Why Flat World is Moving from Free to Fair on January 1, 2013

Since Flat World Knowledge began five years ago, our mission has been to publish high-quality, peer-reviewed, textbooks that represent the best value in the industry. Our business model has included a free online format, along with affordable upgrades to digital and print textbooks and study aids.

As the transition to digital has changed student buying trends, one thing has become clear: the free format has become a barrier to our long-term growth and ability to offer a fair and affordable model that works for all our customers, from individual students and instructors to our institutional partners.

A change is necessary.

Starting January 1, 2013, we will no longer be providing students with free access to our textbooks. Yes, the free Web format is going away, but our mission to provide high quality course materials at affordable prices remains as strong as ever. Students can read a complete online textbook with our Study Pass product, which includes note-taking, highlighting and study aids, for only $19.95. Our prices remain significantly lower than the $100+ that students are used to paying for other commercial textbooks.

Our products will continue to reflect our commitment to low-cost choices for students and premium content for instructors to easily modify to fit their individual courses. To that end, we are holding current pricing for all the formats we offer: Study Pass ($19.95), the digital All Access Pass ($34.95), which includes Study Pass, the complete textbook in all eReader formats, and PDF downloads; printed black & white textbooks ($39.95); and a combination digital-print textbook package. You can view our complete list of products here.

Momentum is on our side, and we have our customers to thank for that. This fall, Flat World textbooks are being used in more than 4,000 classrooms at 2,000 schools worldwide. Our catalog is growing with more than 115 titles written by some of the industry’s most innovative and respected authors. We are enthusiastic about building a sustainable future and the opportunity to provide affordable, peer-reviewed textbooks and learning resources that instructors can personalize to meet the needs of their students.

The decision to no longer offer free access did not come lightly. Some of you will be disappointed, and we understand. If you have questions, please contact us via email at: free2fair@flatworldknowledge.com or on Twitter: @flat_world and include #free2fair. We are ready to listen and respond. You can participate in the extended conversation about "free 2 fair" on our blog, where you'll find commentary from customers like you, authors, and team members.

Thank you for being our partner.

Your Friends at Flat World Knowledge

FAQs

What changes are you making?
Effective January 1, 2013, we are no longer providing free online access to our textbooks.

Are you raising your prices?
No, we are not raising our prices for Spring 2013. We are just eliminating the free format.

What if students are currently using the free reader?
Students who are currently reading free online can continue to do so until January 1, 2013. Starting January 1, students will have several purchasing options. They will be able to choose the product that best suits their needs and budget.

Once free is no longer available, what choices will my students have?
Your students will have four (4) excellent low-cost choices:

Study Pass, $19.95 (Online book, plus study and note-taking features)
All Access Pass, $34.95 (Study Pass, plus a variety of digital formats)
VIP Pass, $49.95 (All Access Pass, plus a print textbook)
Print textbook, $39.95 (black & white)

Where can my students purchase these formats?
The All Access Pass card can be sold in your campus bookstore, which is especially helpful for students on financial aid. You can place an order with your bookstore by downloading our bookstore order form. In addition, students can purchase all of the formats directly from our student website.

As an educator, will I still be able to review books online?
Yes. As long as you’re logged into your educator account, you can review our books online.