Direct to student from university presses

In an interesting move, the SUNY Press has created a "Direct Text" program to sell its content directly to students and faculty electronically and at lower cost than its hardcover editions. This news was published through Inside Higher Ed last week. The news boasts that SUNY Press is the first university press to sell digital and hardcover books simultaneously. I am curious as to how this relates to the Caravan initiative where participating presses can produce content in multiple formats simultaneously. Regardless of 'who was first' it is an interesting move based on some of the same premises we hear repeatedly from many sectors -- we must find a way to provide quality course materials to students (and faculty) at a lower cost, and that digital is part of the solution. An interesting news story all the same.