Publishing Perspectives has a long article about this today:
But two events in 2009 changed things. First was the Jornada de Nacional de Literatura de Passo Fundo (National Literature Journey of Passo Fundo) where some 20,000 students, teachers, researchers and authors gathered together at for a one-week discussion about technologies related to the experience of reading. The second was the opening in December of Gato Sabido, the first Brazilian eBookstore, which started with just 130 titles in Portuguese. Three months later, the e-bookstore has 850 titles in Portuguese as well as 100,000 titles in English. … On March, 31, Livraria Cultura, a prominent Sao Paolo-based chain, also started selling e-books. The title selection is quite similar, with Livraria Cultura offering 500 e-books in Portuguese and another 120,000 international titles.
Next month, Saraiva, the highest grossing bookseller in the country, will also begin selling e-books. They are expected, like Barnes & Noble in the United States, to release their own e-book reader soon thereafter, something that would likely make them the leader in the e-book market as well. In addition, chain booksellers FNAC and Submarino are also studying how to get into the market.
Paul,
I want indicate that is arriving another ebookstore in Brazil, Simplíssimo Livros. It’s a partner of Simplicissimus Book Farm (a digital publishing firm based in Italy) that is member of IDPF.
Simplissimo Livros distribuites in Brazil a platform of storage & delivery of ebooks called Stealth, created by Simplicissimus Book Farm. Indeed, it will offer editorial services for small editors that wants sell and produce e-books in ePub format.
http://blog.simplicissimus.it/2010/04/nasce-la-partnership-tra-simplicissimus-simplissimo-per-la-distribuzione-di-stealth-in-brasile/
http://simplissimo.com.br/blog/nossa-parceira-simplicissimus-book-farm/
Thanks
Fernando
Simplíssimo Livros