Pearson launched Pearson+ and rebuilt around direct student relationships

Pearson had spent years shrinking and simplifying, but higher education courseware still suffered from rental and used-book leakage. In 2021 the company reorganized around five divisions supported by a Direct to Consumer group and launched Pearson+ for US students.

Pearson+ was a product decision as much as a channel decision. The service put eBooks and study tools into a subscription experience, shifting commerce toward Pearson-owned sites and apps instead of secondary-market sellers.

The same year, Pearson reported total sales up GBP31 million to GBP3.43 billion and adjusted operating profit up GBP72 million, or 23%, to GBP385 million. The numbers did not prove the whole transition was finished, but they showed the consumer reset had momentum.

Pearson+ gave Pearson a direct-to-consumer subscription product, while 2021 adjusted operating profit rose 23% to GBP385M.

Pearson+ attacked the secondary market by making the official product cheaper and easier to access.

A direct student relationship gave Pearson usage data and an upgrade path beyond one textbook sale.

The divisional reorganization made product accountability clearer after years of portfolio churn.

A publisher fighting resale leakage has to own the customer relationship, not only digitize the old textbook.

Pearson kept building Pearson+ and reported rising registrations and paid subscriptions in 2022. The company still had pressure in higher education, but its center of gravity had moved from print courseware toward digital assessment, workforce skills and direct learning products.