The popular social reading site Goodreads now belongs to Amazon, as the US-based multinational company announced on Thursday, March 28th that it has acquired the website. However, Amazon did not disclose the specific details of the deal and the contract between the two companies must close by the end of second quarter of 2013. Currently, Goodreads has more than 16 million users and its catalogue houses over 360 million books. So it is expected that the social integration could benefit Amazon a lot, as it will enable the company to compete against Apple’s e-seller that has no social attachments whatsoever.
Discussing about the importance of this integration for e-division, Amazon’s VP of Kindle content, Russ Grandinetti said that, “Amazon and Goodreads share a passion for reinventing reading. Goodreads has helped change how we discover and discuss books and, with Kindle, Amazon has helped expand reading around the world. In addition, both Amazon and Goodreads have helped thousands of authors reach a wider audience and make a better living at their craft. Together we intend to build many new ways to delight readers and authors alike.”
Talking about the opportunity and acquisition of the site, CEO and co-founder of Goodreads, Otis Chandler said that, “Books – and the stories and ideas captured inside them – are part of our social fabric. People love to talk about ideas and share their passion for the stories they read. I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to partner with Amazon and Kindle. We’re now going to be able to move faster in bringing the Goodreads experience to millions of readers around the world. We’re looking forward to inspiring greater literary discussion and helping more readers find great books, whether they read in print or digitally.”
Goodreads has also made a post on its blog in which the company has shed light on the deal in detail and also made it clear that integration with Kindle was a top priority because users had been demanding this for a long time now.
Chandler said:
“I’m excited about this for three reasons:
1. With the reach and resources of Amazon, Goodreads can introduce more readers to our vibrant community of book lovers and create an even better experience for our members.
2. Our members have been asking us to bring the Goodreads experience to an e-reader for a long time. Now we’re looking forward to bringing Goodreads to the most popular e-reader in the world, Kindle, and further reinventing what reading can be.
3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture.”
Source: TechCrunch
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