BN.com Launches eBookstore

Posted on August 9, 2000

Barnes & Noble.com has announced the opening of its eBookStore, featuring Microsoft Reader< technology for desktop PCs and laptop computers. The Barnes & Noble.com eBookStore features works from more than 30 publishers, including special promotions from Robert Ludlum, Nicholas Sparks, Orson Scott Card and Scott Turow. The eBookStore also offers free downloads of 100 of classics including Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

``Our industry is taking a major step forward today,'' said Michael Fragnito, vice president, eBooks, for Barnes & Noble.com. ``Barnes & Noble.com's determination to take the initiative in this emerging market is a clear indication of our confidence in the enormous potential of digital content. Our focus on eBooks will be a boon for publishers, authors and our customers as well. As this exciting market segment expands, we will listen to our customers' preferences, and create a truly interactive marketplace for content.''

Among the major publishers featured in the eBookStore launch are Time Warner, Random House, Simon & Schuster, St. Martins, Farrar, Straus & Giroux and Walker & Company. The Microsoft Reader software can be downloaded for free at the new eBookStore.