The Emerging Role of E-books

Electronic distribution is unquestionably having a growing impact on the industry. We now have solutions ranging from on-demand book printing to pure digital versions and a host of alternatives in between. No matter where you currently stand on digital, these initiatives highlight the need for publishers of all types to consider what mix of print and electronic technologies best serves their customers.

Insights concludes the second part of a two-part series on digitally based publishing solutions. Learn about the emerging role of e-books, including their pros and cons.

How E-books Stack Up—Some Pros and Cons
First, a brief look at the pros. In the "have it my way" consumer mentality that pervades today, every publisher strives to offer options that satisfy different customer communities. E-books can provide important benefits to readers who put a high value on:

One the negative side, there are these drawbacks:


Major digital reader device players such as Amazon and Sony, as well as publishers who don’t want to overlook a potential opportunity, are leading much of the charge. In spite of steady growth, e-books still comprise only a small percentage of the market. Many believe getting the price of digital readers below $100 would spur faster growth.

E-book Publishing Challenges
The world of e-books also presents some special challenges to publishers. To begin with, there is the problem of Digital Rights Management. A consumer really leases the book, rather than purchasing it with the rights to resell or pass along the individual copy. Thus, publishers must utilize technology-based protection to ensure that e-book purchasers comply with the agreend upon terms of the licensing to protect intellectual property and prevent copying of an e-book.

Other issues include:

 

What’s the Bottom Line?
Digitally printed books and e-books not only offer format choice, but also provide new avenues of profitability. We now clearly live in a multi-channel world, and digitally based publishing solutions expand the channels. Quite possibly the most notable benefit of the new technologies, however, is that they allow for new readers and new authors. An increase in these areas further translates into more opportunities for profitability.

Learn More Facts About Digitally Based Publishing Solutions
To help you better understand how digital workflows, digital print and e-publishing are impacting the book industry model, Transcontinental published an informative white paper, The Impact of Digitally Based Publishing Solutions. Written from a publisher’s perspective, the two-part white paper covers important topics including:

Part I: The Impact of Digital Printing

Part II: The Impact of Electronic Books NEW!

Download a complimentary copy of Part II, The Impact of Electronic Books, today. And if you missed Part I, The Impact of Digital Printing, you can download it as well. To find out how Transcontinental can provide digitally based publishing solutions that are right for you, please contact us today.