It has been confirmed that Asda will be selling the Kobo ebook reader along with WHSmith in the UK, with the latter welcoming the move.
WHSmith has responded to the growing threat of Amazon's Kindle to its book selling by heavily pushing the low-cost Kobo device.
And it believes that Asda's decision to sell the reader will be a boon rather than a drawback as it looks to hold off Amazon.
Supportive
"We are very supportive of Kobo extending their UK retail presence, which will help them to establish themselves as a major UK brand," WHSmiths told The Bookseller.
Amazon, of course, has enjoyed huge success with the Kindle, and the ebook is growing exponentially on the back of the increased volume of low cost ebook readers – including the likes of the Nook and Kobo.
The online market giant is now expanding its Kindle brand into tablets with the Amazon Kindle Fire where it can bring in media sales for movies and TV along with Apps and also take advantage of those people who have built up Kindle libraries of books.
Asda's rival Tesco currently sells Kindles, and it's fair to say that the opening salvos of the ebook wars are becoming a distant memory.