Kobo. Grrrrrrr!

posted by Rob on October 29, 2011 09:07 PM

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.

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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


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?


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

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