Digital books from Kobo can now be purchased at Chapters
In a recent development, Chapters, Canada's renowned bookstore chain, has upgraded their kiosk system. The aim of this upgrade was to bridge the gap between ebook shoppers and the physical store, encouraging e-reader users to engage more with the store culture.
The new Chapters Kiosk system now allows users to order ebooks and shop for them on the kiosk system. This new feature is designed to cater to customers who own Kobo e-Readers or the new Kobo Wireless, as well as those with Blackberry, Android, Apple devices, or any other devices that have a Kobo Application.
However, there seems to be a discrepancy in the information available about this upgrade. Despite numerous searches, no publicly available information as of August 2025 indicates that Chapters in Canada has updated their kiosk system to allow for eBook purchases with instant delivery to Kobo accounts.
While interactive kiosk technology is expanding globally, with trends such as contactless payment and integration with digital services, no specific mention of Chapters or Kobo in Canada has been found in relation to this update. Furthermore, recent kiosk expansions noted are primarily related to Bitcoin and financial kiosks, with no linkage to book retail or Kobo.
Given Kobo's prominence in digital books in Canada, it is surprising that if such an update had taken place, it would not have been highlighted. Michael Kozlowski, a well-known writer about audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has been writing about these topics for the past eighteen years. If this upgrade had been announced, it would likely have been covered by writers like Kozlowski.
In summary, as of August 2025, no evidence supports that Chapters Canada’s kiosks enable eBook purchases with instant Kobo account delivery. It appears that Chapters has upgraded their kiosks without a press release or official word regarding this specific function. For those interested in this feature, it may be worth keeping an eye on Chapters' official announcements for any updates.
- The upgrade of Chapters' kiosk system aims to merge e-reader users into the physical store, inviting shoppers with devices like smartphones, tablets, and Kobo e-Readers to purchase ebooks on the kiosks.
- While other retail industries, such as banking, have integrated Kobo and kiosk technology, there is no record of Chapters in Canada doing the same for eBook purchases for instant delivery to Kobo accounts.
- With the vast experience of e-reader reviewers like Michael Kozlowski, it would be surprising if the incidents of Chapters' kiosk upgrade for eBook purchasing had occurred without any public announcement.
