Borders opens online audiobook store
Published by on July 16th, 2008
Borders, the international book retailer, has begun selling audiobooks as downloads from their online store.
15,000 titles are planned to be available for download in mp3 - which means DRM-free, of course - and can be played on pretty much any digital music device. In addition, the audiobooks are available in WMA format - which looks to also be DRM-free. Titles include Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” and Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”, and Borders are planning on adding hundreds more titles every week. When the service launched on Monday, 5,000 titles were immediately available.
Right now, as part of their initial offering, several books are available for download at the special price of $9.95, and until July 19, John Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” can be downloaded for free (you’ll have to sign up at the Borders.com website first, of course).
In addition to online downloads, new Borders concept stores are planned to offer audiobook downloads in-store. There are ten such stores at this time, with another four planned by the end of the year.
6 Responses to “Borders opens online audiobook store”
Leave a Reply
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:47 am
Hi Neil,
I have been using Audible.com for years. I get such discounts that I was able to stop buying the horribly expensive CD’s in the bookstores. I wonder how the pricing will be when the loss-leader is gone. Why go to a bookstore to download?
Arlene
July 24th, 2008 at 7:25 am
I don’t think anyone has really worked out how best to handle audiobook distribution, yet. Neither publishers nor their audience understand how best to make the most out of the medium.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:26 am
My generation has such an fear that the traditional printed book will go out of fashion, (which I believe is happening) that they are resistant to listening. When the younger generations, those who live with iPods, grow, the audience will demand and the suppliers will have to listen. So many past published authors are reading or allowing their books to be read, it is now ‘the thing to do’ in the business here in the States. Wasn’t it Jobs, when asked why Apple didn’t make a reader before the Kindle came out, say something like, because no one has time to read anymore? No matter how resistant some are the art of literature is changing to audible or readers.
July 24th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I doubt printed books will go out of style within the next few generations at least. The tactile experience is still too good. However, if readers (Kindle, etc) improve, then there is going to be a tussle. My hope is that publishers understand that the different forms are merely alternate ways to consume the same content and not attempt to push (or price) one above the others. Sadly, I suspect it will be whatever medium ends up providing the greatest profit margin will come out on top.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I do love to see my two and five-year old grandsons with books al around them. But at this age they wouldn’t care if the books were on a Kikndle, Sony readers or on paper as long as they can see the pictures. I don’t know if either can show pictures. The five-year-old reads fast and loves the computer so I can actually visualize him in front of a computer with a Kindle, downloading books. And think of not having to carry that heavy pack in school. I volunteer for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and many of the texts we read refer to a website or have DVDs with more information. One more step…
September 8th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I’m just glad that Steve Jobs and Itunes will actually have some competition out there. It seems like they’re just running away with the industry.