`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
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`CASE NO. __________________
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
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`CAMPUS BOOK COMPANY, INC.;
`BJJ CORPORATION; CBSKY, INC.;
`CBSNM, INC.; and
`RENTTEXT.COM, INC.
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`each individually and as representatives
`of all others similarly situated,
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`Plaintiffs,
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`v.
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`MCGRAW-HILL GLOBAL
`EDUCATION HOLDINGS, LLC;
`PEARSON EDUCATION, INC.; ,
`CENGAGE LEARNING, INC.;
`BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION,
`INC.; BARNES & NOBLE COLLEGE
`BOOKSELLERS, LLC; FOLLETT
`HIGHER EDUCATION GROUP,
`INC.; and EDUCATIONAL
`PUBLISHERS ENFORCEMENT
`GROUP,
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`Defendants.
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`Plaintiffs Campus Book Company, Inc., BJJ Corporation, CBSKY, Inc., CBSNM, Inc.,
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`and Renttext.com, Inc. (collectively, the “Plaintiff Retailers”), who on their own behalf and on
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`behalf of others similarly situated (the “Independent Collegiate Retailers”) file this Class Action
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`Complaint against defendants Cengage Learning, Inc., McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings,
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`LLC, and Pearson Education, Inc. (collectively, the “Publishers”), Barnes & Noble Education,
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`Inc., Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC (collectively, “Barnes & Noble”), and Follett
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`Higher Education Group, Inc. (“Follett”) (Barnes & Noble and Follett are collectively referred to
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`herein as the “Defendant Retailers”), and Educational Publishers Enforcement Group (“EPEG”
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 1
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 2 of 102 PageID #: 2
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`or the “Trade Association”) (the Publishers, the Defendant Retailers, and EPEG are collectively
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`referred to herein as the “Defendants”), and respectfully allege the following:
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`I.
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`NATURE OF THE ACTION AND SUMMARY OF THE ALLEGATIONS
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`1.
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`This antitrust case is about the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers lining their
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`pockets at the expense of financially-vulnerable college students and the Plaintiff Retailers. And,
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`what’s more, the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers eliminated from the marketplace those
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`who could prevent them from doing so, including the Plaintiff Retailers and other Independent
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`Collegiate Retailers like them. Amidst trends of market-shifting and revenue decline in the higher
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`education course materials industry, the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers conspired to
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`protect their historical price increases and stranglehold on the market. The Publishers collectively
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`devised and agreed on a plan to force upon the market a product that must be purchased anew from
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`the Publishers by every single college student every single semester and those purchases can be
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`made only from the Defendant Retailers, thereby eliminating all substitute products and retail
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`competitors, including the significant secondary market for course materials. The product at issue
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`is ironically called “Inclusive Access” (“Inclusive Access” or “Inclusive Access Materials”). In
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`reality, it should be called “Exclusive Access” as there is nothing inclusive about it. Designed by
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`collusion and agreement, the product specifically limits access to higher education course materials
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`and is exclusive to the conspiracy’s members, resulting in the elimination of competition, the
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`elimination of access to materials, universities, and students, and higher prices, among other
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`anticompetitive effects.
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`2.
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`This case challenges the Defendants’ conspiracy and their improper acquisition and
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`use of monopoly power to irreparably harm the higher education course materials market by
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`eliminating competition and thereby eliminating any consumer choice. They disguised their anti-
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 2
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 3 of 102 PageID #: 3
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`competitive actions as technological advancements, but that was not their true purpose or effect.
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`The Defendants’ anticompetitive behavior has and will continue to destroy any competitive market
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`for course materials in higher education. The Defendants’ anticompetitive behavior harms the
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`entire market—it results in a complete lack of choice for students, exponentially higher prices for
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`students, and reduction in quality and variety of products and services offered to students. It further
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`has stifled innovation in the marketplace and eliminated and otherwise harmed through improper
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`means the Defendants’ competitors and any secondary product markets, including those of the
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`Plaintiff Retailers and other Independent Collegiate Retailers.
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`3.
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`The long-running conspiracy between and among the Defendants intends to and
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`does artificially limit capacity and reduce supply, eliminate access, and eliminate secondary
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`markets and competitors in the market for course materials at colleges and universities. The
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`conspiracy’s end goal and result is eliminating competitors and raising prices. The Defendants
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`have accomplished the conspiracy through agreements in restraint of trade, concerted refusals to
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`deal and group boycotts, exclusive dealing, targeted misinformation and coercion campaigns, and
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`other exclusionary and anticompetitive conduct. The Defendants also have separately and
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`collectively acquired, enhanced, and maintained monopoly power through exclusionary and other
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`anticompetitive conduct.
