Borders today relaunched borders.co.uk as a retailer for eBooks as well as the regular books and DVDs on offer. While Amazon has yet to launch the Kindle eBook reader in the UK and Amazon.co.uk and still doesn't sell eBooks here, Borders is attempting to become the online store Brits associate with eBooks.
Borders currently trails its rivals in terms of popularity on the internet, according to figures from Nielsen Online. While Amazon had 14.2 million unique users in April 2009, Waterstones had 722,000, Books Direct had 430,000, thebookpeople.co.uk had 330,000 while Borders attracted 323,000 to its site.
The challenge for Borders is large and until eBook readers become mass market in the UK it may be a while before sales really take off.
Amazon has remained silent on a launch date for eBooks in the UK and has cited some technical challenges to offering the Kindle throughout Europe.
In the US, Kindle sold out within hours and, while Amazon could roll out the Kindle in Europe, it has to negotiate deals with mobile operators for 3G bandwidth, required to buy eBooks remotely from the Kindle through its Whispernet network.
The relaunch of borders.co.uk, by Tangent One, also allows for plans to introduce multimedia content such as movie trailers and book readings.
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