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Spotify said on Thursday it will start offering physical books for purchase inside its app through a partnership with online retailer Bookshop.org, pushing the music streaming giant further into the book business beyond audiobooks.
The move builds on Spotify's audiobook push launched two years ago, which now spans 22 markets. The company said its English-language catalog exceeds 500,000 titles, while new listeners have risen 36% and total listening hours are up 37%.
Under the new arrangement, users in the United States and the United Kingdom will be able to buy print editions later this spring. Bookshop.org will manage pricing, inventory and order fulfillment, Spotify said, with purchases completed outside the Spotify app.
Spotify is expanding into print as the broader physical book market struggles. Publishers and distributors have warned of slowing demand as readers increasingly shift toward e-books and online alternatives, and several long-established players have exited the market in recent months.
Alongside book sales, Spotify will roll out a feature called Page Match aimed at linking reading and listening. The tool lets users scan a page from a physical book or e-book using the app's camera to jump directly to the same point in the audiobook, and scan again later to resume reading where they left off.
Page Match will be available at launch for most English-language titles, with a wider rollout planned by late February, the company said.
Spotify said the partnership is designed to support independent bookstores by routing purchases through Bookshop.org, which shares profits with local retailers.
The company has been steadily increasing investment in its subscription offerings. Spotify recently raised the price of its premium plan in several markets, including the United States, as it seeks to balance higher content costs with revenue growth.
Spotify did not disclose financial terms of the Bookshop.org agreement but said it sees books as a long-term growth opportunity within its platform.
