About Print on Demand Books

Print on demand books are books that are maintained in a digital format until an order is received for the book.  This practice was unheard of prior to the digital age; it would not have been cost effective to print a single copy of a book using traditional printing methods. 

Print on demand books have been a boon to small book publishers who can afford to put out more books and large book publishers, who can maintain special books that are not widely needed, such as older out-of-print books. University book publishers are also big proponents of the print on demand system as it allows them to maintain textbooks for a wider variety of topics.

There are several advantages to the print on demand system for book publishers.  It eliminates the need for storage, handling and inventory and there is little to no waste from unsold products.  The initial technical set-up is quicker than with traditional methods as well.

Many authors are exploring the field of print on demand. Writers who self-publish enjoy greater creative control, larger share of the royalties and a speedy trip to the marketplace.  Some print on demand companies focus exclusively on this segment of the market and even offer editorial and marketing services.

Print on demand is also used to print niche books; books that have a high retail price and limited sales opportunities. Some academic publishers are expected to maintain large databases of books for buyers to choose from and rely heavily on print on demand services.