Top 10 Online eBook Stores

Latest news about Online eBook Stores

01.07.23. Amazon is attacked by AI-generated books



Amazon's Kindle Unlimited platform recently encountered a troubling issue involving an influx of AI-generated books that contained nonsensical content. The Top 100 chart for Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks was flooded with AI-generated books designed to manipulate rankings and generate more clicks. Vice reported that out of the top 100 books on the chart, only 19 appeared to be legitimate. Although Amazon appeared to have taken action against these books, this incident emphasizes the problem of individuals spamming the platform with AI-generated material to profit from it. On Monday, Caitlyn Lynch's tweet referred to the situation as AI bots disrupting Amazon. She also shared a screenshot of the Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance category's Best Sellers list, which clearly showed that the majority of books were AI-generated and created solely for the purpose of click farming.


2023. Book.io - Web3 marketplace for buying and selling books


Book.io is an innovative web3 marketplace where users can buy, sell, and read top-quality e-books and audiobooks. This cutting-edge platform operates on the concept of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and represents the future of the publishing industry. By leveraging decentralization and encryption, Book.io ensures complete ownership for its users, addressing the common concern of fair compensation for authors found in traditional approaches. This platform's unique features have revolutionized the digital publishing world, promoting fairness, transparency, and efficiency. Additionally, Book.io offers a lending library service, allowing users to share their books with others for a small fee. This new initiative has the potential to completely transform the e-books industry, providing users with a seamless reading experience and a comprehensive solution.


2023. Amazon makes Kindle Rewards Beta program less rewarding



Kindle Rewards is an exclusive beta program offered to specially invited customers by Amazon. Upon enrollment, customers have the opportunity to accumulate points by purchasing Kindle Books and Print Books, which can later be redeemed as credits for additional book purchases. However, there have been recent adjustments to the program, resulting in reduced earning rates. Now, customers will only receive 3 Kindle Points for every dollar spent on Kindle books, and 1 Kindle Point for every dollar spent on print books. This is a significant departure from the previous credit system, where customers earned 5 points for Kindle Books and 2 points for print books. Consequently, customers are now required to accumulate 300 points in order to receive a meager $3 book credit. As a result of these changes, many participants in the Kindle Rewards program are dissatisfied, particularly with the decrease in points earned per dollar spent.


2023. Amazon launches cheap ebook discovery program



Amazon has recently introduced a new notification system called Great on Kindle for non-fiction titles in specific markets. This program offers several compelling features such as cheaper Kindle book prices compared to print editions, high-quality images that allow zooming in for a closer look, and Wikipedia integration (which is already available in most Kindle books). "Great on Kindle" is prominently placed below the book formats (Kindle, hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and CD) and has its own landing page that lists all the eligible ebooks. The "Great on Kindle" program offers significant benefits for consumers who purchase Kindle editions. However, the enrollment process for authors is another key feature that sets this program apart.


2019. Microsoft Bookstore for Windows 10 is now officially closed



Microsoft has made the decision to shut down its dedicated ebook store, Microsoft Bookstore, which previously offered a range of free and paid titles for download by customers in the United States. The company cites a strategy aimed at streamlining the focus of the Microsoft Store as the primary reason for this move. It appears that Microsoft is no longer interested in directly competing with major players like Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Play Books. One significant factor contributing to the failure of the Microsoft Store was the absence of distribution options for self-published authors. Additionally, publishers faced numerous broken links when attempting to stock the virtual shelves of the Microsoft Bookstore. Ultimately, the fact that the bookstore only catered to US buyers dealt a fatal blow, as Amazon holds a dominant market share of over 75% in ebook sales. It would have been challenging for Microsoft to compete unless they expanded their book sales internationally.


