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Bundling Print and Digital Drives Electronic Sales, Says Study

John Smith & Son, an academic and professional bookselling chain in the UK, has released results of a study proving market demand for e-textbooks and confirming their value as a new revenue stream for publishers. The programme is powered by VitalSource®, an interactive e-textbook platform offered by Ingram Digital, an Ingram content company focused on solutions for digital content management, distribution and promotion.

“The e-textbook programme is a major component of a series of initiatives John Smith’s is undertaking as we adapt to meet the rapidly changing textbook market,” said Tony Newson, Digital and Online Manager, John Smith & Son. “With an increase in e-textbook sales over 20 times last year’s units, we anticipate that the programme will grow for the 2009 autumn semester as publishers recognize that offering rights-protected, digital content is a powerful means of driving revenue growth while also enriching the learning experience.”

E-textbooks were sold using various sales models, with bundled print and e-textbooks proving more successful than e-textbooks sold as a discounted point-of-sale add-on or as a single full-price product. Not only were e-textbook sales strong in the first semester, but these encouraging sales have continued into the second semester.

The study also revealed that titles available digitally realized a decrease in used textbook sales. Used textbook sales force publishers to compete with their own material, leading to more frequent new editions and, subsequent higher costs for printed textbooks. Titles available digitally realized as much as a 68 percent decrease in sales of their used, printed counterparts in a year-to-year comparison.

“The study confirms that there is growing demand for e-textbooks as a solution for students of the digital generation who wish to engage with educational content, rather than merely read words on a page,” said William Chesser, vice president and general manager of Ingram Digital Education Solutions. “We are excited about the results of the study and look forward to providing continued support for John Smith’s.”

John Smith’s chose VitalSource for its ability to support multiple formats, flexible digital rights management and interactive features such as the ability to search within text, highlight in the book, copy and paste sections as needed and the ability to share notes with classmates and professors. After a successful pilot in 2007, the programme was expanded for the 2008 autumn semester, with almost 100 of John Smith’s bestselling textbook titles available in digital and print.

VitalSource is the world’s leading e-textbook platform, and Ingram Digital offers innovative solutions for institutions and their students around the world. One out of three US dental students currently accesses their curriculum entirely via VitalSource, and VitalSource launched its first dual implementation at the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Dentistry and School of Medicine in January 2009.