Exclusive Books strikes e-book deal with Kobo

Exclusive Books has struck a deal to direct its customers to the Kobo website to buy e-books.

The South African book chain has stopped selling e-books directly from its website and it will now direct customers to Kobo's website to buy digital titles, presumably benefiting from a cut for every sale it has helped to create - the same deal Kobo has with W H Smith and independent bookshops.

Exclusive Books’ customers will be transferred to Kobo throughout January, with the Rakuten-owned company promising the process will be “seamless”.

Ben Williams, general manager for marketing at Exclusive Books, said: “Our partnership with Kobo will allow us to concentrate on what we do best, namely, curating and selling the largest and widest selection of physical book titles in Africa.”

Michael Tamblyn, c.e.o of Rakuten Kobo, added: “We want to encourage people to read more and are pleased to be working with Exclusive Books to offer digital reading to its customers. We have been sharing our love of books in South Africa for more than four years now, and will ensure Exclusive Books’ e-book customers are able to continue enjoying, as well as expand, their digital libraries.”

Kobo has also struck similar deals to take the e-book customers of Waterstones, Tesco and Sainsbury’s after they closed their digital reading platforms.