Pearson Puts Print Books to Bed
- 2019-07-25
- Publishers Weekly
All future releases of Pearson's 1,500 current U.S. textbook titles will be updated in digital versions only rather than in print, a shift from the traditional education publishing model. Pearson called the new program a "product as a service" model, adding that the intention was to have its textbook publishing program "be much more like apps, professional software, or the gaming industry."
The move is being billed by Pearson as an attempt to reduce costs and improve the student experience, with the company projecting average prices of $40 per e-textbook and $79 for "a full suite of digital learning tools." The company added that students who still desire access to a print textbook can rent them from Pearson for $60 on average. Sixty-two percent of Pearson's higher education revenue now comes from digital or digitally-enabled products and services, the company said.