Follett Corp. has acquired e-commerce service and software developer Woody’s Books, Inc. (Wobo, Inc.). The acquisition includes Wobo, Inc.’s assets, most notably BookVolume, an online sourcing and buying tool for booksellers aimed at the higher education campus market.
"As the industry evolves, it's critical to make online book sourcing easier,” John Lausas, Follett’s senior v-p of strategic sourcing and distribution, said in a statement. “BookVolume allows Follett to do just that.”
Wobo, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Woody Hunt as a digital vendor of books, CDs, and DVDs, and primarily sold through online marketplaces including Amazon and Half.com. The company has since expanded its core model to include buying and selling software and developing inventory management platforms. Hunt, who also serves as Wobo, Inc.’s president and CEO, will join Follett as v-p of wholesale IT development.
Follett’s foray into incorporating new technology into its wholesale business began in 2015, when Follett Wholesale split from Follett Higher Education Group after a change in corporate management. Follett president and CEO Ray Griffith, formerly of ACE Hardware, was hired last May.
