Thotario, a French platform, is investigating the creation of a secondary market for digital books, a concept still unestablished in the digital realm. The company has launched an anonymous survey of about twenty questions aimed at digital book users to gauge habits, frustrations and expectations around buying, borrowing, pricing and reselling eBooks.
The survey, expected to take five to eight minutes, aims to collect at least 200 responses before its early‑October 2026 deadline. Thotario’s proposal would allow eBooks to change ownership with the author’s approval, who would receive a share of subsequent transactions.
France’s digital book market is growing, yet physical books remain dominant. A 2026 Sofia‑SNE‑SGDL barometer found that 24% of French people aged 15‑80 read at least one digital book in 2025, with smartphones as the main device. Meanwhile, 65% of print readers remain loyal to paper, indicating digital complements rather than replaces traditional practices.
Economically, digital books accounted for 10.1% of publisher revenue in 2024, with an 8.5% growth in digital literature driven by romance, crime and science fiction. The neighbouring country’s used‑book market remains robust, with 48‑80 million second‑hand copies sold in 2022, representing 17‑20% of printed books sold.
Thotario’s questionnaire also probes willingness to pay for second‑hand eBooks, desired features such as circulation history, lending to loved ones, or blockchain traceability, and interest in converting digital ownership to a physical edition.
The platform notes that its model complies with the 2019 EU Court of Justice decision in the Tom Kabinet case, which requires author consent for eBook resale. Currently, Thotario’s public test uses public‑domain works and a fictitious currency.