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`4.
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`The Defendants’ illegal actions have and will ultimately result in a total monopoly
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`and foreclosure of the market for the sale of course materials at every college and university, as
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`well as the complete elimination of any competition for the sale of course materials. Under the
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`Defendants’ currently-enacted plan, each semester, every student enrolled at each college or
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`university must purchase course materials in a single format—Inclusive Access—from a single
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`source—the Defendant Retailers—dictated by a single group—the Publishers (or, for colleges or
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 3
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 4 of 102 PageID #: 4
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`universities without a Defendant Retailer, by the Publishers themselves or at another exclusive
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`publisher partner as dictated by the Publisher). The Defendants’ plan eliminates consumer
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`(student) choice for course material type or place of purchase at any college or university. And
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`for these forced Inclusive Access course materials, prices will rise while quality, service, and
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`innovation will decline, unchecked by any competitive market forces.
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`*
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`*
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`*
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`5.
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`The Plaintiff Retailers and members of the Class are retailers who sell and rent
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`course materials to students at independent collegiate retail stores located around colleges and
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`universities (the “Universities”) throughout the United States and also online. The Plaintiff
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`Retailers’ and the Class members’ success and profitability depend on their ability to compete
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`fairly for student purchases of course materials, which also helps ensure that students receive the
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`lowest, most competitive prices and terms in the marketplace.
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`6.
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`Higher education course materials consist of traditional printed textbooks and other
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`materials, as well as digital textbooks and e-textbooks, which have been used as an alternative to
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`traditional, hard copy materials. Students historically obtain e-textbooks by purchasing access
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`codes (or unique serial numbers) that are used to unlock digital textbooks that sometimes also
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`include homework, assignments, quizzes, tests, and/or other learning software online (collectively,
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`these higher education course materials are referred to as “Course Materials”).
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`7.
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`The Publishers manufacture and sell and/or rent Course Materials and control at
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`least 80%, and reportedly closer to 90%, of the market nationwide. They have been the dominant
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`firms in the market for the last 30 years. The Association of American Publishers estimates the
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`new Course Materials market in the United States is over $3 billion. The market for Course
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`Materials is captive; although students are the Course Materials’ end consumers, the Universities
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 5 of 102 PageID #: 5
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`(and their faculty) select which Course Materials the students must purchase. Thus, the Publishers
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`market Course Materials to the Universities, not their students, and the Publishers generally do not
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`market the Course Materials on price or other aspects important to students. In a properly
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`functioning market, the Publishers would compete with each other to publish Course Materials for
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`each University’s classes and that competition would include the type, content, quality, service,
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`and price of Course Materials.
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`8.
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`The Publishers have always made available for sale and sold Course Materials to
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`both Defendant Retailers and Plaintiff Retailers. The Defendant Retailers contract with the
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`Universities for an “on-campus” location that sells and rents Course Materials. The Plaintiff
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`Retailers and Independent Collegiate Retailers, which include both brick-and-mortar locations as
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`well as online sellers and platforms, compete with the Defendant Retailers to sell and rent Course
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`Materials to students (including bids to become the “on-campus” location).
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`9.
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`For Universities that lease or subcontract their collegiate retail operations (rather
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`than having them run by the institution itself), each such University has one lease-operated
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`collegiate retailer, who has generally paid the University for the right to operate the on-campus
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`store. The Defendant Retailers operate over 50% of the on-campus stores nationwide, and they
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`normally compete with each other to operate each University’s on-campus store.
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`10.
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`Historically, the higher education Course Materials market included full and open
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`competition between retailers. Universities and faculty members selected Course Materials;
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`publishers made available and sold such Course Materials to all retailers at the same price; and the
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`students searched for competitive pricing and terms on those Course Materials—ultimately making
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`purchases either from the Defendant Retailers (or, if not lease-operated, the institution’s own on-
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`campus store) or from the Plaintiff Retailers or other Independent Collegiate Retailers (in physical
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`locations and online). Competition between retailers acted as at least some check on the captive
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`Course Materials market—multiple opportunities existed for students to seek lower prices and
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`preferred sales terms, such as on Amazon or Chegg. For a majority of students, the Plaintiff
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`Retailers were a much-needed source of more affordable or accessible Course Materials.
