Nearly five months after Google said it would end a little-used program that allowed independent bookstores to sell its e-books, a Canadian e-reading company named Kobo has stepped in as a replacement.
The American Booksellers Association, a trade group for independents, said on Wednesday that it had formed a partnership with Kobo that would make the company's platform available to bookstores. The partnership will begin with 400 bookstores this fall.
“We are pleased to offer our A.B.A. members a competitive e-book retailing solution uniquely crafted to meet the needs of independent booksellers and their customers,†Oren Teicher, the chief executive of the American Booksellers Association, said in a statement.
“Through this partnership with Kobo,†he said, “indie bookstore customers will have access to a broad and diverse inventory of e-books. Today's readers want a first-class shopping experience, both in-store and online, and this new partnership allows indie booksellers to meet the ever-changing needs of shoppers in a dynamic marketplace.â€
Despite the efforts of booksellers and the prominence of the Google name, few e-books have been sold by participating bookstores in the two years since Google started the program. In April, Google said the program had “not gained the traction that we hoped it would.†It will end in January 2013.
Kobo said it would support the program with in-store merchandising and marketing.
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