It seems to be like Kobo has simply launched their very own Kobo US Amazon retailer to promote their ereaders and equipment in the US with out going by means of a reseller.
The storefront is titled “Kobo US” and the enterprise identify is “Rakuten Kobo US Inc” so it seems to be Kobo’s official retailer, nevertheless it simply launched and doesn’t have any suggestions but. All of the merchandise are being shipped by Amazon so the usual transport and return insurance policies apply.
Kobo’s gadgets have been out there on Amazon for a number of years now in order that’s nothing new, however up now they’ve all the time been bought by third-party sellers, specifically Blue Proton.
Blue Proton is Kobo’s official retail associate within the US, or at the very least they had been. They promote Kobo ereaders by means of Amazon, Walmart, and Goal—all on-line, not in retail shops.
I ponder if Kobo goes to cease utilizing Blue Proton now that they’ve launched their very own Amazon retailer. It’s humorous timing as a result of Blue Proton immediately appears to be out of inventory of most Kobo fashions. In the meantime Kobo’s new retailer has each shade fashions and the Kobo Sage in inventory, together with instances for them. To this point the listings all have Kobo’s regular costs, not like most third social gathering sellers on Amazon which were charging above MSRP for Kobo’s ereaders, Blue Proton included.
Kobo relies in Canada so it’s attainable they’re doing this now to keep away from paying further charges. Kobo has by no means had a lot of a presence within the US. They was partnered with Walmart, however finally that didn’t pan out for both firm and Walmart now not sells Kobo’s ereaders, and so they rarely bought them in shops anyway. Blue Proton has been Kobo’s most important distributor within the US since Walmart fell by means of. Kobo nonetheless sells their ereaders immediately from their web site as nicely.
