Walmart launched their ebook store last month, except it’s actually just Kobo’s ebook store with a Walmart logo on it.
They were adverting it on the Walmart homepage at first, but it appears that they’ve already given up on that idea. Now you have to go hunting for the link to their ebook and audiobook store to find it.
They’ve started selling gift cards and ebook cards at Walmart stores, and a few stores have started carrying Kobo ereaders, mostly the $99 Kobo Aura.
The Kobo Clara HD is already sold out online so they appear to be selling it relatively well.
But how many people have switched to buying ebooks from Walmart?
I don’t see them gaining very many Kindle users, and there’s really no reason to switch to Walmart if you’re already buying ebooks from Kobo.
After setting up an account when the Walmart eBooks store first launched, they were sending emails out every day about it, but they stopped sending them and now I haven’t gotten any since September 1st.
I was going to buy an ebook from Walmart but then I realized I didn’t want to have to use the Walmart eBooks app, which is just a rebranded version of the Kobo app. To me it’s one of the worst reading apps. It only has a couple of font choices and no line-spacing or margin adjustment settings, it’s painfully slow at times and there’s no estimated reading timer like on Kobo’s ereaders.
Then if you want to download the ebook to use with a different device or app you have to use Adobe Digital Editions, which I refuse to use anymore. What business does Adobe have being the gatekeeper of ebooks when they have nothing to do with writing, creating, selling, or publishing them. It’s total nonsense, a money grab and nothing more. It’s much easier to download ebooks from Amazon and avoid Adobe altogether.
So what about you? Have you switched to buying your ebooks from Walmart?
Nope, sticking with Kobo. I’d buy a reader if I were looking to get another, but I’d use my regular Kobo account. Although it looks like you can link Kobo and Walmart accounts on your Kobo account page.
Nope for me too. Why go thru the hassle of setting up a Walmart account when you have a Kobo account you have been using without any problems? The Walmart in my area has a tiny display of book cards but no cards indicating that you can buy a device. The associate in the electronics area didn’t even know what Kobo was when asked. So no – I will continue to buy thru Kobo’s website and will also buy any new devices from either Kobo or Chapters/Indigo websites.
Make that three for no! 😀 If I do purchase ebooks, I’d rather purchase through Kobo than Walmart. I haven’t even looked into Walmart ebooks but just figured it would be a hassle, no thanks I’d rather stick to the companies that know what they’re doing with ebooks.
As a writer I am thrilled. I already had my free ebooks on Kobo, but the distribution is now greater. I think this will only make people read more and that is a good thing.
I listen to audio books. Is walmart /kobo any good for that?
I haven’t tried them personally but they’re the same audiobooks everyone else is selling. You can get a free audiobook and see how their app works for you.
I will try it. Thanks