College textbook maker Pearson eyes NFTs to claim a cut of second-hand sales

NFT advocates often tout the technology's ability to grant the creator a cut of second-hand sales as one of its major attributes. Artists can earn from one of their digital creations years after first selling it. Others are looking at NFTs to earn a buck from the secondary market too, including the publishers of college textbooks.Pearson, which said in 2019 it would focus on digital textbook sales, wants a piece of the action. “In the analogue world, a Pearson textbook was resold up to seven times, and we would only participate in the first sale,” CEO Andy Bird told Bloomberg this week. “The move to digital helps diminish the secondary market, and technology like blockchain and NFTs allows us to participate in every sale of that particular item as it goes through its life."There's an obvious reason why students resell textbooks. They're expensive! Students often have to spend hundreds of dollars on required materials each semester — or even hundreds of dollars on a single textbook. Selling on a textbook when it's no longer needed just makes sense.Turning textbooks into NFTs and banking on the blockchain to track ownership of them (from “owner A to owner B to owner C,” as Bird put it) seems unnecessary, though. Digital rights management already exists and doesn't need to go anywhere near cryptocurrency. Pearson has a $15 per month subscription service for its textbooks as well.Bird could simply be bloviating about a zeitgeisty technology to try and keep Pearson's investors... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2022-08-03 20:10:20 UTC ]
News tagged with: #second-hand sales #nft advocates #major attributes #secondary market #analogue world #makes sense #pearson

Other Publishing stories related to: 'College textbook maker Pearson eyes NFTs to claim a cut of second-hand sales'


Print Book Sales Dropped 8.3% Last Week

In another week in which sales in all categories fell, unit sales or print books declined 8.3% at outlets that report to BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #categories fell


Amazon removes books ‘generated by AI’ for sale under author’s name

Jane Friedman claims she had to fight against Amazon’s refusal to remove the misattributed titles because she had not trademarked her nameFive books for sale on Amazon were removed after author Jane Friedman complained that the titles were falsely listed as being written by her. The books, which... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-09 14:28:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing industry #real work #make money #step-by-step guide #books include


What the sale of a major American book publisher means for authors, the industry — and you

Book publisher Simon & Schuster's sale to investment firm KKR is novel in many ways, but also part of a long-term trend. History tells us to expect the unexpected. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-08 17:35:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publisher


Dungeons and Dragons Rulebooks on Sale for 50% Off Today!

A ton of Dungeons and Dragons hardcover rulebooks are on sale today for 40%-60% off, from the basics to the more advanced. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-08-08 13:39:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dragons rulebooks


Paramount sales beat forecasts thanks to streaming TV growth

Company also announced the sale of its Simon & Schuster publishing business to KKR & Co. for $1.62 billion. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2023-08-07 22:19:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


As New Law Looms, Follett Asks Publishers to Help ‘Rate’ Their Own Books for Sale in Texas

With a lawsuit pending to block a controversial new "book rating" law from taking effect in Texas, publishers and industry groups are balking at a request from the nation's largest school distributor to help rate their own titles for sale in the state. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-07 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book rating #taking effect


A Summary and Analysis of Isaac Asimov’s ‘Eyes Do More Than See’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) ‘Eyes Do More Than See’ is a very short story by Isaac Asimov (1920-92), which originally appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1965. Background The story had a curious genesis. In 1964, Playboy magazine (which published... Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2023-08-06 14:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short story #playboy magazine #isaac asimov #originally appeared #science fiction


The Sales Numbers on Books by Supreme Court Justices

A recent New York Times article put a spotlight on the book deals made by sitting justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. But how have books written by Supreme Court justices sold? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales numbers #supreme court #books written


With Adult Fiction Cooling, Print Book Sales Fell 5.4% Last Week

The string of weeks in which unit sales of print books were down in all major categories reached three last week, leading to a 5.4% sales decline from the comparable week in 2022. Sales of adult fiction fell 7.2%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print books #print book


SFF eBooks On Sale Today for Under $5!

The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-31 13:37:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sff ebooks #science fiction #ebooks


Arthur children’s book faces potential Florida ban over claim it ‘damaged souls’

School district member files challenge to Arthur’s Birthday, 1989 book by Marc Brown, which is among 45 titles pending reviewA title in the Arthur children’s book series is facing a potential ban after a conservative activist claimed that it “damaged souls”.On 12 July, Bruce Friedman, a member... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-07-28 16:22:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book series #children’s book


Libro.fm Opens, Audiobook Sales Through Local Bookstores

The seven-year-old Seattle-based Libro.fm opens a Bookshop.org-style audiobook-selling service in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The post Libro.fm Opens, Audiobook Sales Through Local Bookstores appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-07-26 13:34:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook sales #local bookstores #audiobook


Equity Firm Eyeing Simon & Schuster to Sell RBmedia for $1 Billion

In what is likely a record price for an audiobook publisher, KKR, the private equity firm that owns RBmedia—and a rumored contender to buy S&S—is selling the company for an alleged $1 billion sum. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$1 billion #record price #audiobook publisher #audiobook


These are the Most Assigned Novels by Women in U.S. Colleges

In an analysis of 300,000 English Literature syllabi, these are the novels by women authors that were the most commonly assigned. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-25 13:22:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #women authors #english literature


Christian Retailers See Six Month Sales Gain

Same-store sales for the first six months of 2023 rose 9.7% over the comparable period 2022 at the 220 independent Christian retailers who report data to the Parable Group. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #christian retailers #report data #parable group


SFF eBooks On Sale Today for $5 or Less!

The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-24 13:36:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sff ebooks #science fiction #ebooks


Print Books Sales Dropped 3.8% Last Week

With declines in every segment, unit sales of print books fell 3.8% last week compared to the week ended July 16, 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #week compared


Publishing Industry Sales Were Flat in May

A 14.1% decline in May in the children's/YA segment was offset by gains in sales of adult books and college course materials, leading to total sales in the month holding even with 2022. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #total sales #1% decline #adult books


After Cutting Open-Market Programmatic, Bloomberg Media Sees Efficiency Gains, Revenue Losses

On Jan. 1, the privately owned business publisher Bloomberg Media shut off its open-market programmatic advertising, a move to better control its user experience and drive advertisers to reach its audience by buying directly from the company itself. Six months later, the strategy produced its... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2023-07-18 11:31:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #user experience #privately owned


May Bookstore Sales Bounce Back

After falling in April, bookstore sales rose 6% in May over 2022, rising to $650 million from $613 million a year ago. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$650 million #bookstore sales