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`11.
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`The Plaintiff Retailers are sophisticated retailers of Course Materials capable of
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`offering the same technology, platform, and delivery of Course Materials as the Defendant
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`Retailers. The Plaintiff Retailers have participated in the Course Materials market for over
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`20 years, during which time they served as at least some check on exorbitant Course Materials
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`prices and relentless Course Materials price increases by offering lower-cost alternatives in
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`formats and delivery methods to fit student demands. The Plaintiff Retailers’ participation
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`benefited consumers and competition through price competition, personalized service, and
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`innovative programs, such as offering rentals and robust e-commerce solutions. Throughout their
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`decades of operation, the Plaintiff Retailers have grown with and adapted their business to the
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`market, including as e-textbooks and other digital offerings became available. The Plaintiff
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`Retailers were some of the first sellers on Amazon’s Marketplace, a significant amount of their
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`sales are online, and they have developed proprietary digital tools that enable them to thrive in the
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`new technological environments.
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`*
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`*
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` *
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`12.
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`As the sale of Course Materials (over the Internet, by Amazon, and through rentals)
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`increased competition and finally began lowering the price and increasing the availability of
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`Course Materials, the Publishers looked for ways to reduce or eliminate competition and increase
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`their revenues. As an example, the Publishers moved to custom packaging and/or custom delivery
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`of Course Materials with one-time digital access codes, “custom books” (i.e., offering the same
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`book with minimal alterations as an entirely new product), or other offerings that created a unique
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`International Standard Book Number (“ISBN”) and hindered or made it impossible to acquire the
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`Course Materials in a used or second-hand format. But even for these “new” Course Materials
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`without a secondary market, the Plaintiff Retailers remained a much needed source of more
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`affordable Course Materials for many students. Because the Plaintiff Retailers could still obtain
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`access to the Course Materials from the Publishers at the same cost as other retailers, they adapted
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`and continued offering lower prices, preferred sales terms, or rental selections, remaining
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`competitive and maintaining choices for students in the Course Materials market.
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`13.
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`This competitive market changed with Inclusive Access (sometimes also referred
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`to as “Direct Access” or “Direct Bill”). For Inclusive Access, students are not purchasing any
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`physical course materials and there is no choice of format or delivery method. Instead, students
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`are automatically enrolled in time-limited access (usually one semester) to the Publishers’ online
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`resources which can be “turned on” for the student’s account only directly by the Defendant
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`Retailers.
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`14.
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`For Inclusive Access, the Publishers contractually deliver Course Materials only
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`through the Defendant Retailers (or, if not lease-operated, the institution’s own on-campus store)
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`by using either (a) a combination of exclusive dealing arrangements between
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`the
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`Defendant Retailers and the Universities and so-called license agreements (that operate as
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`exclusive dealing arrangements) between the Publishers, the Universities, and the Defendant
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`Retailers, or (b) a combination of exclusive dealing arrangements between the Defendant Retailers
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`and the Universities and, upon information and belief, master exclusivity agreements between the
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`Defendant Retailers and the Publishers. The Publishers refuse to sell any Inclusive Access
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`Materials to any other retailers, including the Plaintiff Retailers and the Class members, which is
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 7
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`also an agreed change in the terms and conditions of sale of Course Materials and Inclusive Access
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`Materials. This agreement in restraint of trade and concerted refusal to deal and group boycott of
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`the Independent Collegiate Retailers as to Inclusive Access Materials was agreed upon by the
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`Publishers and also encouraged and agreed upon by the Defendant Retailers who compete with the
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`Independent Collegiate Retailers.
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`15.
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`Contrary to representations by the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers to justify
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`or defend their anticompetitive actions, Inclusive Access Materials do not represent innovation or
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`any technological advancement. The Inclusive Access Materials provide students with exactly the
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`same Course Materials the Publishers were selling before and that were available in multiple
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`formats from multiple retailers across the globe competing on price and other student
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`considerations. The Defendants have merely added an access limitation element that eliminates
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`competition in the market. Instead of selling students (through any retailer) the access code or
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`unique serial number to access the product, the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers have
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`coordinated, conspired, and agreed that the students will be granted access to Inclusive Access
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`Materials solely through the Defendant Retailers. Thus, Inclusive Access is an artificial construct
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`no different from the digital access codes or “custom books” described above, except that the
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`Publishers and the Defendant Retailers have coordinated, conspired, and agreed to prevent
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`acquisition of Inclusive Access Materials by anyone except
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`the Publishers and
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`the
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`Defendant Retailers—often through direct billing or automatic deductions from a student’s
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`account with the University—thereby eliminating all student choice and price and term
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`competition in the market.
