IndieBound Mobile Reading App Launches

Book lovers who purchase their e-books from independent booksellers online now have their own device-based reading application – The IndieBound Reader™. The launch of the IndieBound Reader for Android was announced today by the American Booksellers Association and the app’s developer, Bluefire Productions [1], an independent software company in Seattle, Washington.

IndieBound Reader, which was introduced to ABA IndieCommerce stores last month, is currently available for devices using the Android operating system, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Droid smartphones by Motorola, and will soon be available for iOS devices.

“With the release of IndieBound Reader, independent bookstores are taking another major step forward as players on the digital stage,” said ABA Technology Director Matt Supko. “A year after the launch of Google eBooks, indies have become a vital and fast-growing part of the e-book market, thanks to their creativity, marketing savvy, and knack for matching the customer with the best book for them — print or digital. The IndieBound Reader app gives independent bookstores a home on the most popular mobile devices, making it easier than ever for customers to shop local when they shop digital.”

Independent bookstores partnered with Google to sell Google eBooks™ in 2010 because of its open and accessible platform, so indies can provide an easy way for their customers to discover, read, and buy e-books while supporting local businesses. The e-books are sold directly through independent bookstore websites [2].

Micah Bowers, CEO of Bluefire Productions, commented, “The new IndieBound Reader completes the e-book experience for independent booksellers by making it easy for readers to extend their relationship with their neighborhood bookstore from print to e-book. Bluefire Productions is delighted to have helped the ABA give readers the ability to continue their longstanding relationships with their trusted, local bookstores.”

The app is available for download from the Android Market [3] or from IndieBound.org [4].

ABA has created an array of materials to help stores promote the new app. Printable and online images are available to IndieCommerce stores at IndieCommerce.com [5]. In the December Red Box mailing, stores are also receiving a promotional piece featuring a QR code that allows customers to download the IndieBound Reader app right in the store.