FAQ

Vivlio is a French company, founded in Lyon in 2012 (by a well-known bookseller), that offers a European alternative for digital reading in a market largely dominated by American and Asian giants.

Our e-readers are available at more than 1,000 retail locations in France, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. They regularly top press rankings, with more than 500,000 readers already won over across Europe.

Vivlio also offers apps that let you read e-books, listen to audiobooks, and organize your library.

Finally, Vivlio readers have access to an international catalog of 3 million e-books and audiobooks, at the same price as on Amazon or Kobo.

▸ Take thousands of books with you, whether on vacation or while commuting;
▸ Enjoy discounted prices—on average 30% cheaper than the print version, and up to 70% off;
▸ Access a catalog of over 3 million titles;
▸ Customize the page to your needs by enlarging the text or choosing a suitable font;
▸ Enjoy the pleasure of audiobooks, letting your ears do the reading when you want to keep your hands free or when your eyes can’t keep up;
▸ Stay loyal to your favorite bookstore, without being limited by opening hours, distance, or format.
▸ And much more!

An e-reader is a device designed to read e-books (and for that purpose only). Specifically, an e-reader is characterized by:

▸ an e-ink screen: unlike tablets or smartphones, its screen is not backlit and mimics the look of paper, offering optimal reading comfort, even in direct sunlight. Also, e-ink does not strain the eyes.
▸ exceptional battery life: since it consumes very little energy (only when turning a page), its battery can last several weeks, or even a full month.
▸ large storage capacity: lightweight and compact, an e-reader lets you carry thousands of books in a single device.

In short, it’s the equivalent of a paper book, but with all the advantages of digital technology.

✅ Avid readers who want to read a lot, at a lower price, and anytime, anywhere.

✅ People on the go who want to take their library with them without worrying about space or weight.

✅ Young people and students who’ll be drawn to new releases at lower prices and take advantage of special offers.

✅ Seniors who’ll rediscover the joy of reading thanks to larger font sizes and audiobooks.

✅ Nonconformists who prefer a European e-reader that supports local bookstores over an Amazon e-reader.

An e-reader’s screen uses E Ink technology, also known as electronic ink. This screen has a matte finish that closely resembles printed paper and is not backlit. While smartphone screens strain your eyes, your e-reader’s screen is gentle on them.

It’s largely thanks to electronic ink that an e-reader consumes very little energy. A single charge allows you to read for up to several weeks. Few devices today can match this level of performance.

In most countries of the EU, E-books are also subject to fixed-price laws: an e-book is sold at the same price on all platforms. Therefore, there are no cheaper e-books available elsewhere. If someone tells you that Amazon sells its e-books for less, that’s not true. And if there are promotions, they’re offered by all booksellers, with no exclusivity allowed. That’s one more reason to support European solutions like Vivlio.

Vivlio e-readers come with a 2-year warranty. This warranty covers all malfunctions, whether mechanical or software-related, and ensures immediate after-sales service through your bookseller. However, the warranty excludes physical damage (whether intentional or accidental) to the e-reader and does not cover normal wear and tear on the device and its battery, nor does it cover accessories (cables, adapters, etc.).

No, definitely not! People often—and wrongly—pit e-books against paper books. But you only need to try it once to realize that e-books are actually the best friend of book lovers in general, and that they will never replace paper books: the two are complementary, and e-books offer an excellent alternative for all readers.

Our comprehensive digital reading solution isn’t designed to take customers away from bookstores, but to be made available to them. As such, Vivlio partners with the largest bookstore chains in France (Cultura, Decitre, Furet du Nord, Leclerc, etc.) and in Europe (Standard Boekhandel, Casa del Libro, Sonae, etc.).

This is what sets the Vivlio model apart—it allows you to remain a customer of your local bookstore, whether you’re buying print or digital books.