Amazon has just launched the Indian version of their Kindle Store, letting users purchase the books and apps for Amazon Kindle with the Indian Rupees.
Amazon has been increasing their presence in India, and now, the company has launched the Indian Kindle Store, with books from a lot of Indian authors and also has the essence of the worldwide Kindle Store. The users can now purchase the apps in INR, thus reducing the processing fee that the banks impose for international transactions.
The Kindle Store in India currently gives the ability to the writers to use the Kindle Direct Publishing, exposing the Indian authors to a wider audience. The new Kindle Store India can be accessed via this website that Amazon has put up.
But wait. Where do I get a Amazon Kindle?
Well, as the heading says, Tata’s retail enterprise, Croma would be bringing the Amazon Kindle to the Indian market. The e-reader will be available for purchase from their retail stores across the country starting at Rs. 6,000.
Here’s the official press release of the Indian Kindle Store:
Amazon Launches India Kindle Store with the Biggest Selection and Lowest Prices in India, Kindle Now for Sale at Croma Stores across India
Over one million books priced in rupees available for purchase by Indian customers on Amazon.com, including titles from Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravinder Singh and Amish Tripathi
Kindle – the world’s #1 bestselling e-reader for five years running – now available for purchase at Croma retail stores across India
Kindle Direct Publishing now available to independent authors and publishers in India
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 22, 2012– Amazon today launched the India Kindle Store on Amazon.com (www.amazon.com/kindlestoreindia) with the largest selection, including the most bestsellers, and lowest prices of any e-bookstore in India. The India Kindle Store offers over one million books, now available for India customers priced in Indian Rupees (INR), including 70 of 100 Nielsen Bestsellers. In addition, customers can now purchase Kindle – the world’s #1 bestselling e-reader for five years running – at Croma retail stores across India.
The India Kindle Store features a vast selection of titles, New Releases, Bestsellers, and works from a range of Indian authors, including Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravinder Singh and Amish Tripathi. Readers will also find exclusive Kindle books such as “Love, Life and a Beer Can” by Prashant Sharma, and “Reality Bites; a not so innocent Love Story” by Anurag Anand as well as over one million free classics available to download and read on Kindle.
“We are proud to launch this new Kindle store for Indian customers – offering Kindle book purchases in rupees and the ability to buy and read the work of many great Indian authors,” said Russ Grandinetti, vice president of Kindle Content, Amazon.com. “In addition, we are excited to work with Croma to make Kindle available at retail outlets across India.”
“We are excited to be the first retailer in India to offer the latest generation Kindle to our customers. This product will launch exclusively in all Croma stores across India at an introductory price of 6,999 INR,” said Mr. Ajit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director of Croma. “Kindle is the bestselling e-reader in the world and has revolutionized the way people read. Kindle wirelessly downloads books on a high-resolution electronic-ink screen that looks and reads just like real paper, even in bright sunlight.”
Kindle lets you download books in less than 60 seconds, carry up to 1,400 books and read for up to one month on a single battery charge. You can also buy your books once and read them everywhere-on Kindle, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across all devices, so you can pick up where you left off. With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books you purchase from the Kindle Store, and any notes or annotations you create, are automatically backed up online in your Kindle library on Amazon.com where they can be re-downloaded wirelessly for free, anytime.
Amazon also launched Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for independent authors and publishers in India. KDP is a fast, free and easy way for authors and publishers to make their books available to Kindle customers in India and around the world on both Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps. New features for authors and publishers in India include the ability to set prices specific for India, as well as receive royalty payments in rupees. For more information on KDP visit https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help.
Customers can visit the new India Kindle Store now at www.amazon.com/kindlestoreindia.
Customers can discover full details on www.amazon.com/kindle and www.junglee.com or at Croma retail outlets throughout India. Customers can also continue to purchase Kindle, Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G from Amazon.com with shipment to India.