B2S, IT Works offer e-book app for phones, tablets
B2S, a bookstore chain, in cooperation with IT Works, a software developer, has launched an e-book application for tablet computers and mobile phones, to be followed next quarter by a download service for movies and music.
“We have launched ‘B2S eBook Store’ to respond our customers’ needs as well as to match new behaviour trends,” Nath Vongphanich, managing director of B2S, which is a subsidiary of Central Retail Corporation, said yesterday.
“Developed for both Android and iOS [iPhone operating system], the e-bookstore application will become an alternative channel for book lovers besides our existing channels – physical bookstore and e-commerce,” he said.
The eBook Store and “eLife Plus”, the movie and music content e-download service, were aimed at cashing in on the dramatic growth of tablet and smart-phone users; eLife Plus will be under a partnership with major movie and music content providers, including Sony Music, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures and GMM Grammy.
The e-book application is a global trend and popular in many developed markets around the world. In Japan, the e-book market is worth more than ?65 billion (Bt26 billion) or 3 per cent of physical book sales at bookstores.
Thailand has about 300,000 iPad users and more than a million iPhone users.
More magazines and pocketbooks in digital format will be offered at eBook Store, which is capable of carrying more than 2,000 items. The company has set a challenging target to become a “full product eBook store in Thailand”.
E-books will be priced 30-40 per cent lower on average than physical books sold at stores.
The company expects 200,000 downloads by year-end.
“We also target total sales for 2012, 2013 and 2014 at Bt50 million, Bt100 million and Bt200 million,” Nath said.
B2S will also move towards becoming an “e-publisher” by inviting more new writers to come into the book industry.
B2S’s sales dropped last month by 9 per cent year on year because of the massive floods, which caused the temporary shutdown of about 10 B2S bookstores, including those at CentralPlaza Ladprao and CentralPlaza Pinklao.
B2S operates 70 book and stationery stores, mainly in Bangkok and major provinces.
It plans to open three more branches this year – two in CentralPlaza Rama IX and one in The Walk Ratchaphruek. About 15 B2S bookstores are planned for next year, of which eight or nine will be in a small format with about 400 square metres of retail space.
“Because of the floods, we expect our sales to slow down from 8-to-9-per-cent growth projected at the beginning of this year to about 5-6 per cent actually,” Nath said.
B2S expects its sales to climb to Bt3.1 billion this year from Bt2.9 billion last year, he said. It targets dramatic growth of 17 per cent next year.
