REDgroup to sell ebooks online by May 2010

The Australian Bookseller & Publisher reports that REDgroup Retail has announced it will make ebooks available from its Borders, Angus & Robertson and Whitcoulls websites by May 2010, following an agreement with 'new global ereading service' Kobo Inc.

Kobo, the reinvention of Canadian retailer Indigo Books & Music, is currently known as 'Shortcovers' and 'has provided ebooks to customers from over 200 countries and fulfilled over one million ereading app downloads' since launching in February, according to a REDgroup statement.

REDgroup managing director Dave Fenlon said the new service would put the REDgroup's bookselling chains 'in a position to make local content available by working with Australian and New Zealand publishers and authors to enhance the Kobo range'.
'Our ability to supplement the growing catalogue of ebooks and make these products relevant to and available to our local customers at an affordable price is really exciting,' he said.

Fenlon said Kobo’s content would be accessible from 'virtually any device' including ereader, iPhone, Blackberry, Palm Pre, Android and PC.
'This is a great opportunity for REDgroup to partner with global leaders in digital content to enhance our customer offer,' said Fenlon.

REDgroup said it planned to launch Kobo 'with up to one million available econtent downloads including books, magazines and newspapers'.
'I’m thrilled that we’ll soon be able to offer our customers a broad selection of ebooks and other content for download via our websites,' said Fenlon.