Why does Retail pricing require a markup?
Retailers and Wholesalers make money by buying books at a discount off of the retail price you as a creator have set on your work. Most retailers and wholesalers buy at a 50% discount, returnable, with freight paid to the store or warehouse. This is a full “trade discount”. A “short discount” is typically 20% off retail and often restricts the availability of books as there is not enough margin for a retailer to carry it. Because of Lulu’s relationships with wholesalers and retailers, and our automated bibliographic feeds and print partners, we enable your book to be made available through these channels on a non-returnable, free freight basis. The discount extended to retailers and wholesalers may vary, however, given different laws, conventions within certain markets, and what the retailer will buy. Lulu’s pricing calculator doubles Manufacturing Cost plus Creator Compensation and Lulu fee. This is an intuitively clear calculation and it allows Lulu to have the margin to negotiate wi
