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

Should you’re all for supporting native bookstores when buying e-books as a substitute of huge firms like Amazon, Bookshop.org may be 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 positioning lets you choose a close-by bookstore, and while you make a purchase order, it will get a share of the income. Earlier this 12 months, 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 simply’re restricted to studying e-books on its cell app, relatively than on an e-reader machine like a Kindle. In an interview with USA Today earlier this 12 months, Bookshop.org‘s founder and CEO, Andy Hunter, defined that is “resulting from Amazon’s proprietary digital rights administration software program (DRM) and publishers’ DRM necessities.”

However plainly 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 could quickly introduce its personal.

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

Its CEO has stated prior to now an e-reader is feasible

Since BookShop.org launched its e-book retailer earlier this 12 months, 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 top of the 12 months (through Publisher Weekly).

With its e-book enterprise mannequin increasing quickly, it could make sense for Bookshop.org to contemplate launching its personal e-reader, so readers can take pleasure in their books not solely on the app but in addition on an E Ink machine much like a Kindle or a Kobo. In keeping with Android Authority, Hunter has floated the thought of Bookshop.org making an e-reader earlier than, and that it is potential it might 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 e book or an e-book from Bookshop.org, a lot 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 might turn out to be a robust competitor to Amazon’s Kindle lineup. I like the thought of an e-reader that lets me purchase e-books whereas supporting my native bookstore, relatively than relying solely on Amazon. I take pleasure in visiting and making purchases at my native bookstore, however I additionally admire the comfort of e-books. An e-reader that lets me learn digitally whereas supporting my native store could be incredible and looks as if the very best 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 exhausting to not get enthusiastic about what this machine might do and what it might imply for the way forward for native bookstores within the digital age.

Bookshop.org’s CEO stated on Threads earlier this 12 months that Kobo integration is on the “Bookshop.org 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.