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`16.
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`It has been stated that there is a way for students to “opt out” of Inclusive Access.
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`But the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers have purposefully blocked the “opt out” process
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 8
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 9 of 102 PageID #: 9
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`by failing to provide or enable any such process and engaging in disinformation or confusion
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`campaigns. In reality and as a practical matter, there is either no way or no meaningful way to
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`“opt out” of Inclusive Access once it has been designated the material for a class. Upon enrollment
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`in a class that is subject to Inclusive Access and these exclusive dealing arrangements, the students
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`are automatically subscribed to Inclusive Access Materials and charged for those materials by the
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`Defendant Retailers. The “opt out” process, when there is one at all, is opaque, confusing, and
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`difficult if not impossible to execute. Students, including those who have specifically inquired
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`about the “opt-out” options, receive misinformation, primarily from the Defendant Retailers,
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`regarding the ability to opt-out, whether the Inclusive Access Materials differ from other materials
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`available, and how and what they are being charged for the Inclusive Access Materials. For
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`example, students have been told there is no opt-out available, that they cannot take a class or will
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`be de-enrolled from a class if they opt out and seek substitute materials, or that substitute materials
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`available from other retailers like the Plaintiff Retailers are not sufficient or not allowed. The
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`procedures students must follow are difficult or impossible to discover, navigate, or follow.
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`Therefore, even in cases where the Plaintiff Retailers have been able to obtain and sell Course
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`Materials, such as access codes or e-textbooks, that provided the same substantive material as the
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`Inclusive Access Materials (albeit with a different ISBN assigned by the Publishers, and for which
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`the Publishers purposefully charge a higher price than they have set for the same Inclusive Access
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`Materials), they are still unable to compete because students are practically unable to opt-out. This
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`inability of students to opt-out is a purposeful result of the Publishers’ and the Defendant Retailers’
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`behavior intended to capture 100% of the market.
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`17.
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`If anything, Inclusive Access Materials are a step backwards in innovation and
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`service to the consumer students. As noted by the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 9
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`Coalition in their published opposition to a proposed merger between two Publishers—Cengage
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`and McGraw-Hill—digital subscriptions like Inclusive Access offer inferior quality and variety to
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`the status quo. Examples of these inferiorities include requiring that all students access materials
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`in the same way at the same price; applying expiration dates to access that prevent materials from
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`being retained for future reference, shared with others, or resold; quality that depends substantially
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`on access to technology and internet connections; technical issues requiring class time to explain
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`or address; ignoring student preferences for some print material over exclusively digital; and
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`studies showing digital formats may not be better for students. Inclusive Access Materials also
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`are not usually a better deal for students, even prior to the upward price effects that will result from
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`the elimination of the competitive market for Course Materials. To the extent that they appear to
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`be a better deal in any instance, the “better deal” is an artificial image created by the Publishers,
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`who have complete control over pricing for both the Inclusive Access Materials and the potential
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`substitute Course Materials.
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`18.
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`The exclusive dealing agreements effectuating the conspiracy, concerted refusal to
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`deal, group boycott, and anticompetitive monopolistic behavior have similar, and in some
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`instances, the same language, as well as the same terms and conditions. Upon information and
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`belief, the master exclusivity agreements between the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers
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`extend the same type of exclusivity as the combination of the exclusive dealing agreements and
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`so-called license agreements. The Plaintiff Retailers have discussed with the Publishers the ability
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`to purchase the Inclusive Access materials from each of them, and each has refused while
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`supplying the same pre-textual explanations, including that Inclusive Access Materials do not and
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`cannot exist in a format available for sale to the Plaintiff Retailers, blaming the Universities and
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`the Defendant Retailers.
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 10
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 11 of 102 PageID #: 11
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`19.
