10 reasons why Google didn't launch Google eBooks in the UK

Image by manfrys via FlickrToday, finally, Google launched Google eBooks. It's a place you can go and buy eBooks for the newly launched eBooks Web Reader or Android. You can read the blog post here.

I'm already a Kindle user via my HTC Desire Android phone. I was pleased to see Google stepping forward and supporting eBooks.

Did you know that not so long ago Google suggested that ads for eBooks on their AdWords solution were discouraged, likely to be poor quality products and therefore likely to have a poor Quality Score. How things have changed.

Here's the catch though. There is no eBook store in the UK. It's US only.

How come? Just some thoughts;

1) Legal. Google may have agreed reselling rights in the US but not anywhere else. Outside the US publishers are unwilling to let people sell their books and are content with an Amazon monopoly.

2) Um. Um. Something.

Actually, reasons 2 through to 10 are the same.

I can't think of any really good reason why Google didn't do better with an international launch.

It's just a shame paper books are region protected, like Blu-Rays and DVDs, otherwise I'd be happy to buy any books not available for sale in the UK from Amazon US. Oh, wait a minute... it's practically impossible to find a book that's for sale in the US but not the UK.


What on earth is going on here? Has some Luddite British publisher association gone and shot themselves in the foot? Or is Google really doing all that it can to put itself at odds with Europe.