Kobo has announced that they’ve partnered with Walmart to bring Kobo ereaders back to the US. Walmart will also start selling Kobo’s ebooks and audiobooks.
As the press release states, Walmart will become Kobo’s exclusive mass retail partner for the Kobo brand in the United States.
There’s no specific date yet on when Walmart will start carrying Kobo’s products, but it’s expected to happen later this year.
Both content and ereaders will be available in Walmart stores and online, and they’re developing co-branded apps for iOS and Android.
Walmart is going to start selling digital book cards in retail stores, making it easier for stores to carry a wider selection of titles.
It’s been several years since Kobo’s ereaders have been available to purchase from any retail outlets in the US. A few random independent booksellers had a few in stock from time to time, but they were nearly impossible to find.
Now Kobo’s ebook readers will start getting a lot more exposure in the US, and with Walmart getting in on the ebooks and audiobooks side as well, hopefully Kobo’s products will be more prominently displayed instead of just throwing the devices behind some glass on the back shelf like they used to do.
Things just got a lot more interesting.
Omg, excellent news! And about damn time! Hopefully this will light andire in Amazon’s arse.
Walmart is choosing to needle Amazon. We should be glad for the competition. While I am happy with my Oasis 2 and Amazon’s bookstore, I am glad to see another Kindle alternative sold in U.S. stores.
Readers win.
I’m with you Steve. I love my Kindles and Amazon’s bookstore but competition fosters innovation and lower prices. Definitely a win for readers.
The major complaint against Kobo readers is their after-sales consumer service. Opening the US market hopefully will put enough pressure that the company will want to improve in that respect.
I hear people saying how this will not affect Amazons sales or business model. I beg to differ, any competition is good competition.
I believe Walmart will definitely market this product so people know what’s in store. Kobos are generally a lot cheaper than Kindles with more customization and flexibility. There’s definitely a market for it in the US, just as their is a market for Android and Windows.
I can’t wait!. I’m always ordering it online and having to wait …I would love to pick up a reader in a store ..a la B&N Nook