This potential new e-reader may get me to throw away my Kindle

When you’re curious about supporting native bookstores when buying e-books as a substitute of huge corporations like Amazon, Bookshop.org is perhaps growing an e-reader machine that accomplishes simply that.

For years, Bookshop.org has been the go-to place to purchase books on-line whereas nonetheless supporting native bookstores. The location lets you choose a close-by bookstore, and whenever you make a purchase order, it will get a share of the income. Earlier this yr, Bookshop.org expanded its assist for native bookstores by launching an e-book store and its own mobile app within the US. This implies now you can purchase e-books whereas nonetheless supporting your native bookstore.

Nonetheless, one draw back of utilizing Bookshop.org’s e-book retailer is that you just’re restricted to studying e-books on its cell app, quite than on an e-reader machine like a Kindle. In an interview with USA Today earlier this yr, Bookshop.org‘s founder and CEO, Andy Hunter, defined that is “as a consequence of Amazon’s proprietary digital rights administration software program (DRM) and publishers’ DRM necessities.”

However evidently Bookshop.org may quickly have an answer to this challenge: creating its personal e-reader machine. Good E Reader lately noticed a touchdown web page on Bookshop.org’s web site for an “E-book reader,” suggesting that the group might quickly introduce its personal.

Bookshop.org’s e-book gross sales are on the rise

Its CEO has mentioned previously an e-reader is feasible

Since BookShop.org launched its e-book retailer earlier this yr, the corporate has already offered over $1 million value of e-books. Its CEO, Andy Hunter, says the corporate now tasks $3 million in complete e-book gross sales by the tip of the yr (through Publisher Weekly).

With its e-book enterprise mannequin increasing quickly, it might make sense for Bookshop.org to contemplate launching its personal e-reader, so readers can get pleasure from their books not solely on the app but in addition on an E Ink machine much like a Kindle or a Kobo. In response to Android Authority, Hunter has floated the concept of Bookshop.org making an e-reader earlier than, and that it is potential it could possibly be launched through a crowdfunding marketing campaign.

Since Bookshop.org’s inception, the corporate has raised over $40 million for native bookstores. When somebody buys a bodily ebook or an e-book from Bookshop.org, many of the income go to the unbiased bookstore they’ve chosen to assist.

“Bookshop.org places this mission and the general public good above monetary pursuits, giving over 80 % of our revenue margin to unbiased bookstores,” the group explains on its web site.

If Bookshop.org introduces its personal e-reader, it may develop into a powerful competitor to Amazon’s Kindle lineup. I like the concept of an e-reader that lets me purchase e-books whereas supporting my native bookstore, quite than relying solely on Amazon. I get pleasure from visiting and making purchases at my native bookstore, however I additionally respect the comfort of e-books. An e-reader that lets me learn digitally whereas supporting my native store could be incredible and looks like the perfect of each worlds. Though the present replace is only a web page on Bookshop.org‘s web site that claims “E-book reader” with no additional particulars, it is arduous to not get enthusiastic about what this machine may do and what it may imply for the way forward for native bookstores within the digital age.

Bookshop.org’s CEO mentioned on Threads earlier this yr that Kobo integration is on the “Bookshop.org e-book roadmap,” so whether or not it launches its personal e-reader or not, hopefully, someday within the close to future, you’ll learn any Bookshop.org e-books on a Kobo machine.