What is a "Print-on-Demand" Model?
Print-on-demand (often abbreviated as POD) is a modern printing and fulfillment process where books, guides, or other materials are printed only when an order is placed, rather than being printed in large quantities and stored as inventory.
Here's how it generally works:
No Inventory: Unlike traditional publishing where thousands of copies are printed and stored in a warehouse, with POD, there's no physical inventory of the finished product sitting on shelves.
Digital Files: The content of the Carey Guides (text, images, layout) is stored as a high-quality digital file.
Order Triggered Production: When you place an order for the paper Carey Guides on our website, that order triggers the printing process.
Individualized Printing: A single copy (or the exact number you ordered) is then printed using specialized digital printers.
Direct Fulfillment: Once printed, the guide is immediately prepared for shipping directly to you. They are estimated to arrive in 3 weeks.
Key Benefit of Print-on-Demand:
Reduced Waste: It's a more environmentally friendly approach as it minimizes the waste associated with over-printing and unsold inventory.
Why does it have a higher cost?
While POD offers significant advantages, the cost per unit is typically higher than traditional offset printing (where thousands of copies are printed at once). This is because:
Economies of Scale: Traditional printing benefits from "economies of scale," meaning the cost per unit goes down significantly when printing in very large volumes. POD doesn't have this benefit.
Setup Costs per Unit: The setup and machine calibration costs are spread across only one or a few units, rather than thousands.
Specialized Equipment & Labor: POD often uses highly sophisticated digital printers that are designed for short printing runs, and the process involves more individualized handling per order.