices. Even my last two laptops don't have replaceable batteries and I hate that.

Barry[/QUOTE]

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/a...cpu-throttling

Washington Bill Would Make it Illegal to Sell Electronics That Don’t Have Easily Replaceable Batteries

I think it would be a good thing. With portable electronics getting more and more expensive, to have it be not so useful when the battery goes is nuts. Some devices are made so the battery cannot be replaced such as the Kindle Oasis 2 and the Microsoft Surfacebook. They are not cheap and they should not have to be replaced when thy work other than the battery.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

It means you buy a card and then redeem it for a specific title (I asked)

I googled

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

I googled

That doesn't look like a bigger selection than the paper books also shown.

On the stand:

• Download to all popular readers
• No account sign up needed
• Choose or exchange from 1000's

Bigger selection because the cards for a specific book can be exchanged for anything else of the 1000's availlable online? It is like saying that Walmart now has a bigger selection of food, because they sell gift cards for Applebees's.

It is a start I guess, and the gifter might feel smug to have picked a great book not knowing it got exchanged behind their back to something else.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That doesn't look like a bigger selection than the paper books also shown.

On the stand:

• Download to all popular readers
• No account sign up needed
• Choose or exchange from 1000's

Bigger selection because the cards for a specific book can be exchanged for anything else of the 1000's availlable online? It is like saying that Walmart now has a bigger selection of food, because they sell gift cards for Applebees's.

It is a start I guess, and the gifter might feel smug to have picked a great book not knowing it got exchanged behind their back to something else.

It also looks like that display is in Canada. Will the Walmarts in the US be getting this, too?

Shari
Never mind...I re-read the article, and it seems pretty clear that it will be coming to stores in the US as well.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That doesn't look like a bigger selection than the paper books also shown.

Bigger selection because the cards for a specific book can be exchanged for anything else of the 1000's availlable online? It is like saying that Walmart now has a bigger selection of food, because they sell gift cards for Applebees's.

Wait a minute... Are you saying that something a business said in a marketing release may not match up to the reality on the ground? I am shocked

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

...'Offering a wider selection' is happy talk for 'browse online.'

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

I googled

Thanks, Mike. That's pretty much what I was expecting. I see there are gift cards at the top for $50, $25, and $10. Then specific titles below. This would appeal to my family members who don't really like to give gift cards. I could keep it if I like it. Or exchange for several discounted books! Win-win!

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

On the stand:

• Download to all popular readers
• No account sign up needed
• Choose or exchange from 1000's

I don't think Walmart can claim they forgot Kindles exist or that they are not popular, so just what are the details of downloading these books to Kindles?

Also how is this going to work for unregistered Kobos? (No account sign up needed)

[jasoraso]

Walmart has a tie in to the online video stream service VUDU, and when you buy a blu ray movie at Walmart, more often than not, it will include a code for a digital copy that can be redeemed with VUDU. However, if you have your VUDU account set up with Walmart, when you buy the blu ray, you don't have to bother finding the code and inputting into your computer/tv/phone when you get home (those codes can be quite tedious, too). When you purchase the blu-ray at Walmart, the digital copy can automatically be added to your digital library.

I think if the book section (not the electronic section) of Walmart has a section with cardboard cutouts representing books - that you can pick up and hold, enabling you to read the font cover, read the book reviews on the back, and then take that to the register and purchase it with your groceries, and the book was then automatically downloaded to your Kobo, that would combine the impulse buys that Walmart likes, with the ease of delivery to a Kobo, along with a form of "book-browsing" that people like from bookstores. This would allow Walmart to display and sell a much greater inventory of books.

And I would guess that Walmart might even display the Kobos in the book section, besides a traditional display in their electronics section.

I think if this is the implementation, it could be a great partnership for both Kobo and Walmart, and even offer something that B&N or Amazon don't.

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

What is the point of buying a card in the store that will allow you to buy a specific book on your e-reader? This feels like marketing from ten years ago.

What is the benefit for anybody in doing this?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by jasoraso

Walmart has a tie in to the online video stream service VUDU, and when you buy a blu ray movie at Walmart, more often than not, it will include a code for a digital copy that can be redeemed with VUDU. However, if you have your VUDU account set up with Walmart, when you buy the blu ray, you don't have to bother finding the code and inputting into your computer/tv/phone when you get home (those codes can be quite tedious, too). When you purchase the blu-ray at Walmart, the digital copy can automatically be added to your digital library.