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`The exclusive dealing arrangements foreclose a substantial portion of the
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`Course Materials market, due to the approximately 90% of the Course Materials market controlled
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`by the Publishers and the over 50% of the lease-operated retail stores nationwide controlled by the
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`Defendant Retailers. Further, as to each University served by the Publishers and the Defendant
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`Retailers, 100% of the Inclusive Access Materials market is foreclosed. Because students are
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`required to purchase the Inclusive Access Materials and the Defendants have limited that access
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`to themselves, there is no other opportunity for the student-consumers to purchase the Inclusive
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`Access Materials elsewhere, either from the Plaintiff Retailers or anyone else. There is no
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`alternative distribution channel for the Plaintiff Retailers (or anyone else) to obtain or sell the
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`Inclusive Access Materials. And there is no meaningful alternative distribution channel for the
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`Plaintiff Retailers (or anyone else) to sell other Course Materials that could substitute for the
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`Inclusive Access Materials.
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`20.
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`Inclusive Access is an unprecedented change in both the product and the access
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`offered by the Publishers for Course Materials, and this change was implemented at nearly
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`identically the same time by multiple competing Publishers who had ample opportunities to, and
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`did, conspire and collude on this issue. The Publishers have each ramped up their efforts to convert
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`all Universities with which they are associated to primarily use Inclusive Access Materials, or at
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`least to primarily use Inclusive Access Materials for the core and lower-level classes that have the
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`highest student enrollment, and therefore have the largest economic impact on both the Publishers
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`and the Defendant Retailers. Defendants seek to convert every class they can to Inclusive Access.
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`Many of the exclusive dealing arrangements have annual quotas that guarantee additional classes
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`and student enrollment each year required to use solely Inclusive Access Materials—e.g., in year
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`three of some arrangements, 10,000-plus students at a single University are forced into Inclusive
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`Access.
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`21.
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`Inclusive Access has not arisen from consumer demand, innovation, or other proper
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`economic and competitive incentives. As described above and herein, Inclusive Access is the
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`opposite of innovation and not what students want or need. Instead, the idea and implementation
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`of Inclusive Access arose from the Defendants’ conspiracy and improper use of monopoly power.
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`The Publishers collectively devised and agreed on a plan to force upon the market a product that
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`must be purchased anew from the Publishers by every single student every single semester, thereby
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`eliminating all substitute products,
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`including
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`the significant secondary market
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`for
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`Course Materials.
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`22.
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`Among other ways, the Defendants have used the trade association EPEG to
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`conspire and implement their anticompetitive behavior. EPEG was formed in 2016, and all the
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`Publishers are members. EPEG was formed ostensibly to engage in anti-counterfeiting efforts, but
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`it has provided the Publishers with the opportunity, means, and motive to conspire, and has
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`implemented standards designed to reduce supply and access, limit consumer choice, and raise
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`prices of Course Materials. The Publishers and the Defendant Retailers also had the opportunity
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`to conspire at events for the National Association of Collegiate Stores, during coordinated
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`activities in relation to rule-making for the Higher Education Opportunity Act, during coordinated
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`pilot programs of Inclusive Access, and during merger discussions between at least McGraw-Hill
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`and Cengage.
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`23.
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`The Publishers and the Defendant Retailers then collectively devised and agreed on
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`a plan whereby the Defendant Retailers would assist the Publishers with the implementation of
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`their collusive scheme and, in return, would be made the exclusive source of the Publishers’
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`Inclusive Access product, thereby eliminating all substitute sources (including the Independent
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`Collegiate Retailers and the significant online market) and any potential competition on price,
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`terms, or other benefits to the student-consumers. In instances where any related materials are
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`available to other retailers, the Publishers and the Defendant Retailers collectively agreed that the
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`Defendant Retailers would receive favorable terms and conditions including price.
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`24.
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`The Publishers acknowledge that Course Materials have become so expensive that
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`some students simply cannot afford them. However, the Publishers are to blame for the fact that
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`Course Materials costs have significantly outpaced inflation; according to industry publications,
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`Course Materials costs have risen 184% since 1998 and more than 1,000% since the 1970s. The
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`Publishers and the Defendant Retailers claim (and have in some cases convinced the Universities)
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`that Inclusive Access will make Course Materials more affordable for all. But in fact,
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`Inclusive Access has and will continue to raise prices and limit supply and access. The Defendants
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`are actually implementing a collusive scheme to maintain their stranglehold on the industry while
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`disguising it as reform. If the Defendants are not stopped soon, there will be no players left in the
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`industry to reverse the damage they have caused.
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`*
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`*
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`*
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`25.
