Kobos at Wal Mart.... still happening?

[azayn]

I think the biggest hurdle for any challenger to Amazon is going to be competing on the price of e-books. Amazon's artificially low e-book prices undercuts all of their competitors (B&N, Kobo, etc).

Rakuten + Walmart are going to have to provide some value add in order to give people a compelling reason to buy a Kobo device. Maybe partnering with Indie authors through Smashwords and Scribd to create a service like Kindle Unlimited. Or hype up the ability to read for free via Project Gutenberg and local libraries.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'll guess we'll see what happens. You may be surprised at how many people are getting tired of Amazon taking over everything.

Probably as many are getting tired of Amazon as those who are already tired of Walmart. I hear a LOT more bad about Walmart than I do about Amazon.

Shari

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'll guess we'll see what happens. You may be surprised at how many people are getting tired of Amazon taking over everything.

Hey, I'd like to see Amazon face competition again in the ebook world (it's a shame that Barnes and Noble was so incompetent). But Walmart stepping in is like having Darth Vader save you from Jabba the Hut.

Originally Posted by shalym

Probably as many are getting tired of Amazon as those who are already tired of Walmart. I hear a LOT more bad about Walmart than I do about Amazon.

Shari

Exactly.

[IronChaim]

Rakuten + Walmart are going to have to provide some value add in order to give people a compelling reason to buy a Kobo device. Maybe partnering with Indie authors through Smashwords and Scribd to create a service like Kindle Unlimited. Or hype up the ability to read for free via Project Gutenberg and local libraries.

They'll probably use Kobo's "Writing Life" service as self-pub - or to direct new Walmart authors there as a way to get their books in Walmart. Maybe they'll set special terms for exclusivity...etc.

I wonder if this also lead to Walmart selling/working with Kobo Audiobooks - since the digital audiobook market seems to be the significant growth opportunity for digital ATM.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by shalym

Probably as many are getting tired of Amazon as those who are already tired of Walmart. I hear a LOT more bad about Walmart than I do about Amazon.

Not me. Not lately. Maybe it's because I live just south of an Amazon distribution center and my kids work with several people who worked (past tense) for Amazon and talk about how badly they treat their employees. It also might be because of how Amazon "guarantees" their sellers on their "market place" (whatever it's called) and then let's them get away with anything. I used to like Amazon a lot. I now try looking elsewhere first before buying from Amazon. I'm hoping the Walmart / Kobo alliance works out.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Hey, I'd like to see Amazon face competition again in the ebook world (it's a shame that Barnes and Noble was so incompetent). But Walmart stepping in is like having Darth Vader save you from Jabba the Hut.

I'll agree to disagree. Walmart has been treating their employees much better since this new CEO took over. Amazon has gone the opposite direction. We'll see how it all works out. It's going to be hard for Walmart / Kobo to put a dent in Amazon's eBook business, but at least I'm glad to see someone trying.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by azayn

I think the biggest hurdle for any challenger to Amazon is going to be competing on the price of e-books. Amazon's artificially low e-book prices undercuts all of their competitors (B&N, Kobo, etc).

if you are going to do drugs while posting, you have an obligation to share

[mdclanahan]

Originally Posted by azayn

Maybe partnering with Indie authors through Smashwords and Scribd to create a service like Kindle Unlimited. Or hype up the ability to read for free via Project Gutenberg and local libraries.

I would think the built-in Overdrive support on the Aura might be a good selling point. Is it really more convenient than using Overdrive with a Kindle? Not really, but it could certainly be hyped up.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by mdclanahan

I would think the built-in Overdrive support on the Aura might be a good selling point...

It would be, if it were enabled on all models. I'm not sure why that's Aura One exclusive. You'd think screen size alone ought to be enough to differentiate the device.

Kobo owns* Overdrive. you'd think it would be in their interest to drive ever more business towards it.

(*Through Rakutan)

[JohhnyMix]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

It would be, if it were enabled on all models. I'm not sure why that's Aura One exclusive. You'd think screen size alone ought to be enough to differentiate the device.

Kobo owns* Overdrive. you'd think it would be in their interest to drive ever more business towards it.

