UPDATE: According to a tweet sent this afternoon, the copany will retain operational independence from Amazon.
http://twitter.com/#!/bookdepository/status/87876554142658561
Congrats to the Book Depository team. I guess this is a case of, ‘How do you know you are doing something right? Amazon acquires you!’
It’s hard to know what the play is here. It could be any of:
1) Increasing UK and European exposure
2) Building a better position in Australia
3) Defensive market-share building
Or any number of other things. There must be some worries about competition approval, at least in the UK, with this.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN – News) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire The Book Depository International. The Book Depository is an online bookseller offering over six million books for delivery worldwide.
“Customers in more than 100 countries enjoy The Book Depository’s vast selection, convenient delivery and free shipping,” said Greg Greeley, Amazon’s Vice President of European Retail. “The Book Depository is very focused on serving its customers around the world, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Amazon family.”
Eoin Purcell's Blog 
All three are valid but my gut feeling is point ‘2’. Its stands out more acutely.
It was the Book Despository that got the ball rolling with getting book into OZ in terms of no delivery charge.
I tend to agree Brian, Australia seems to be ripe for Amazon. What’s more from an ebook perspective, it seems ready to bite and Amazon could leverage Book Depository’s print footprint there rather well!
But wouldn’t ebooks still be bound by geo restrictions? So, as ebook hungry as Oz seems to be, it would be a limited market. Wouldn’t it?
Even if that is the case (which I’m not clear on for certain) Amazon will want that limited market! It’s probably the largest English speaking market they’re not in right now, no?
Can I suggest (4): Ensure that Waterstone’s new flush of confidence is quickly brought back down to earth.
Waterstone’s and Book Depository could have been a perfect marriage, brokered by a Russian billionaire. Online commerce: check!
Then sort out eBook (B&N deal for Nook in the UK), and the multi-platform job would have been done.
Agreed Philip,
That’s a good one! I always figured there was a Nook/Kobo + Waterstones deal to be done! Kobo deal’s still possible though!
Eoin
Just saw this, The founder and majority shareholder of The Book Depository is Irish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Crawford , I bet all the Irish Media miss this.
Now that IS amusing!