Over Here, Over There?

Chapter 14 Where to print your books?

I often get asked, “Should we make our book domestically or overseas?” Domestically, in this case, is manufacturing in the US.

There’s a few ways to get at this topic but a look at basic formats will help you answer the question. 

Booklets If you are making a small booklet with 1 color printing that is bound with staples, there is no reason in the world, literally, to do it anywhere but the closest vendor to your shipping facility. Your margin on these books will be so small because you can’t charge more than $6.99-$9.99 for them. Sure you might make them cheaper overseas but the boat or the plane to get to where you ship from will eat all of that savings. Make them at your 3PL Logistics provider if you can so you can erase the shipping from the printer to the fulfillment. Sometimes they will offer a la carte services. 

Paperback Book-Unless you are reprinting an evergreen classic or a hit title with a tail wind, print your paperback on a digital short run press. Inventory is your cash tied up in paper that isn’t money. Your money to market with, to travel with, to hire a publicist with. Protect your cash flow. If the book is an evergreen paperback like To Kill a Mockingbird, Eat Pray Love, or a summer beach book of the moment, then go for conventional paperback printing. You can print an amount to benefit from the efficiency of conventional print, knowing you’ll go through the stock and convert it back to cash.

There are numerous short run digital paperback manufacturers in the US. There are still a good number of conventional print paperback options as well. Find your closest option. Become their friend, learn from them, be nice. Either way, stay domestic. 

HardCover Book-The same rules of the paperback apply here, however, there are not as many options and the cost is prohibitive. The main question to answer is if it’s a 1 color  interior with a glued binding and a full color jacket. If that's the case then go for finding a digital press. Don’t tie your money up in a big run. But if you can sell more than 1,000 units then by all means go conventional. There are less and less conventional hard back book manufacturers in the US. Try to find one close to where you are located. Again, listen to them, be nice to them, learn from them and stay domestic. 

Specialty Books are the type that you get into specs that usually are going to mean overseas. Specifications like the following; Four Color interior, Sewn Binding, Intricate Foil or Emboss patterns on the cover, Non Traditional Cover Material like Vegan Leather or Linen, low poundage or high poundage papers are all going to add costs and necessitate work that would best financially fit and sometimes execution wise fit, overseas. For example, a four color interior hardcover book with a sewn binding would probably fit best overseas. Another example would be a Bible. They utilize a low poundage very thin paper that requires on the other end of the spectrum are Board Books. They require using a heavy paper, so heavy that it’s a board. 

All of these things cost more money so printing them overseas where labor is cheaper is a way to combat the costs. There are a lot of processes and products that are only made overseas at the moment. Of course, there are many political economic implications. I’m not going to get into those details here. I’m only here to give you advice on print. Here are two practical examples.

Four color printing costs more because usually its run on a sheet fed printer which is slower than the web press that one color books are printed on. Board Books due to the high weight of the board require hand work or slower machinery. Thus they cost more.

What are good overseas options? China has a lot of great print vendors but there are considerations with tariffs and pandemic restrictions. Korea and India both have great vendors, that are not as expensive as Domestic but not as inexpensive as China. Mexico and Central America both have good options though not as inexpensive as Asia. They are more attractive for turn time issues because they are close by. Be aware though that border crossing with products requires patience and thoroughness. 

Don’t get yourself into more book than you need. You wrote a thriller? Make a paperback. You want to make an art book? Don’t make a ton of them. 

Here is the down and dirty. 

Price/CashFlow/Time-Of course it makes sense to pay as little as you can for something but keep in mind that there are other costs to consider. Time you have to wait for product and not be making sales and the amount of units that you have your money tied up in. When you go to buy your books ask yourself the cost, the turn time, and the payment terms. Once you know those metrics you can make the best decision for your team.