Many publishers now use Print on Demand to print books when a customer orders a book. There are a number of companies that print books only, when they are ordered and then they are drop shipped to a customer. The printer can print from one to hundreds of books at a time. Publishers format their books for printing using the printer’s formula.
Ordering Books
A customer finds a book they would like to purchase. Instead of a publisher having a warehouse of books, they can use POD technology to have a book printed and shipped to a reader. This allows a publisher to offer all their books from their web-site while maintaining no warehouse space to store them. Without a brick and mortar facility it greatly reduces overhead cost and allows customers to order books at a greatly reduced cost. When a book is ordered, a print request is sent to a POD printer. The book is printed and drop shipped to a customer from the printer. An invoice is sent via e-mail and the publisher is notified of the sale. It is that simple.
Reduced Warehouse Needs
With POD technology publishers can offer a full range of books while maintaining virtually no warehouse facilities to store books that would have previously been printed and shipped to a publisher. Purchases from the publisher used to be shipped from a central warehouse to the customer. Thus driving a need to have storage for the books ordered by a publisher awaiting shipment. Virtual Tales Publications relies on POD to meet customer demands and provide a faster shipping option while reducing overhead cost.
Cost Savings to Publishers
In this case study, a publisher, used POD in their business model to reduce overheard thus realizing cost reductions. All transactions are done via the publisher’s web-site. When using Performance Based Logistics (PBL) nothing is done until an order is placed. At that moment an order is accomplished it is all automatic via the purchase order. Publishers realize a cost benefit by providing books at a reduced cost, requiring no warehouse footprint, and the customer receives their book in record time. The POD publisher sends an invoice to the Point of Sale, in this case Virtual Tales Publications and the transaction is recorded as a sale.
Cost Savings to Customers
With books offered through Amazon or Barnes and Nobel as well as e-book publishers a customer simply places an order and the book is printed and shipped within a few business days. With no brick and mortar facilities needed it is a win, win situation for a publisher and customer. Reduced overhead, equates to reduced cost to produce. This shows up as a lower cost product to a customer. The publisher’s use of POD is an increasing practice in the publishing world. Even large publishing houses are moving to POD to reduce operating costs. The next book a customer orders may come from Amazon or Barnes and Noble but it will be shipped from a POD printer. Enjoy your next book. Now you know how it gets from the publisher to you ongkir Bandung Malang