Zinio, the electronic editions technology/software company, has been bulking up with new accounts—it signed 62 new digital titles in July—and now has bought out online magazine retailer Blue Dolphin Group (the companies are characterizing it as a merger). The deal’s terms were not disclosed.

To pay for the acquisition, San Francisco-based Zinio also closed a $7 million “growth financing round” with North Bridge Ventures and Commonwealth Capital.

The rationale for the acquisition seems logical: “Through the merger, Zinio will offer digital as an option to a new audience of print readers who can now sample digital versions of magazines before subscribing. Additionally, subscribers can immediately receive their first issue digitally, eliminating the normal six- to eight-week waiting period for print editions.”

MediaPost: Zinio launched what it dubbed a “global newsstand”, enabling publishers to market digital editions of both foreign and domestic titles in the language and currency of member countries including the U.S., U.K., Poland, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and Thailand.

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