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`The Publishers win with Inclusive Access because they secure 100% of the business
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`of “new” Course Materials each semester from each converted course, resulting in more frequent,
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`guaranteed purchases as well as increased prices. With all the Publishers pushing Inclusive Access
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`and not offering competing products (that are actually better quality, better value, and more
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`desirable and effective for student-consumers and University faculty), there will soon be no
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`substitute to which the Universities can switch. In a coordinated manner, the Defendants have
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`instituted a stranglehold on Course Materials with Inclusive Access.
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`26.
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`Although it should not and has not mattered to the Publishers—under normal
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`economic conditions and motives—who sells their Course Materials to students, the
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`Defendant Retailers also win with Inclusive Access. Because the Publishers have agreed to sell
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`Inclusive Access at each University only to and through the Defendant Retailers, the
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`Defendant Retailers now automatically receive 100% of sell-through to consumers on any course
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`that is subject to Inclusive Access, in most cases through direct or automatic charges. Historically,
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`the Defendant Retailers received approximately 35% or less sell-through per course due to
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`competition from Plaintiff Retailers and the Class members.
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`27.
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`The losers in the Inclusive Access equation are the student-consumers and the
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`Plaintiff Retailers and Class members. The students are deprived of all choice and competition on
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`price, terms, quality, and innovation. They are now given a take-it-or-leave-it product at a take-it-
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`or-leave-it price, and in many instances, “leave it” does not mean choosing not to have the
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`Course Materials—it means being de-enrolled and unable to take a class due to Defendants’
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`misinformation and coercion campaigns, and the elimination of any meaningful opportunity to
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`“opt out” of Inclusive Access. The Plaintiff Retailers and the Class members also suffer severely
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`as a result of the Defendants’ illegal actions, as they cannot compete where the Publishers (the
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`creator of the content, itself) will not sell them the Inclusive Access Materials and the Defendants
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`block student opt-outs.
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`28.
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`As shown below in detail, the Defendants have taken the following illegal and
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`anticompetitive actions:
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`a. The Publishers entered into horizontal conspiracies to unreasonably restrain
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`trade by raising prices, artificially limiting capacity and reducing supply,
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`eliminating necessary
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`access
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`including
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`through
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`exclusive dealing
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 14
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 15 of 102 PageID #: 15
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`arrangements, using trade associations to set pre-textual standards, and
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`implementing concerted refusals to deal with and group boycotts of the
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`Plaintiff Retailers and Class members;
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`b. The Defendant Retailers entered into horizontal conspiracies to unreasonably
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`restrain trade by raising prices, artificially limiting capacity and reducing
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`supply, and eliminating necessary access including through exclusive dealing
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`arrangements;
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`c. The Publishers and the Defendant Retailers entered into a hub-and-spoke
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`conspiracy to unreasonably restrain trade by raising prices, artificially limiting
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`capacity and reducing supply, eliminating necessary access including through
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`exclusive dealing arrangements, and concerted refusals to deal with and group
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`boycotts of the Plaintiff Retailers and Class members;
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`d. The Publishers and the Defendant Retailers have acquired, enhanced, and
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`maintained monopoly power through exclusionary conduct and other
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`anticompetitive conduct, including combining, conspiring, or attempting to
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`monopolize the market for Course Materials at Universities; and
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`e. The Publishers and the Defendant Retailers unfairly and deceptively restrained
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`competition in the market for Course Materials at Universities.
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`29.
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`The Plaintiff Retailers and the Class members seek a finding that the Defendants’
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`actions violate federal and state antitrust and/or unfair competition laws; a permanent injunction
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`preventing the Defendants from continuing their illegal conduct and rectifying ongoing
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`anticompetitive effects caused by their illegal conduct; and damages on behalf of the Plaintiff
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`Retailers and the Class members.
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`CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
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`PAGE 15
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`Case 1:20-cv-00102-UNA Document 1 Filed 01/22/20 Page 16 of 102 PageID #: 16
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`A.
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`The Plaintiff Retailers
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`II.
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`PARTIES
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`30.
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`Named Plaintiff (and Putative Class Representative) Campus Book Company, Inc.
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`is a New Mexico corporation, and may be served with pleadings and process in this proceeding
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`through the undersigned counsel. Campus Book Company, Inc. operates or operated Independent
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`Collegiate Retailers serving students at University of Texas Arlington, University of New Mexico,
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`and online.
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`31.
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`Named Plaintiff (