I think if the book section (not the electronic section) of Walmart has a section with cardboard cutouts representing books - that you can pick up and hold, enabling you to read the font cover, read the book reviews on the back, and then take that to the register and purchase it with your groceries, and the book was then automatically downloaded to your Kobo, that would combine the impulse buys that Walmart likes, with the ease of delivery to a Kobo, along with a form of "book-browsing" that people like from bookstores. This would allow Walmart to display and sell a much greater inventory of books.

And I would guess that Walmart might even display the Kobos in the book section, besides a traditional display in their electronics section.

I think if this is the implementation, it could be a great partnership for both Kobo and Walmart, and even offer something that B&N or Amazon don't.

I don't foresee many readers skimming the 'book card' section of Walmart. If you have a Kobo you are going to browse on it, on the new app (does that mean these Walmart Kobos won't connect to the actual Kobo store?) or on the internet. If you don't have a Kobo, why would you buy a card? Even with your example, you were buying a Blu-ray and the digital copy is a nice bonus. Do they have a rack in the DVD section that sells cards that allow you to purchase Vudu-only versions of the movie? (They may well have such a thing. I don't go to Walmart much.)

I've said my piece, so I'll just let it go.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Apache

I read so much friends and family have no idea what I have read. They buy gift certificates knowing I will buy books with them.
Apache

The only real question for my friends and family is whether to get me a Kobo gift card or a Chapters/Indigo gift card.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I don't foresee many readers skimming the 'book card' section of Walmart. If you have a Kobo you are going to browse on it, on the new app (does that mean these Walmart Kobos won't connect to the actual Kobo store?) or on the internet. If you don't have a Kobo, why would you buy a card? Even with your example, you were buying a Blu-ray and the digital copy is a nice bonus. Do they have a rack in the DVD section that sells cards that allow you to purchase Vudu-only versions of the movie? (They may well have such a thing. I don't go to Walmart much.)

I've said my piece, so I'll just let it go.

I'm thinking you might be surprised. I'm guessing family members or friends who are looking for a gift for a known reader might be attracted to a book title instead of a generic card when buying a gift. They might know that their book-reading friend likes a particular author or a particular series. Whether it is true or not, is beside the point. But since it looks like Walmart is already selling specific eBook titles maybe their research shows them something we don't see.

And it could be a flop. But I know – personally – that I like the idea of buying a particular title as a gift. It feels like some thought has been put into the gift.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by jasoraso

Walmart has a tie in to the online video stream service VUDU, and when you buy a blu ray movie at Walmart, more often than not, it will include a code for a digital copy that can be redeemed with VUDU. However, if you have your VUDU account set up with Walmart, when you buy the blu ray, you don't have to bother finding the code and inputting into your computer/tv/phone when you get home (those codes can be quite tedious, too). When you purchase the blu-ray at Walmart, the digital copy can automatically be added to your digital library.

1) Walmart isn't just in a partnership with Vudu, they own it.
2) Instawatch only works for some titles, not all.
3) Publishers aren't generally giving away a digital copy with physical purchase

The book section you envision could be a possibility I suppose, but don't know if Walmart is the company that would implement it. It reminds me a bit of a book shop in a Science Fiction book (IIRC Flash Forward by Robert J. Sawyer) where they only had a single display copy of each book and from there you could either buy a POD physical copy or a digital copy depending on your desires. Seems more something for a full out book store though than a place with a few books like Walmart.

[AnemicOak]

I wonder how many books will be purchased as gifts for people with Kindle's. Because you know, every electronic reader is a Kindle.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/a...cpu-throttling

Thanks for the link.

I think it would be a good thing. With portable electronics getting more and more expensive, to have it be not so useful when the battery goes is nuts. Some devices are made so the battery cannot be replaced such as the Kindle Oasis 2 and the Microsoft Surfacebook. They are not cheap and they should not have to be replaced when thy work other than the battery.

I certainly agree in principal. All devices should have replaceable batteries. These things are far too expensive to be considered disposable. I'm just not sure that's something government should decide.

If they do create such a regulation and other states follow them I admit I'll be relieved in some ways but worried in others.

Barry