Gutenberg and the digital evolution: Highlights of a trend-follower market from a distributer's perspective (Review)

摘要

Germany's acceptance and spread of e-books are typical for a trend-follower. Germans are still reluctant to change their reading habits and strongly support the diversity of small bookshops. Germany's biggest book distributor and wholesaler KNV strongly believes in the future of the printed books and is building the most modern media distribution center in central Germany. KNV is also placing a lot of efforts in supporting small and medium size bookshops and in establishing multi-channel strategies and promoting online and digital sales. After many unsuccessful efforts to establish an e-reading platform in Germany by various organizations, the "Tolino" platform has the potential to grow to a real significance alongside to Amazon and Apple. Therefore, KNV will support its clients to become part of the new alliance, initiated by the major book chains, Bertelsmann and Deutsche Telekom.