(*Through Rakutan)

Yea but maybe the old hardware is limited because besides that i dont see any other point on why they wouldn't add this to all readers.... but then again, i own a kobo for a couple of months now and already know that software development isn't kobo's good side

[John F]

Originally Posted by JohhnyMix

Yea but maybe the old hardware is limited because besides that i dont see any other point on why they wouldn't add this to all readers.... but then again, i own a kobo for a couple of months now and already know that software development isn't kobo's good side

I think it very, very unlikely that the "old hardware is limited" is valid or the reason for lack of Overdrive integration. I'm guessing that the "old" hardware (H2O2, Aura 2nd Ed) is actually pretty close to the "new" hardware (Aura One), as far as what is needed for overdrive integration.

If my old Glo HD (and I believe Glo and Touch) can support, wiki, store front, related reading, pocket, ..., I'm guessing that it can support Overdrive.

[Wearever]

I would like to see Kobo's in the store again in the US. Walmart's are just about everywhere, it makes sense to go with Walmart. I think we'll see more companies teaming up with Walmart. I just saw that Sears will be installing tires bought from Amazon. Amazon sell's everything so they need physical stores too just like Whole Foods. Walmart has the stores, they will be looking for partners to team up with too. Kobo is just the beginning.

I think it's a smart move by to have Kobo's in Walmart stores. Maybe B&N ? Anything is possible now. I would expect more partnerships to come. The race is on to compete with Amazon.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by John F

I think it very, very unlikely that the "old hardware is limited" is valid or the reason for lack of Overdrive integration. I'm guessing that the "old" hardware (H2O2, Aura 2nd Ed) is actually pretty close to the "new" hardware (Aura One), as far as what is needed for overdrive integration.

If my old Glo HD (and I believe Glo and Touch) can support, wiki, store front, related reading, pocket, ..., I'm guessing that it can support Overdrive.

It isn't a hardware issue. Any of these devices could support OD. The OD stuff is really just an extra option for the shop. It shows books that can be borrowed from the library you have logged into. And when you borrow the book, you get exactly the same book as if you had purchased it from the shop.

I haven't been able to work out what Kobo is thinking with this. I understand having it exclusive to the Aura ONE for a while: New device, new function, encourage people to buy it. I can understand not adding it to the old devices as I'm always surprised that Kobo is still updating the firmware for the Touch and Glo. But, I don't understand not putting it to the devices released since the Aura ONE. I can only think that someone at Kobo thinks this is a "premium" function, or that someone has been able to demonstrate it is causing them to lose money.

The only other thing I can think of is that it isn't actually being used by enough people to make it worthwhile. Maybe in the "real world", people just don't use it. I have to admit, that apart from proving I could borrow a book, I never used it on my Aura ONE. And when I handed it to my wife before Christmas, she was interested, but has never actually set it up. So, maybe it just isn't as popular a feature as we think it is.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The only other thing I can think of is that it isn't actually being used by enough people to make it worthwhile.

I was wondering if it wasn't because, if you can easily borrow books from the library, you're less likely to buy as many from Kobo. I know I liked it when the Sony's T2 Overdrive app still worked. I probably borrowed forty books on my Kindle last year and would definitely like to see this direct borrowing feature on my Kobo Touch. (Not that I expect it will happen.)

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The only other thing I can think of is that it isn't actually being used by enough people to make it worthwhile. Maybe in the "real world", people just don't use it. I have to admit, that apart from proving I could borrow a book, I never used it on my Aura ONE. And when I handed it to my wife before Christmas, she was interested, but has never actually set it up. So, maybe it just isn't as popular a feature as we think it is.

This could well be true. I can remember visiting a friend, the very person who got me started with e-readers, and I asked about borrowing her computer to sign in and check out a hold book I'd received email notification for.

She seemed totally shocked that I'd bother to get ebooks from the library and have to wait for them as opposed to just buying and reading.

For me, the Aura ONE's direct library access has been a joy! But in a day and age where people want instant gratification, realizing they may have to wait months on hold before the latest from their favorite author is available for them to read, well, that could well turn many folks off.






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