Two years ago, I asked whether The Book Depository, the U.K.’s largest online bookstore, would complement Amazon or compete with it. The end result? Amazon is buying it.
The sale is going to be looked at by the U.K.;s Office of Fair Trading and has sparked fears the deal will “tighten the American company’s ‘stranglehold’ over the online book trade in the UK.” I was surprised to read that Amazon is estimated to account for 70% of UK internet book sales.
At the time it was launched, The Book Depository said it wasn’t taking on Amazon. That’s certainly clear now, although The Book Depository says the Amazon acquisition means the two “are aligned” and working “to increase our vast selection of great titles and provide even better customer experience.” Although Amazon’s UK site has a press release on the purchase, the US site does not, at least as of this post.
Although I was tempted a couple times, I never ordered anything from The Book Depository. Whatever form it takes in the future, this certainly shows Amazon is a worldwide empire.
What we want to be is something completely new. There is no physical analog for what Amazon.com is becoming.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon co-founder and CEO
I saw that news today and I am NOT happy. I was an Amazon affiliate until they dropped me in April because my state changed its tax laws. So, I signed up with Book Depository. I’m guessing that at some point this will signify the end of my relationship with them, too! 🙁 And, of course, I JUST bought a Kindle … it’s hard to be mad at them right now, but I am! I’m hoping the U.K.’s Office of Fair Trading nixes this arrangement!