New York-based start-up Zola Books (@zolabooks) is planning to replace the Google eBooks re-seller progam (to end in January; originally embraced by the American Booksellers Association), as the ecommerce platform of choice for independent bookstores selling ebooks.
According to Digital Book World (@DigiBookWorld), “Zola will offer readers a social e-reader and bookstore, independent bookstores a new place to sell ebooks, and publishers another storefront to display their wares. When it launches to the public on September 19, the company plans to make a splash, offering readers a sizable selection of ebooks, including titles that will only be available on Zola.”
The plan is to offer a selling experience for independent bookstores that is easier, more attractive and more profitable than Google eBooks was.
Zola allows each independent bookstore to create its own storefront that it curates with titles it thinks its readers will like. Each bookseller is responsible for marketing their storefront but the proceeds could be worth it. Zola will pay independent bookstores 60% of net proceeds from every sale.
With Zola, publishers get a straight 70% of every sale and then Zola and its partners split the rest after paying a 4% credit card transaction fee....
In addition to providing a storefront for bookstores, Zola is providing pages for publishers, book reviewers and influential bloggers. Books sold through those pages will net whoever maintains the page an affiliate commission, which will vary in size depending on who or what the affiliate is. Each storefront comes with tools that allow for simple integration with all major social platforms so pages can be kept up-to-date by tweeting.
Tech Crunch (@TechCrunch) reports, “The company’s Zola Social Reader will work on the Kindle Fire, Nook, and iPad. Zola Books will make both native apps as well as HTML5 apps available for its readers.”
Given the controversy surrounding ebook pricing right now, the company has decided to hold off from selling books until the publishers and the US Department of Justice have settled their current issues. Zola Books plans to use an agency model for selling books, meaning it will give authors and/or publishers full control over the pricing of content their are publishing exclusively on the site. By the time it launches publicly, the company expects to have every publisher on board. Exclusive content on the site will be offered DRM free.
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