Sainsbury's ebook store bites the dust

chrisridd · 09-20-2016, 01:05 PM

TL;DR: Sainsbury's is selling all their ebook customers to Kobo, the vaccuum cleaner of the ebook store world.

Quote:

Dear Customer,
We are writing to tell you about an important change to Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand.

Over the last four years we have enjoyed providing our customers with eBooks, MP3 music, digital magazines, and movies and TV on demand. We've made some great progress and learnt a lot about the digital entertainment market. However, following a detailed review of our service we have made the difficult decision to close Sainsbury's Entertainment on Demand and focus on our core businesses.

We'd like to make the process for you as straightforward as possible. Below you will find details of what will be happening and when, for each entertainment product area.

Movies & TV

As of now you can no longer buy, rent or watch any movie or TV content. We will refund you for any movies or TV content you've bought to own, as well as any active rentals you have. Any rentals that fall outside of either their 48-hour viewing period or 30-day active viewing window will not be refunded. We'll let you know of any refunds due and how they will be made by 15th October 2016.

eBooks

As of 1st October 2016 you will no longer be able to buy any eBooks from us although you will be able to continue reading eBooks on our apps until 30th November 2016. On 1st December 2016 the site will close and our reading apps will no longer be supported.

You will have the opportunity to transfer your eBook library to Kobo, a leading global eBook provider, who will support your eBook library in accordance with their terms and conditions. If you don't already have a Kobo account you will need to set one up. We will e-mail you by 25th October 2016 explaining how this will work and what you will need to do. We will not be issuing any refunds for eBook purchases.

Digital Magazines

As of 1st October 2016 you will no longer be able to buy digital magazines from us although you will be able to continue reading digital magazines on our apps until 30th November 2016. On 1st December 2016 the site will close and our reading apps will no longer be supported. We will refund all digital magazine purchases, we'll let you know by email of any refunds due and how they will be made by 15th October 2016.

MP3 Music

As of 1st October 2016 you will no longer be able to buy music from us although you will be able to continue to listen to music on our apps until 30th November 2016. On 1st December 2016 when our site closes, our music apps will no longer be supported and you will not be able to download your music library from us. We strongly recommend that you download your music purchases before the end of November so that you can play them on an alternative digital music platform (e.g. iTunes or Google Play). We'll email you reminders as we get closer to the end of November. We will not be issuing any refunds for MP3 music purchases.

Thank you for your support and custom over the last four years. We understand that this is disappointing news and are sorry for the inconvenience caused.

If you need any further information, please visit our FAQs where further help is on hand.

Yours sincerely,

Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand

20th September 2016

Polarpenguin · 09-20-2016, 02:46 PM

Just had this email.
Least it will be a painless transition to Kobo.

church mouse · 09-20-2016, 02:50 PM

Rather disappointing because, of late, they have been pretty competitive on price.

fjtorres · 09-20-2016, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by church mouse

Rather disappointing because, of late, they have been pretty competitive on price.

Which might be why they are getting out.

chrisridd · 09-20-2016, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polarpenguin

Just had this email.
Least it will be a painless transition to Kobo.

Didn't Kobo give out £5 vouchers to previous migrants? I remember something like that with the Sony transition, and the Waterstones transition.

Josieb1 · 09-20-2016, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisridd

Didn't Kobo give out £5 vouchers to previous migrants? I remember something like that with the Sony transition, and the Waterstones transition.

Yes they did, I was a Nook transfer, nothing moved over though as all my books came originally from Fictionwise. I never spent the £5 though, I only read MM Romance as Sainsburys don't sell that genre.

MGlitch · 09-20-2016, 04:43 PM

Weren't Sainsbury's the ones who swallowed up Nook UK customers? I wish Kobo would snag Nook US customers, alas we seem doomed to ride out Nook until B&N shuts down, and who knows if they'll bother migrating anything then.

Well welcome aboard new Kobo folks. You're coming in at a good time, Kobo just released two new devices.

MickiTee · 09-20-2016, 05:00 PM

Just off to add the books on my Sainsbury's Wish List to my Amazon account. Just wish Kobo would add this functionality, but I suppose that's too much to ask.

auspex · 09-20-2016, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polarpenguin

Just had this email.
Least it will be a painless transition to Kobo.

Yeah, as it has been for everybody else who's e-book service has sold out to Kobo.

'Least I have de-drmed my books so don't care what Sainsbury does to them (though thanks to them for the heads up, because there's still one I haven't downloaded).

auspex · 09-20-2016, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Well welcome aboard new Kobo folks. You're coming in at a good time, Kobo just released two new devices.

LOL. I have been eyeing the Aura H2O... Hard to justify when my Sony just won't die, though, even though its software is shit.

DrNefario · 09-20-2016, 06:15 PM

Man, this was the only reason I signed up for a nectar card, and I'm a little short of being able to afford the book I want. I'm not sure I'll quite have the points by the end of the month, either. That's annoying.

simond · 09-20-2016, 06:27 PM

I left working for Sainsbury's just in time I think

Dr. Drib · 09-20-2016, 10:03 PM

Never heard of them, so I guess I'm not missing anything.

Froide · 09-21-2016, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Weren't Sainsbury's the ones who swallowed up Nook UK customers? I wish Kobo would snag Nook US customers [...]

This! In contrast, I rather liked buying ebooks from Sainsbury's and am sorry to bid them adieu.
Here's TechCrunch's article on the subject: "Sainsbury’s exits digital entertainment, hands over e-book business to Kobo".

anonymoose · 09-21-2016, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Yes they did, I was a Nook transfer, nothing moved over though as all my books came originally from Fictionwise. I never spent the £5 though, I only read MM Romance as Sainsburys don't sell that genre.

Josie you might want to see if that £5 is still valid... Kobo has MM Romance.

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09-20-2016, 02:46 PM	#2
Polarpenguin Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 1834850 Join Date: May 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-300, Sony PRS- T3S, Kobo aura H2O Kobo aura One Kobo libra	Just had this email. Least it will be a painless transition to Kobo.

09-20-2016, 02:50 PM	#3
church mouse Evangelist Posts: 484 Karma: 5277078 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Poke 2, PocketBook Verse Pro (634)	Rather disappointing because, of late, they have been pretty competitive on price.

09-20-2016, 04:43 PM	#7
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,854 Karma: 22003124 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	Weren't Sainsbury's the ones who swallowed up Nook UK customers? I wish Kobo would snag Nook US customers, alas we seem doomed to ride out Nook until B&N shuts down, and who knows if they'll bother migrating anything then. Well welcome aboard new Kobo folks. You're coming in at a good time, Kobo just released two new devices.

09-20-2016, 05:00 PM	#8
MickiTee Guru Posts: 850 Karma: 3976266 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: London, UK Device: Sony PRS-505, Pocketbook TL3, TL4, TL5	Just off to add the books on my Sainsbury's Wish List to my Amazon account. Just wish Kobo would add this functionality, but I suppose that's too much to ask.

09-20-2016, 06:15 PM	#11
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,147 Karma: 11676050 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	Man, this was the only reason I signed up for a nectar card, and I'm a little short of being able to afford the book I want. I'm not sure I'll quite have the points by the end of the month, either. That's annoying.

09-20-2016, 06:27 PM	#12
simond Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 1062755 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, iPad, iPhone	I left working for Sainsbury's just in time I think

09-20-2016, 10:03 PM	#13
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,093 Karma: 57222145 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	Never heard of them, so I guess I'm not missing anything.

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