1 service providers
1.1 self-publishing authors
1.2 pod enablement
1.3 publisher use
1.3.1 maintaining availability
1.3.2 managing uncertainty
1.3.3 niche publications
1.3.4 variable formats
service providers
the introduction of pod technologies , business-models has created range of new book-creation , publishing opportunities. there 3 main categories of offerings.
self-publishing authors
pod creates new category of publishing (or printing) company offers services, fee, directly authors wish self-publish. these services include printing , shipping each individual book ordered, handling royalties, , getting listings in online bookstores. initial investment required pod services less offset printing. other services may available, including formatting, proofreading, , editing, such companies typically not spend money marketing, unlike conventional publishers. such companies suitable authors prepared design , promote work themselves, minimal assistance , @ minimal cost. pod publishing gives authors editorial independence, speed market, ability revise content, , greater financial return per copy royalties paid conventional publishers.
pod enablement
while amateur/professional writers targeted adopters companies infinity publishing , trafford publishing, there effort presently make pod more mass-market. class of companies lulu, picaboo, blurb, peecho , qoop have chosen author agnostic , attempting serve broad mass-market of ordinary citizens may want express, record , print keepsake copies of memories , personal writing (diaries, travelogues, wedding journals, baby books, family reunion reports etc.). instead of tailoring classic book format (100+ pages, text, complex rules copyright , royalties), these companies strive make pod more mass-market creating programs range of different text , picture items can produced finished books. management of copyrights , royalties less important market, books have small clientele (close family , friends, instance).
the major photo storage services (e.g. eastman kodak s ofoto , shutterfly , hewlett-packard s snapfish) have included ability produce picture books , calendars. however, emphasize digital photography. companies blurb , lulu apply method greater volume of creative work (primarily text, typed in personal weblogs), , include capability embed photographs, , other media. qoop , peecho assume role of infrastructure service provider, allowing partner website use pre-designed payment , printing functions. program peecho provides embeddable print button.
publisher use
print-on-demand services offer printing , distributing services publishing companies (instead of directly self-publishing authors) growing in popularity within industry. many major publishers print on demand way save money. can become costly print book regularly going sit on book self more year before being purchased.
also using print on demand allows ability change texts , publishes changes rather more quickly. pod environmentally friendly because there printing , shipping costs actual sales. pod allows self publishers want there books out little start costs.
maintaining availability
among traditional publishers, pod services can used make sure books remain available when 1 print job has sold out, has not yet become available. maintains availability of older titles estimated future sales of may not great enough justify further conventional print job. can useful publishers large backlists, such sales individual titles may few cumulative sales may significant.
managing uncertainty
print-on-demand can used reduce risk when dealing surge titles expected have large sales brief sales life (such biographies of minor celebrities, or event tie-ins): these titles represent profitability great risk owing danger of inadvertently printing many more copies necessary, , associated costs of maintaining excess inventory or pulping. pod allows publisher use cheaper conventional printing produce enough copies satisfy pessimistic forecast of title s sales, , rely on pod make difference.
pod offers advantages on conventional print production , distribution. pod service not easy implement. print providers , customers have willing evaluate business process flexibility , self determination change necessary.
niche publications
print-on-demand used print , reprint niche books may have high retail price limited sales opportunities, such specialist academic works. academic publisher may expected keep these specialist titles in print though target market saturated, making further conventional print jobs uneconomic.
the local history of small community adapted print-on-demand, these books invaluable libraries, museums , archives in small community limited in marketability outside home region. public libraries avoid print-on-demand tomes due lesser quality readily make exceptions if content appropriate local topic cannot addressed more conventional means.
many of smallest small presses, known micro-presses because have inconsequential profits, have become reliant on pod technology , ebooks. either because serve such small market print jobs unprofitable or because small absorb financial risk.
variable formats
print-on-demand allows books printed in variety of formats. process, known accessible publishing, allows books printed in variety of larger type sizes , special formats vision impairment or reading disabilities, personalised typefaces , formats suit individual reader s needs. has been championed variety of new companies.
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