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All You Need to Know about Print on Demand

Have you ever found yourself creating something that you want to have published and put up for sale? It may be a book, pages of illustrations, posters, or even T-shirts.

The traditional way of printing these items is called offset printing. This usually requires you to order items in bulk, which not only entails a substantial amount of funding but can also take up precious time. It’s a risky investment, one that doesn’t ensure profit.

This is where print on demand has proven to be very beneficial. If you’re an author, an artist, or an entrepreneur, you’ll find a great use for print-on-demand services. Read on to find out all you need to know about this process.

How It Works

Print on demand, as its name suggests, is a process in which books or other forms of publications and products are printed as the demand arises. In this setup, there is a supplier or printer and the use of digital-printing technology.

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In the case of publishers, the copy of the book—fully edited and typeset—is sent to the supplier, and it is saved onto a database. The publisher can then order a definite number of books to be printed out and delivered.

Whenever additional books are needed, as in the case of sold-out bestsellers, the publisher can just order another batch of books to be printed out and distributed to stores. This eliminates the need for warehousing, which was a necessity for offset printing. With offset printing, there’s a need for storage space for surplus copies that can’t be placed on shelves.

Services Are Not Limited to Books

Print-on-demand services are applicable not only to books but also to apparel, accessories such as laptop skins, wall art, and even mugs and clocks. Often, print on demand is utilized by authors who plan on self-publishing their stories, as well as by custom stores that sell things online. This is perfect for those with businesses that revolve around creating original products for a niche group of customers.

It Costs Less Up Front

This process allows you to print as many copies as you want to. That means you have better control over your costs especially when you only require a minimum number of printouts for a specific event.

Although the cost per item is still higher than if you were to order in bulk, printing on demand does run lower risks because you don’t have to worry about unsold items. Additionally, if you only want one copy so you can have something to hold in your hands and appreciate, it would be possible with print on demand.

It Makes Revisions Easier

Making revisions to books would be very taxing in offset printing. Meanwhile, print on demand uses digital printing technology. Authors can update any part of the book and then get new copies printed quickly.

Stocks Won’t Be a Problem

Have you ever experienced looking forward to ordering something online, only to be put off by the website showing a message saying that that item is out of stock? With print on demand, that isn’t a problem.

Copies are not printed and stocked in bulk; rather, they are produced as ordered. As long as the demand and customer orders are there, items can be printed out and be available for purchase even years down the road. This greatly benefits authors and publishers, as their books are readily available all over the world and won’t go out of stock even when they top the best-sellers list.

Worth Considering

It’s understandable why print on demand has become a popular trend in the publishing scene, among authors and the general public. It costs less upfront and delivers results much quicker.

While it’s not an absolute fit for every single publishing need, it is perfect for those who are only looking to print a small quantity of material and save money while doing so. You’ll have a copy of the completed work in your hand quickly, allowing you plenty of time to make edits as necessary.

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