Rakuten Kobo and Booktopia launch all-you-can-read eBook subscription service Kobo Plus in Australia

Australia, 2 November 2021 — Global digital eReading innovator Rakuten Kobo and Australian online book retailer, Booktopia announced today the Australian launch of Kobo Plus, the all-you-can-read eBook subscription giving book lovers unlimited access to hundreds of thousands of eBook titles for just $13.99 AUD per month.

Following the success of Kobo Plus in markets including the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and Portugal, Kobo Plus is the next generation of eReading for Australians. The launch extends the exclusive partnership between the global digital eReader leader and Australia’s largest e book retailer after the companies’ released co-branded e-reading apps for Android and iOS in April 2020.

“Digital reading is only increasing in popularity. It’s why we are so excited to introduce Kobo Plus, the next evolution in digital reading that enables our Australian customers to read more and discover new, exciting books that seamlessly integrate with their Kobo eReaders and apps, all for a low monthly price,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo. “Our mission is straightforward: make a reader’s life better. By working with an incredible partner like Booktopia, we can reach more Australian readers than ever before.”

Subscribers can access Kobo Plus via the Booktopia App for iOS or Android, or Kobo eReaders sold directly from Booktopia.com.au, to begin discovering new authors and genres. Australian booklovers will be able to explore the subscription with a free 30-day trial that provides full access to 580,000+ eBooks on Kobo Plus catalogue, with more being added each month.

“We’re pleased to extend our successful partnership with Rakuten Kobo. An eBook subscription service is an easy and cost-effective way for people to read, particularly those with a voracious appetite for reading”, said Tony Nash, CEO, Booktopia. “Kobo eReaders are a very popular option for travellers and with access to so many books for a single, low price we would expect a healthy take up of the Kobo Plus subscription option as people begin to emerge from lockdowns and can once again explore their travel options.”

Rakuten Kobo works with some of the country’s biggest publishers, as well as featuring Kobo Originals, stories from the company’s own publishing arm, and eBooks published through Kobo Writing Life—Rakuten Kobo’s platform that allows authors to self-publish.

The new Kobo Plus collection features a breadth of stories including literary classics and popular page-turners such as The Tattooist of Auschwitz by New Zealand novelist Heather Morris; Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Fiction); The Englishman by David Gilman (Thriller); The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (Sci-Fi); and Breathless by Helen Hardt (Romance).

Kobo Plus is available for $13.99 AUD/month and launches November 2, 2021.

Learn more about Kobo Plus Read in Australia, visit kobo.com/plus.

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About Rakuten Kobo Inc.

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is the world’s digital bookseller created by and for book lovers. Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten Group, Inc. and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo’s 58 million worldwide users can read any time, anywhere, and on any device. With a mission to make reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories using thoughtful and personalised curation of eBooks and audiobooks, and the best dedicated eReaders and apps for reading. With the singular focus of making reading lives the best they can be, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into more moments in their busy lives.

To learn more about Rakuten Kobo, visit https://www.kobo.com/au/en

About Booktopia

Booktopia Group is the largest Australian-owned online book retailer by market share. It is an Australian home-grown business having sold items to more than five million customers since establishment, with $1 billion in sales since its 2004 inception. Since FY2012 Booktopia Group has sold more than 41 million items to its growing customer base. While approximately 90% of the items the Company sold in FY2020 were books, Booktopia Group also sells eBooks, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, maps, calendars, puzzles, stationery and cards. The Company sold one item approximately every 3.9 seconds and shipped approximately 8.2 million items in the 12 months to 30th June 2021, averaging 32,800 items per business day. Revenue was $223m in FY21 up from $165m in FY20 and underlying EBITDA in FY21 was $13.6m up 125% on its FY20 EBITDA of $6m. The company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in December 2020 after completing a $43.1 million capital initial public offering.