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Print On Demand Distribution

The best way to affordably print and sell your books on demand as they are ordered in the biggest bookstores around the world.
Starting at just $149.

See our printed book styles

Questions? Call us at 856-460-8069

Print On Demand

What is Print On Demand?

BookBaby POD

Print On Demand (POD) is the biggest revolution in book printing since the Gutenberg press, making it convenient and affordable for self-published authors to print and sell their books straight to readers around the world. With on demand printing, authors can distribute their books to readers without having to buy and store hundreds of books on their own. Print On Demand allows authors the freedom to market and sell their books around the world without having to worry about storing, shipping, or having enough books in stock.

In the past, self-published authors were plagued with large upfront costs, printing more books than necessary, and managing excess inventory on their own. Print On Demand erases those troubles with an efficient small-run printing process that still provides maximum exposure, but with more author control and minimal investment.

Here's how it works

Wondering how the on-demand distribution process works?

Your book is purchased

Your book is purchased

Customers order and pay for your book online through stores like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or long-run book networks including Ingram or Baker & Taylor.

The order comes directly to us

The order comes directly to us

We print, bind, and package the order — on demand — whether it’s just one copy of the print book or a large quantity.

Books are shipped

Books are shipped

Printed books are shipped back to the retailer or wholesaler for fulfillment to their buyers.

You get paid

You get paid

We collect the payment, deduct all printing and selling costs, and pay you the net sales.

Why is Print On Demand in demand?

  • No inventory needed—you don’t have to buy 100s of books when you print one at a time.
  • Print On Demand is a sustainable process that removes paper waste and reduces our overall environmental impact.
  • All BookBaby paper stocks are certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and the SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative). Learn more here.
  • Through Print On Demand distribution, your books will be available at Amazon, B&N, Powell’s, and thousands of other stores and long-run bookstore catalogs around the world.
  • Print On Demand is available for all of our popular trim sizes, including Digest, US Trade, Small Square (perfect bound only), Square, Landscape, and US Letter. See all trim-size options.

Customers love our on-demand printing services

Best decision! I researched many self-publishing and print-on-demand companies. BookBaby just kept rising above the rest in the services they provided. Now that my book is done, I am so happy that I went with them. Excellent service, excellent support, excellent product.

Nancy Cerra-Medland

Choose from two Print On Demand options:

PRINT ON DEMAND

$399

For successful independent authors, discoverability is the name of the game.

Make your title(s) available to the largest network of booksellers, libraries, and online retailers through on-demand book printing.

Print On Demand
  • Your book will be available to Amazon, Powell’s Books, Books-A-Million, and Barnes & Noble, as well as Ingram, Baker & Taylor, NACSCORP, Bookazine, Diamond Comic, BPDI, Christian Book Distributors, and 50+ others.
  • Sell books on demand right next to your eBooks on your exclusive BookBaby Bookshop™ storefront and make more money with every sale.
  • No more inventory issues or unsold book clutter.
  • We’ll manage your book’s logistics and track your sales reporting.
  • Get Started

DIRECT-TO-READER
PRINT ON DEMAND

with Bookshop™

$149

Enjoy more control and more royalties by placing your focus on your dedicated Bookshop™ storefront.

Bookshop
  • Make 50% royalties on your retail price—up to 3X more than other self-publishing options.
  • Receive your payment faster—just days after your book is ordered.
  • Thanks to POD, your printed book is guaranteed to always be in stock.
  • Your book is up for sale quickly—usually within a few days of your finalized initial book printing order.
  • Get Started

How much can I earn?

Your royalties depend on many factors, from your selling price to the size and type of printed book. Here are some examples of common book types, sizes, and prices.

GENRE FICTION

6"x9", 200 pages, perfect bound, black text, 60lb natural
Retail Price Royalty $ Royalty %
$10.99 $1.23 11%
$12.99 $2.03 16%
$13.99 $2.44 17%
$14.99 $2.84 19%
$15.99 $3.25 20%

CHILDREN'S BOOK

8.5"x8.5" square, 28 pages, perfect bound, color, 60lb natural
Retail Price Royalty $ Royalty %
$7.99 $1.02 12%
$9.99 $1.83 18%
$10.99 $2.23 20%
$12.99 $3.04 23%
$15.99 $4.25 26%

Want to see how much you’ll make? Save your quote to access our royalty calculator.

Making the most of Print On Demand

It’s the publishing dream of millions of would-be authors: Selling their printed books to customers around the globe, printed to order, without having to ship or store them. With Print On Demand distribution through BookBaby, you can make this a reality.

Here's how you can successfully sell your books with POD.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does print on demand mean?

Gone are the days when you absolutely have to order your books in larger quantities, just to have boxes of them taking up your living room space. Enter: print on demand. What does on-demand publishing mean exactly, and how does it compare to traditional printing? Print on demand is a revolutionary process where authors can conveniently and affordably print and distribute their books as needed. Your books will be marketed and sold across the globe, without you having the hassle of storing or shipping them. And you'll never have to worry about having enough books in stock!

With print on demand, you won't have the typical upfront costs that come with ordering your books in larger quantities. Your books will be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell's, and tons of other bookstores and catalogs worldwide. Plus, it's a sustainable process that helps to reduce paper waste and our impact on the environment.

Looking to print just one book for now? Check out our press proof service. You can utilize this press proof to see how your book looks and feels before investing in print on demand or larger quantity printing services.

What does the printing and distribution process look like?

The printing and distribution process takes just a few steps when you use our Print On Demand services. When a customer orders your book online through sites like Amazon or Barnes & Noble, the order will come right to us here at BookBaby. Then, no matter what the size of the order, we'll print, bind, and package your books and ship them to the retailer or wholesaler. Once the payment is collected, we'll deduct the printing and selling costs, and you get paid the net sales!

We also offer plenty of options when it comes to the printing process — that is, you'll have the option of whether to choose paperback vs hardcover, the trim size and binding of your book, as well as paper stock options. We make our printing process simple, so that you can customize and create the book of your dreams.

How does the publishing service work?

While self-publishing services can vary from one company to the next, BookBaby’s are unique. Here, you can find every self-publishing service you need, all under one roof. Whether you’re looking for book printing and distribution, creating eBooks, book cover design, editing, and much more, you’ll find everything you need right here.

Additionally, we offer individual self-publishing packages that can help you get a clearer idea of what might help you out on your book publishing journey. Each package is priced to meet every author’s budget so that you can bring your book to life with convenience and ease.

How can I benefit from print on demand services?

Print on demand services offer you the flexibility to distribute your book on an as-needed basis. That way, you won't have to put out larger costs up front, only to have tons of books that need to get onto bookstore shelves.

Plus, our on-demand printing services will do the distributing for you. Just simply place your order, and we'll print and ship to the distributors, then collect payments, and you get paid! The self-publishing process really can be that easy with print on demand.

Still have questions?

Give us a call and let’s talk about it.
856-460-8069 (Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)