Kobo

Stores that took part in the promotional event on Kobo Mini eReaders and Snapbacks leading up to Valentine’s Day must report their sales by March 1 to qualify for reimbursement.

Kobo’s Tamblyn named chief content officer; MIBA hires executive assistant

Winter Institute 8 will feature several opportunities for booksellers to learn more about the ABA/Kobo program and plans in the works for 2013. In addition, Kobo representatives will be available to talk to booksellers directly.

BTW’s spotlight on current and upcoming eBook promotions that booksellers can choose to highlight on their IndieCommerce websites returns this week with 15 promotions, including three free samplers, a selection of cookbooks and home organizers, great titles for Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Ash Wednesday, and more.

Starting today, IndieCommerce stores that do not participate in the Kobo eBook program will no longer be able to sell e-books. Earlier this year, Google set January 31 as the date that the Google eBooks catalog and the ability to sell Google eBooks would be removed from all reseller sites.

Customers looking to pre-order upcoming eBook releases can now do so from stores participating in the ABA/Kobo partnership.

On January 31, IndieCommerce stores that do not participate in the Kobo eBook program will no longer be able to sell e-books. That’s the date set by Google for the end of the Google eBooks reseller program worldwide. Stores that would still like to offer e-books to their customers should sign up as soon as possible for the ABA/Kobo program.

Among the topics put forth at morning sessions on Thursday, January 17, at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo were a discussion on how Kobo is helping independent bookstores reach the e-book market and a look at consumers’ attitudes toward e-books and how they’ve changed over the course of just a few years.

Kobo is launching a national promotional event on Kobo Mini eReaders and Snapbacks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Beginning January 25 and ending February 14, the promotion consists of a Kobo Mini for $59.99 and a free Snapback.

From now through Wednesday, January 23, Kobo will be offering readers the opportunity to win prizes in a “Guess the Character Trivia Contest.”

ABA is asking member stores to direct all Kobo-related e-mails to a new address.

On Tuesday morning, January 15, Kobo announced that the Kobo Interactive Trivia Contest, which was set to start at  at 10:00 a.m. EST, had been indefinitely postponed. Kobo apologized for the inconvenience and said it would let booksellers know when it will be ready to proceed with the contest.

Independent bookstores now have the ability to sell tablets to their customers. Kobo has announced that the newest member of its device family, the Kobo Arc, is in stock at Ingram and ready to ship. Arc accessories — a sleep cover and anti-glare screen protector — are also in stock at Ingram.

To help stores catch last-minute holiday shoppers, Kobo is sponsoring a  $49.99 Kobo Mini promotion this weekend. There are no restrictions on when stores can begin publicizing the December 21, 22, 23 sale, and promotional resources, including banners and posters, are now available on the Booksellers DIY Kobo page.