Bangkok--12 Oct--Workpoint Publishing
In a joint venture, zhAke and Workpoint proudly launch "zhAke Edutainment" - an online bookstore selling both hard copies and downloadable electronic versions readable in various platforms including iPad, Android-enabled devices to desktop computers - a new service equivalent to Amazon.com, which welcomes futurealliances with more publishers and aims to be the countrys' top and integrated online learning society.
Speaking at a press conference on 11th October 2011, Ms Lawan Ngawbenjakun, managing director of Workpoint Publishing Co Ltd, says that Workpoint and zhAke Genius Co Ltd jointly develop an online bookstore solution under zhAke Edutainment with full e-commerce feature, to establish a comprehensive e-learning platform in Thailand. She adds that zhAke Edutainment also offers books and magazines of all participating publishers - not only those published by Workpoint.
Mr Phiphat Laeadon, managing director of zhAke Genius Co Ltd under Outer Box Group, which develops zhAke App on iPad, says that zhAke Edutainment has revolutionised the existing online bookstore platform, as it sells books and magazines both in print and downloadable electronic versions readable on all digital readers, ranging from iPad, tablet computers, smart phones to notebook and personal computers.
"One of our objectives is to build up an integrated online learning society - the first of its type in Thailand, which, apart from books, also offers educational and entertainment material on online catalogues, in various media such as interactive and audio books, VCDs, DVDs and toys which enhance children's skills. zhAke Edutainment will grant the general public across the country an acess to quality contents - via a technology-enabled channel - the same way Amazon.com does.
zhAke Edutainment is developed on Magento platform - an e-commerce web application most advanced and fastesting-growing, currently in version 3.0. With its easy-to-use and friendly user interface and other features such as pre-purchase book previews, it enable users to browse through the catalogues before placing orders.
The Genius Advice tool gives advices to users on new books, relying on statistics of their previous purchases and book previews - a mechanism currently employed by Amazon.com and not ever utilised by any local online bookstore service.
All publishers allying with zhAke Edutainment are given freedom to run their promotional campaigns independently, such as discounts to specific groups of clients or corporate clients.
Phiphat says that zhAke Edutainment would welcome future alliances with all publishers to provide a one-stop shopping service for their clients to initially purchase books and magazines in print version, while also producing electronic versions upon further cooperation.
In terms of revenue share conditions, for digital version, Phiphat says that publishers receive 60 percent of per-unit sale revenue of newsstand prices, while the rates for the print version, purchased through zhAke Edutainment, are the same they agree with retailers or bookstores.
With its warehousing system, zhAke Edutainment can deliver books immediately after purchases are made through efficient distribution system, either via Thailand Post's postal service or a guaranteed delivery within 12 hours in Bangkok and adjacent areas using the "Zuperman Express" service. Payment methods are available in various channels convenient for clients: credit or debit cards, ATM transactions or pay-in deposits, or through the "Call and Smile" phone order service via a call centre.