Leanpub Discontinued the Conference Purchase Program
In January 2020 Leanpub announced the cancelation of the Conference Purchase Program.
The program allowed conference and event organizers to buy at steep discounts multiple copies of ebooks to give away to attendees. Were eligible the ebooks for sale at the Leanpub self-publishing platform the authors enrolled in the program.
It seemed like a good idea, especially considering the growing interest in swagless conferences. But it didn’t work well in practice.
The program provided a self-serve tool. But it turns out conference organizers were looking for a different process. They wanted direct negotiations with authors and more extensive records, such as invoices, additional payment options, and transaction tracking. Given the accountability and transparency requirements of many organizations, this is understandable.
The Conference Purchase Program wasn’t much profitable for Leanpub, either.
The program allowed conference and event organizers to buy at steep discounts multiple copies of ebooks to give away to attendees. Were eligible the ebooks for sale at the Leanpub self-publishing platform the authors enrolled in the program.
It seemed like a good idea, especially considering the growing interest in swagless conferences. But it didn’t work well in practice.
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| The announcement of the discontinuation of the Conference Purchase Program in the Leanpub Author Update newsletter. |
The program provided a self-serve tool. But it turns out conference organizers were looking for a different process. They wanted direct negotiations with authors and more extensive records, such as invoices, additional payment options, and transaction tracking. Given the accountability and transparency requirements of many organizations, this is understandable.
The Conference Purchase Program wasn’t much profitable for Leanpub, either.
