What is print on demand (POD)?

Print on demand (POD) means a book is printed one copy at a time, when a customer orders it. Digital printing makes this affordable, so instead of paying for a print run of hundreds or thousands of copies and storing them, a self-publisher uploads print-ready files and the platform prints and ships each order.

The main POD services used by self-publishers include Amazon KDP (for paperbacks and hardcovers sold on Amazon), IngramSpark (which distributes to bookstores, libraries and online retailers through Ingram's network) and Lulu. Many authors use KDP for Amazon and IngramSpark for wider distribution.

With POD the printing cost is deducted from each sale, so your royalty is the list price minus the printer's cost and the store's share. The unit cost per book is higher than in a large offset print run, which affects how low you can price a book and still earn. In return, there is no upfront printing cost, no unsold stock and no warehouse, and you can fix errors by uploading a new file.

POD quality is generally good for text-based books, but paper, colour and binding options are more limited than with offset printing, and quality can vary slightly between print locations. Always order a proof copy before publishing.