Kobo. Grrrrrrr!
I just spent ten minutes in the Kobo app on my iPad trying to figure out how to buy a book. I couldn't do it. I decided to stop after ten minutes so I could share my experience. Plus I was a bit cross. I know I succeeded once before because I managed to buy Caitlan Moran's wonderful book. (Normally I buy all my books through the Amazon Kindle US store, but they didn't have that one - doubtless for terribly good reasons that in the end come down to a lost sale.) I did find what seemed like four or five ways I could share what I'm reading on social media (not that I'm reading anything because I can't buy books, but theoretically I could share). I also had lots of messages about features, at least two settings buttons, and a page of awards I'd received (I actually do think they were for me not for authors I was reading (not that I'm reading any, etc, etc)). But I could not find a link to a book store or a way to get more titles. Maybe you'd like to have a go yourself. Click on the thumbnail above to get a full-sized picture and then tell me what you'd do to find a bookstore. And if anyone knows the answer, please remind me in the comments.
Oh and every time I fire the app up it puts a popup in my way asking me to review it in the app store. One of these days I'm not going to be polite enough to decline.
Comments: 3
You cannot buy a book via Kobo because Apple have made it impossible for App developers to link out to a content store within the iOS ecosphere.
Instead if you wish to sell via the app you MUST do so via the in-app purchase system which includes a obligatory 30% share for Apple.
Given that most etailers are working off a 30% 'commission' because of the Agency system, they cannot afford to sell through the in-app system.
So the reason you can't buy through kobo is because Apple don't want you to.
Eoin
Posted by: Eoin Purcell on October 30, 2011 01:09 PM
Thanks Eoin, I knew about Apple's rules but hadn't realised it had shut down in-app book-buying completely for Kobo. That seems like pretty important information for anyone attempting to use the their platform. Are they trying to keep it a secret? Or do you think if I'd kept looking I'd have found some clues on how to buy one of their books?
Posted by: Rob on October 30, 2011 03:10 PM
I'm trying to recall if they have also made it mandatory to remove references to the webstore.
It caused quite a stir over the summer.
Eoin
Posted by: Eoin Purcell on October 30, 2011 04:23 PM