Why we use Print-on-Demand (POD)
I get asked a lot why we use Print-On-Demand (POD) platforms here at WorldChangers Media instead of a more traditional “print run” approach like other publishers.
This is a deliberate, proactive choice on our part. After examining the pros and cons of traditional systems versus Print-On-Demand, we decided that POD is the clear winner, and the all-around best option for us and our clients.
There are many benefits to using POD for both us and our authors (which I’ll explain in more detail momentarily), but they fall into three key categories:
People
Planet
Production
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.
POD is good for People
Before POD technology became available, self-publishing a book was a costly endeavor. Not only did authors have to pay someone to produce the book (editing, design, layout/typesetting, proofreading, etc.) they also had to pay the cost of printing up front. Even for a small print run of 5,000 - 10,000 books or so, costs could run into the mid to high five figures. Then, those books had to be warehoused, shipped, and distributed through various channels — all of which the author was responsible for overseeing.
With overhead and long-term costs like that, self-publishing was a HUGE gamble. Which is why so few people did it.
The funny thing is, traditional publishers STILL use this outdated model, which is why they are less and less willing to take chances on first-time authors or people who don’t yet have massive audiences. They are literally betting tens of thousands of dollars (or more) on books they don’t have proof will sell. So, they seek out the “sure shots,” and not the rising stars — which has the effect of leaving thousands of amazing authors (and their world-changing ideas) out in the cold.
Michael Bungay Stenier, author of the wildly popular book The Coaching Habit, calls this the “venture capital” model of publishing. I’m inclined to agree. It’s expensive, limiting, and unsustainable in today’s marketplace. (You can listen to Mr. Stenier’s take on this subject on the Self Publishing School podcast.)
With POD technology at play, our clients don’t have to take on the massive overhead of large print runs. They pay to print only the books they need, when they need them — and when their books are sold through online and retail outlets, only the books that have actually been sold are printed and drop-shipped. It’s a total win-win. Also, because POD outlets (we use both IngramSpark and Amazon KDP for our clients) are set up to literally print anything at any time, the cost of printing books is lower, even for runs of 10 to 100 books — and when print costs are lower, authors make more money.
Is there a savings benefit to larger print runs? Sure. But it’s not as massive as you might think, so there’s no pressure on authors to invest in thousands of books to “save money.” Instead, you can print the books you need (and that you know you will sell) when you need them.
Go ahead, breathe a sigh of relief. :-)
(PSA: If ANY fee-for-service publisher pressures you to buy massive quantities of books because you’ll get them at a “lower price,” chances are you will have to pay a substantial fee to warehouse those books until you sell them. This can mean the books cost you MORE money then they would have if you purchased only what you needed. Unless you have a REAL plan in place for moving thousands of copies within 2-4 months, don’t pull that trigger.)
POD Is Good for the Planet
Honestly, I don’t know why EVERYONE in the book world isn’t talking about this.
Did you know that 40% of all books printed by traditional publishers end up in landfills?
Yup. 40 PERCENT.
According to a 2009 report by the EPA, about 640,000 tons of books ended up in landfills each year at that time. It’s reasonable to estimate that this number has increased proportionate to book sales since then.
What are publishers (and consumers) doing to create this massive amount of waste?
Well, one factor is that “venture capital” publishing model I mentioned in the last section. Basically, traditional publishers make an educated guess as to how many copies a certain book will sell, print that many on the front end, and hope for the best.
This doesn’t include the energy it takes to print all of those landfill-destined books. Or the fossil fuel used to ship them to the warehouses where they will eventually languish for months or years before being “remaindered.” Or the fuel needed to transport them from those warehouses to the landfills where they will meet their sad and undignified end. (Yes, about 33% are recovered and recycled, but paper recycling also requires massive amounts of energy and toxic chemicals, so it doesn’t zero things out. )
When books don’t sell as expected, bookstores and retailers can request a refund from the publisher (books are sold to bookstores on a consignment basis). But, due to shipping costs, those books are rarely returned to the publisher’s warehouse. Instead, the covers are torn off (to prove they are no longer in circulation) and the books themselves are dumped in the trash.
When you really look at the big picture, it’s kind of … well, “insane” and “gross” are two words that come to mind.
However, this is what is required for traditional distribution models. Books have to be ready to ship when bookstores ask for them — and that means massive print runs, warehouse storage, and big shipments, right?
Not with POD!
When we publish our clients’ books using POD technology, only books that have actually been paid for are printed. This not only applies to direct-to-reader sales through online outlets like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, etc., but also to bookstores and other brick-and-mortar outlets. When a bookstore or retailer orders a quantity of books to sell, ONLY that quantity of books is printed — and those books are usually delivered in a time period comparable to traditional warehouse orders.
More, POD books are shipped directly from the print facility to the bookstore/retailer, without a warehouse visit in the middle. The energy cost savings alone are massive.
Will bookstores still return or remainder unsold books printed by POD systems? Sure. Will some of those books end up in the landfill system? Probably. But the quantities are greatly reduced on all fronts.
So if you’re concerned about the effects of book publishing on the planet, but still LOVE the feel of a physical book in your hands, POD is the clear answer.
Extra credit: Read this article on Book Riot about the carbon footprint of books.
POD = Better Production
Yet another downside to the massive front-end print runs common in traditional publishing is that you can’t easily make changes to the material.
Want to update your CTA or Resources page in the back of the book? Good luck.
Did one of your URLs change or expire? Oh, well.
Want to update your author bio, or add your Wall Street Journal or USA Today bestseller seal to your book cover? You’ll have to wait until you’ve sold all those other books first.
POD makes pivoting possible on an almost-immediate basis, even when it comes to print book updates. Of course, you can’t recall previously-printed books, but you can make changes to your book files active in as little as 72 hours. So if your business has pivoted, you got a killer new endorsement, you made a bestseller list (or three), you have a new website, or you just want to refresh your author photo, you can make sure that people who order your books next week will have immediate access to your updated product.
In other words, POD empowers your book to grow with your business.
In conclusion …
The world of publishing is evolving. WorldChangers Media is at the leading edge of this evolution.
We believe that our clients deserve the best of both worlds: the prestige and visibility of a well-regarded publisher with industry-leading standards, and the flexibility of POD, author-centric publishing.
Have questions about the article you just read? Send us an email or comment below to share your thoughts!