The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

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Audible approach for Waterstone's

31.10.07 Tom Tivnan

Waterstone's has thrown its weight behind industry-wide moves to revitalise the audiobooks sector, inking a deal with Audible.co.uk and introducing "audio champions" to stores.

The Waterstone's link-up is Audible's first agreement with a bricks and mortar bookseller. It will allow customers to download all of Audible's library of over 17,500 audiobooks from Waterstones.com from 1st November. The audio section of the Waterstone's site will be co-branded with Audible and Waterstone's logos, with Audible providing the back-end transactional and delivery infrastructure.

The Audible deal is part of an wider move from Waterstone's designed to improve its overall audio offer. The retailer has recently appointed a group of "audio champions" in a selection of shops who will work to raise the profile of audiobooks in store, reporting back to audio buyer Simon Robertson.

Waterstone's has also revamped its audio sections, streamlining subject running order by cutting back on audio categories, augmenting section signage and moving away from cassettes to concentrate on CDs.

Waterstone's spokesman Fiona Allen said the high street bookseller was "excited" about the Audible deal. "We feel that Audible are very strong in the market and have a complete catalogue," she said. "They are the partner that could provide the best solution to our needs [and] we think the Audible deal will complement and perhaps increase our current offer."

Chris McKee, Audible UK m.d., added: "I think Waterstone's is potentially one of our most exciting partners. From our research, we know that our own users are book lovers, and by linking with Waterstone's we have a chance to give more book lovers the chance to download audiobooks."

The Waterstone's/Audible link-up kicks off with a free download of an unabridged recording of Bram Stoker's Dracula, timed to coincide with the British Film Institute's re-release of the Christopher Lee Hammer film of the book. Prices on the Waterstone's site will be in line with Audible's own.

McKee said Audible will continue to look at other appropriate partners to link with. He added: "This is all part of our desire to bring the audio market to the attention of more people, and raise the profile of audio."

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