Booktopia is the latest bookseller to bring Google e-books to Australia, following the announcement from Aussie book retailer Dymocks that it would be adding the digital repository to its online business.
The Cloud-based digital e-book system allows readers to access their personal e-book library on a range of devices including smartphones, e-readers, tablets, notebooks and desktops, from any location using an internet connection, or they can download it to read offline.
Booktopia's customers can purchase their physical books and e-books all in one transaction and the digital e-book links will be sent to the buyer for immediate reading online or ready for download. Physical books will continue to be shipped from Booktopia's Sydney warehouse.
Commenting on the partnership, Dymocks general manager of e-commerce, Michael Allara, said the book retailer had seen a steady increase in e-book purchases over the past five years, and believes the new Google e-books partnership would improve the book-buying for customers.
"This partnership with Google e-books is a natural progression for us as we continue to innovate and expand our digital offering," Allara said in a statement.
According to Allara, Dymocks has also developed a “Booklover's Rewards Program” through which customers can earn points when they buy Google e-books and then redeem points for future Dymocks purchases both in store and online.
“We've also just introduced an e-book gift card, making it easier for people to give the gift of an e-book this Christmas,” he said. “The e-book gift cards will now also enable customers to buy Google e-books and are available in all stores and on our website.”
Last year, the retailer touted the value of its bricks and mortar business, stating it would outlast the trend toward online retailing, as well as the trend towards e-books and e-readers.
“The great majority of books are purchased in stores,” Grover said. “Online is an important and growing channel that complements our stores, [but] we believe that a well-executed multi-channel model will outlast online pure play,” Dymocks CEO, Don Grover, told Computerworld Australia at the time.
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