Harlequin to stop providing ebook downloads from 12th November 2018

[AnemicOak]

Now a little over a year later and Harlequin will be changing providers again as apparently BookShout is closing down effective January 31st (not that you'd know it by visiting the BookShout site or Book Store)...

BookShout Technical Difficulties - January 2020 - UPDATE
You may be currently experiencing trouble reading your recently purchased Ebooks on the BookShout app and web reader.

Written by EE @ Harlequin.com

Updated yesterday

We’d like to provide a detailed update on the current situation with our ebook fulfilment provider, Bookshout.

On December 30th, 2019, Bookshout unexpectedly informed us of their intention to close their business on January 31st, 2020. We immediately began searching for a new provider.

The Bookshout platform is also experiencing several technical issues, including the unavailability of a large number of new release titles. We understand this major service outage has greatly impacted you, our readers. Unfortunately, support from Bookshout has been limited, and we have no time frame for when these issues will be resolved. We are prioritizing the switch to a new provider as quickly as possible.

We’re happy to share we have identified this new vendor and plan to complete our transition by the end of January, or earlier if possible. Our primary goal is to ensure readers can read their books soon and without further disruption. We will continue to provide updates via Harlequin.com, our Facebook page and Facebook Group, and via email to our ebook buyers.

We understand that this is very frustrating for you and it is not the type of experience we ever want our readers to have. We ask for your continued patience, but are glad to offer you a refund for your impacted purchase. If you would like to pursue a refund, we ask that you reach out to our Customer Service team at CustomerService@Harlequin.com

We truly appreciate your patience and, as always, thank you for being part of the Harlequin community of readers.

https://help.harlequin.com/en/articl...ry-2020-update

No word on who the new provider is other than it is not Overdrive.

[binaryhermit]

That's a... bad look, I guess.

[JSWolf]

In a way, it's a good thing that BookShout is folding. There is no way I would buy any eBook where I could not download it and put it in my Calibre library.

[Hemmi]

Well, the new vendor is Glose. Never heard of them.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

Well, the new vendor is Glose. Never heard of them.

Similar to BookShout in that you need to use a web browser or their app to read.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

Well, the new vendor is Glose. Never heard of them.

And it's rather likely that you will be unhappy that you have heard of them. You need their app for Android or iOS or read it on their website with no download option. Same song and dance.

[Hemmi]

Yuck, I had hopes of downloading again.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by DNSB

And it's rather likely that you will be unhappy that you have heard of them. You need their app for Android or iOS or read it on their website with no download option. Same song and dance.

I wonder why Harlequin would replace on failing company with another company with the same business model? Of course I also wondered why one failing company would spend their money to buy another failing company (Sears/Kmart).
Apache

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Apache

I wonder why Harlequin would replace on failing company with another company with the same business model? Of course I also wondered why one failing company would spend their money to buy another failing company (Sears/Kmart).
Apache

As a wild guess, I would say that's the business model that they want to use. CEO's get odd ideas and sometimes there isn't someone to say "Stop being an idiot". I've seen a number of companies go belly up because of stupidity in upper management. So many of them see themselves as being the smartest guy in the room and just can't bring themselves to say "Well, that's not working, let's try something else".

[JSWolf]

B&N is another stupid company. They've lost a lot of eBook sales due to taking away the direct download and discontinuing the desktop app.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

B&N is another stupid company. They've lost a lot of eBook sales due to taking away the direct download and discontinuing the desktop app.

The big damage isn't even on the desktop: Windows tablets make up about a third (~150M) of PC sales, these days. Tablets and laptops make over 70%.

Even if only 2-3% of WinTab owners use them to read books, that's a few million customers. That's why MS tried to partner with Nook and then put ebook support into the old EDGE browser. As they say, "a million here, a million there, pretty soon it adds up to real money."

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

The big damage isn't even on the desktop: Windows tablets make up about a third (~150M) of PC sales, these days. Tablets and laptops make over 70%.

Even if only 2-3% of WinTab owners use them to read books, that's a few million customers. That's why MS tried to partner with Nook and then put ebook support into the old EDGE browser. As they say, "a million here, a million there, pretty soon it adds up to real money."

When I was able to download eBooks from B&N using the desktop app, I was able to remove the DRM and because of that, I did buy from B&N. Now I buy nothing from B&N.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

When I was able to download eBooks from B&N using the desktop app, I was able to remove the DRM and because of that, I did buy from B&N. Now I buy nothing from B&N.

The same here.
Apache

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Similar to BookShout in that you need to use a web browser or their app to read.

I'm far from an expert on Harlequin, but you can still buy their books from Amazon and Kobo, can't you? Five pages is a lot to wade through, but I thought you were only stuck with BookShout/Glose if you buy directly from Harlequin? If I'm right (and I think I am) I don't see what the shouting is about.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'm far from an expert on Harlequin, but you can still buy their books from Amazon and Kobo, can't you? Five pages is a lot to wade through, but I thought you were only stuck with BookShout/Glose if you buy directly from Harlequin? If I'm right (and I think I am) I don't see what the shouting is about.

I think the problem to those who care is that buying directly from Harlequin had some benefits for those who read a lot. For one, you could get many of their books a month earlier than the general release. The also had specials not available elsewhere.

I think there was a kind of deal - like buy 10, get 1 free - or something like that too.

And they still have a program where you can earn points in various ways to "spend" on ebooks on their site.