Cap is pulling the plug on print editions of its Black, Green and Red valuation guides to focus on offering digital services.
The Black, Green and Red books will all move to digital subscriptions as cap concentrates on developing its services across mobile and web platforms.
Users will be able to order a print edition until April 2016, meaning the final print edition will be delivered in April 2017. Print subscribers will be offered a three-month free trial of the digital platform from January 2016.
Black Book was first published in 1979 going head to head with Glass’s Guide. Print users have dwindled in recent years as dealers and fleets moved online.
Derren Martin, senior editor at cap Black Book said: “Our digital services offer quick and easy access to real-time pricing whether you are sat at your desk or using a smartphone while on the move.
“We aim to deliver the most reliable data in the industry across the widest range of digital platforms. The coming months will see a host of innovations that take our services to the next level, and help customers work efficiently in an ever more connected automotive industry.”
Cap recently announced plans to grow digital business, hiring Joel Albyn, an ex-ecommerce strategist for Walmart, as director of innovation and product management. It is also recruiting 20 staff to enhance its digital and data capabilities.
Glass’s said it was “inevitable” that its print guides would cease to be printed but it had not decided exactly when.
“Like most publishers of data, we are seeing a long term migration away from print thanks to the flexibility and immediacy that digital formats offer. Demand for print versions of all our guides has fallen over the years as customers choose both the increased functionality and greater breadth of insight that our digital platforms provide. At some point, it is inevitable that we will cease production of our catalogue of printed products. As you would expect, this is something that we continually review but we have yet to define the exact timescale,” said a spokesman.
