HarperCollins Launches Four Ebook Stores

Posted on December 6, 2002

HarperCollins Publishers has launched four PerfectBound ebook stores serving the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia. The newly designed perfectbound.com will continue to feature information about ebooks from PerfectBound, HarperCollins' global ebook imprint, and will now also allow visitors to purchase PerfectBound ebooks directly from the site. The move is significant for the book industry because with ebook stores publishers become retailers of their own products.

Visitors to perfectbound.com can purchase and download PerfectBound ebooks in Adobe, Microsoft, and Palm ebook formats. Visitors can also download free ebook excerpts, take advantage of special offers and discounts, and sign up to receive the monthly PerfectBound newsletter. The PerfectBound ebook stores are powered by technology from OverDrive.

Perfectbound.com is currently featuring Prey, the new thriller from bestselling author Michael Crichton. The ebook edition of Prey contains special features not available in other editions, including an interview with the author and excerpts from his novels and nonfiction works, highlighting Michael Crichton's 30-plus years of making complex concepts understandable and entertaining. Other ebooks featured on the site include: The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman, The Lives of the Muses by National Book Award finalist Francine Prose and Coraline, the ebook edition of Neil Gaiman's haunting new book for readers of all ages.

"Although the ebook market remains modest, we have seen strong growth since the launch of the PerfectBound program a year and a half ago," said David Steinberger, President of Corporate trategy and International for HarperCollins Publishers. "The PerfectBound store demonstrates our long-term commitment to this growing format."

PerfectBound has published more than 350 titles around the world since the program launched in 2001. In addition to its ebook stores, HarperCollins also makes PerfectBound ebooks available from online retailers.