Kindle Newsstand is an Amazon platform that allows users to read specific Kindle publications on their device. However, Amazon recently announced that it will no longer sell magazine and newspaper subscriptions through the Kindle Newsstand, and will stop delivering current Kindle Newsstand subscriptions in September of this year.
The End of Kindle Newsstand Subscriptions
The change will probably disappoint people who are used to getting their subscriptions through this platform. Amazon is not only halting subscriptions on the Kindle Newsstand, but it has also suspended the sale of subscriptions to print magazines and newspapers.
The process to remove these subscriptions will be carried out as follows:
- As of March 9, Amazon no longer sells subscriptions.
- Starting June 5, users will no longer be able to manage their print subscriptions through Amazon and will have to work directly with the publishers of the publications.
- Kindle Newsstand monthly subscriptions will be delivered through September 4. Annual subscriptions will be delivered until September 4 or, if the subscription ends earlier, until that earlier date.
- If any issues remain with a Kindle Newsstand subscription after September 4, a prorated refund will be provided.
Why has Amazon made this decision?
According to Amazon spokeswoman Julia Lee, the decision to discontinue these subscriptions stems from an annual operational planning review that looks at each of the company’s businesses and decides if any changes should be made. After analyzing magazine and newspaper subscriptions and single issue sales, Amazon has made the difficult decision to discontinue these services.
The company has ensured that it is taking these measures responsibly and that the suspensions will take place in several phases over several months. Amazon has also signaled that it will continue to support customers, sellers, and publishers during that time.
The future of digital publishing on Amazon
Although Amazon is discontinuing the sale of magazine and newspaper subscriptions, select digital publications will still be available through your own Kindle Unlimited subscription.
However, Amazon’s decision to suspend the sale of subscriptions to magazines and newspapers on its Kindle Newsstand platform represents a setback in the offer of digital publications, and joins other closures of special versions of periodicals such as “print replicas”. » from Google of magazines and the iPad-only newspaper, The Daily.
Undoubtedly, many changes for the world of digital publications.