2018. Walmart and Kobo launched online e-book and audiobook store



Walmart has joined forces with Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant, to introduce a platform for selling audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers alongside its existing collection of physical books. The newly launched site, named Walmart eBooks, offers access to an extensive library of over 6 million titles, encompassing New York Times best-sellers, indie publications, and children's books. In a move reminiscent of Amazon's Audible, Walmart is also introducing a monthly audiobook subscription service. Notably, Walmart's pricing strategy aims to undercut its competitor. While Audible subscriptions start at $14.95 per month for a single audiobook, Walmart offers a subscription at only $9.99 per month for the same service. Additionally, Walmart will retail Rakuten's Kobo e-readers both online and in physical stores, further expanding the range of options available to customers.


2017. Amazon is renaming Kindle Books to Digital Books



Amazon is introducing changes to the terminology used for its digital books, as the terms "Kindle eBook" and "Kindle Edition" will now be referred to as "Digital Book" or simply "eBook." This shift aims to emphasize that e-books can be accessed and enjoyed on various platforms beyond Kindle e-readers. Amazon now offers multiple mediums for reading or having books read aloud, such as the option to have e-books narrated through devices like Amazon Echo and with the assistance of Alexa. These alterations reflect Amazon's efforts to broaden the accessibility and versatility of e-books, expanding the range of options available to readers.


2014. BookBub builds a book marketing platform



Amidst the evolving landscape of book publishing, a multitude of new companies are emerging to cater to the industry's evolving needs. One such company to keep an eye on is BookBub. BookBub operates on a remarkably simple concept: it offers a service that highlights time-limited, substantial discounts on highly acclaimed ebooks. Readers can sign up and receive alerts whenever an ebook matching their interests goes on sale. However, the benefits extend beyond the readers themselves. Publishers have discovered that BookBub serves as an excellent platform for promoting their books and authors, resulting in increased discoverability. When a book is featured, not only does it sell thousands of copies, but the author's other titles also experience a surge in sales. The program's costs are determined by the size of the email list and the price of the ebook, making it suitable for various budget ranges. Promotional costs can range from $50 to $1250 per campaign, accommodating the needs of different publishers.


2014. Amazon.com continues price battle against big publishers



In a recent covert dispute, Amazon has been engaged in a battle with Hachette, a prominent global publisher, aimed at securing increased "co-op" funds, which represent the marketing budget publishers allocate to retailers for promoting their products both in physical stores and, in Amazon's case, on their website. Amazon reportedly implemented measures to make it more difficult for readers to access Hachette's titles. This included delays in delivering Hachette products to customers and reducing the level of discounts offered on Hachette titles. Just last week, Amazon went as far as removing the option to pre-order upcoming releases from Hachette. It is worth recalling that in 2010, Amazon ceased selling books published by Macmillan but eventually relented under public pressure.


2014. Sony is closing the Reader Store, content to be available via Kobo



Sony will be shutting down its international Reader Store on March 20, 2014, although the Japanese version will continue to operate. The dedicated ebook reader market has significantly slowed down compared to the past when Sony, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Amazon were actively competing for consumers. Presently, the Amazon Kindle brand dominates the market, making it difficult to recommend any other brand due to the risks, as exemplified by Sony's store closure. However, Sony is ensuring a smooth transition for its customers by transferring their content to Kobo. In the following month, users can re-download their Reader content and store it for future reading. Later in March, Sony will send customers an email containing a link to transfer their existing Sony library to Kobo. Although there may be a few titles unavailable in the Kobo store, the safest approach is to download all library titles and create backups for future use.


2013. Amazon wants to create used ebook marketplace



Amazon has recently secured a patent for a unique marketplace that enables individuals to sell their used ebooks. Although ebooks do not endure physical wear and tear, this resale process is more akin to transferring book licenses. According to Amazon's approach, when a book is resold, it is downloaded onto a new device while simultaneously being removed from the original owner's bookshelf. Currently, Kindle users have the option to "lend" ebooks, resulting in the temporary removal of the book from their own device as their friend gains access to a copy in their digital library. However, the intriguing question arises: will Amazon risk losing profits if users opt to purchase cheaper books from their acquaintances instead of buying from the Kindle store?