Asda to sell Kobo e-readers

06.12.11 | Lisa Campbell - The Bookseller

Asda will begin selling the Kobo wireless e-reader for £67 this Friday (9th December).
The chain is the first supermarket store to sell the Canadian-based retailer’s product, which it is retailing at a discount of £20 off the r.r.p. The supermarket will also sell the Touchscreen Kobo for £107.
In October, W H Smith was the first UK retailer to secure a deal to sell Kobo e-readers, but unlike Asda, W H Smith also sells Kobo’s e-books through its website, receiving a cut of every book sold.
Asda said: "The price breakthrough on Kobo is part of a range of moves on Asda's part this year to make reading more affordable and accessible."
Duncan Tate, technology expert at Asda added: "The Kobo e-reader has received rave reviews and we're delighted to be able to offer it to customers at this breakthrough price before Christmas."
The supermarket said the Kobo was "rapidly becoming a serious contender to the Amazon Kindle"—a product which is sold by rival supermarket Tesco.
Kobo director of vendor relations, Cameron Drew, alluded to a deal to sell Kobo e-readers through another UK-based retailer at The Bookseller’s FutureBook conference held yesterday in London’s QEII Conference Centre.
Speaking during an afternoon session on "The New Retail Landscape", Drew said: "We think the partnership with Smiths is a near-perfect marriage. They are a little bit more diversified in their offer." He then added: "Another UK retailer will be selling our devices soon."