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E-knjiga se v vlogi predmeta prodaje prvič pojavi v devetdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja, svoj razcvet pa doživlja po letu 2007. Za nastanek trga e-knjig obstaja nekaj pogojev: (1) kritična masa razpoložljivih vsebin, (2) tehnologija za produkcijo, prodajo in distribucijo e ter (3) obstoj primernih naprav za branje. Temeljna podobnost med natisnjeno knjigo in e-knjigo je, da gre pri obeh lahko za enako vsebino. Nekateri tipi vsebin so za obe obliki enako primerni, nekateri pa so bolj primerni za eno od obeh. Temeljna razlika med natisnjeno knjigo in e-knjigo je, da e-knjiga v fizičnem smislu ne obstaja. To dejstvo ima za posledico precejšnje razlike pri produkcijskih, prodajnih in cenovnih modelih. E-knjiga je možni substitut za natisnjeno knjigo. S svojim prihodom zato pomembno vpliva na razmere na trgu natisnjenih knjig. Za nekatere akterje na tem trgu predstavlja grožnjo, za druge priložnost. Kot priložnost jo je izkoristil predvsem Amazon, ki si je na največjem trgu e-knjig (ZDA in Velika Britanija, knjige v angleškem jeziku) pridobil prevladujoči tržni delež, ki ga izkorišča kot pogajalsko izhodišče. Kot priložnost so jo izkoristili tudi številni avtorji, ki so vsebine ponudili neposredno bralcem mimo običajnih omejitev, ki jih narekujejo založbe. V vlogi grožnje e-knjigo doživljajo predvsem lastniki klasičnih (»brick and mortar«) knjigarn, deloma pa tudi založniki, ki od Amazona in njegove prodaje ne želijo biti preveč odvisni. Razmere na večini pomembnih trgov e-knjig še vedno narekuje Amazon, dva od njegovih pomemnejših konkurentov, ki ga v marsičem posnemata, pa sta Barnes & Noble in Kobo. Prvi se od Amazona pomembno razlikuje po tem, da je lastnik največje verige klasičnih knjigarn v ZDA, drugi pa po tem, da prodaja samo digitalne vsebine in nič drugega. Njihovi poslovni modeli, ki jih predstavljamo, so si zato v nekaterih pogledih podobni, v nekaterih pa različni. Podobnosti izvirajo iz tehnologije, razlike pa iz različnih tržnih položajev. Založniki na večjih evropskih jezikovnih trgih (izjema je Velika Britanija), na katere želi Amazon z e-knjigo priti na podobno hiter in dominanten način, kot je to storil v ZDA, ne želijo ponoviti napake svojih ameriških kolegov, zato so pri množični vpeljavi e-knjižnih vsebin na trg nasploh, še posebej pa pri sodelovanju z Amazonom, precej bolj konservativni. As an object of sale, eBook first appears in the nineties and starts blooming after 2007. Certain conditions needed for the emergence of e-books exist: (1) a critical mass of available contents, (2) technology for the production, sale and distribution of eBooks, and (3) the existence of suitable reading devices. The fundamental similarity between a printed book and an eBook is that both can be of the same content. Some types of content are equally suitable for both forms some are better suited for eBook, others for printed book. However, the fundamental difference between printed book and eBook is that eBook doesn’t exist in physical sense. This fact has resulted in significant differences in production, sales and pricing models. E-book is a possible substitute for the printed book. Its arrival has therefore a significant impact on the market situation of printed books. It presents a threat for some market players and an opportunity for others. Amazon considers it a great opportunity, first in the largest eBook markets (United States and United Kingdom, books in English language), where Amazon gained dominant market share, now used as its negotiating position. E-book is also a great opportunity for significant number of authors, who are now in a position where they can offer their contents directly to readers without any limits dictated by publishers. However, e-Book can also represent a threat, especially for owners of traditional ("brick and mortar") bookstores and partly for those publishers, who don’t want to be too depended on Amazon sales. The situation in most important markets for e-books is still dictated by Amazon. Two of its significant competitors are Barnes & Noble and Kobo. Barnes & Noble differs significantly from Amazon in fact that it owns the largest chain of traditional bookstores in the U.S., while Kobo in fact that it sells only digital content. Their business models, which we present, are therefore in some ways similar and in some ways different. The similarities are in technology and differences are in market positions. Publishers in major European language markets (with the exception of United Kingdom) don’t want to repeat mistakes of their American counterparts. They want to prevent Amazon from becoming such a big player as it is in English language eBook market: they are generally conservative in mass introduction of eBook content to the European markets and especially careful in cooperation with Amazon.