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Google Editions launches under new name: Google eBooks

The wait for Google Editions is over, at least if you live in the good ol’ U.S. of A. This morning, Google finally launched its e-book sales platform under the new, dull moniker Google eBooks. According to the website, Google has more than 3 million titles ready to download, including millions of free public domain titles and hundreds of thousands of books from publishers. As for non-U.S. residents, Google plans to roll out international editions in early 2011.

According to Publishers Weekly:

Google officials say its pricing “will be competitive,” with other e-book ventures, and will accommodate the agency model if desired. The price for titles from agency publishers will be set by the publishers, and the the price for non-agency publishers will be set by the seller, meaning that Google will set the price for books in the Google eBookstore, and “resellers” will set the price in theirs.

As for resellers, the program envisions a key role for independent booksellers, who can host and sell Google’s eBooks on their Web sites, a move that makes sense both for Google, which despite its dominant online search presence lacks the retail experience of its competitors, and for indie bookstores, who can now get into the e-book game without having to build and maintain their own expensive platforms. At or shortly after launch, indie stores will begin to roll out their own customizable Google eBook storefronts, including  stores participating through a partnership with the American Booksellers Association.

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December 6th, 2010

11:08 am

Category: Book news