Smashwords Adds Yuzu, Odilo, and Tolino to Its Distribution Network

Smashwords announced a trio of distribution deals on Friday. Starting in the  first quarter of 2016, authors and publishers who distribute books through Smashwords will be able to get their ebooks into Tolino (ebook retailer), Odilo (library ebook service), and Yuzu (B&N Education’s failed digital textbook platform).

Tolino is a consortium ebook platform with apps, ereaders, and tablets. It powers the ebookstores of several of Germany’s lesser ebook retailers, including Thalia, Welbild, Hugendubel, Buch.de, Bücher.de, and eBook.de, as well as ebookstores in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. Collectively Tolino has around the same market share in Germany as the Kindle Store, and a smaller share in other countries.

Odilo supplies ebooks to over 2,100 public libraries in 43 countries across Europe, NA, and Latin America. They also have pilots in Australia and New Zealand, and recently announced expansion into the Philippines.  About 40% of Odilo’s ebook sales are books in English, 40% Spanish, 15% French and 5% German.

Yuzu is the digital textbook platform that B&N launched early last year. It was spun off with B&N Education this summer, and it is promoted in the 743 college bookstores that B&N Ed operates. Sadly, it is still only half functional, making this a platform you should avoid if at all possible unless you want to cause more grief for students.

image by blogefl