What Is the Best Use of the “Digital Short Run” POD Model?
“Digital Short Run” POD is best used: a) when the title is expected to sell more than 100 but fewer than 1,000 copies per year, b) when the publisher wishes to minimize the initial investment in a title, but wishes to sell through bookstores. According to the Book Industry Study Group, small publishers release about 50,000 new titles per year. The average number of copies printed is 3,800; the average life of the book is nine years, or 420 sold per year. For many of these 50,000 titles Digital Short Run POD is optimum because of the savings in initial printing costs and storage costs-especially considering that if demand actually justifies it, the publisher can switch from Digital Short Run to offset at any time.
