Looking to get into self publication. New here.

ScottDwyerScottDwyer
in Author Workshop

 

 If I put in an order for a print book of my work.. do I get those copies? Do I have to buy them? What is the additional costs like shipping? If I choose to sell on Lulu, Amazon, etc.. do I have to buy my copies through them? Can I just have the books made and sent to me?

Comments

  • potetjppotetjp Bibliophile

    You'll buy your own copies from Lulu at cost price (for instance $10 instead of $20) + VAT + shipping.  Smiley Happy

  • Ron MillerRon Miller Professor
    ScottDwyer wrote:

     

     If I put in an order for a print book of my work.. do I get those copies?

     

    Of course. Just as you would receive any product you ordered from anywhere else.

     

    Do I have to buy them?

     

    Of course. Someone has to manufacture the books. Why would they be free?

     

    What is the additional costs like shipping?

     

    That would depend entirely on how many copies you ordered, where they are being shipped, etc.

     

    If I choose to sell on Lulu, Amazon, etc.. do I have to buy my copies through them? Can I just have the books made and sent to me?

     

    They have to be made by someone. If you order through Lulu, they will manufacture the books and send them to you. The same would be true regardless of who you order the books from. If you order from Amazon, they will have them made and sent to you. And Lulu and Amazon are not the only options by any means.

     

  • potetjppotetjp Bibliophile

    Before you buy several copies, order a single one, and read it with a critical eye, and, if possible, have it also read by a third party with a critical mind.

  • ScottDwyerScottDwyer

    Maybe I was not clear? Ok.. I put in an order for Lulu to produce 60 books for me. No where does it say anything about cost to mail me the books I have had Lulu make. And what if I have Lulu make 60.. and I want 10 of those sent to me and the other 50 sold on Lulu and Amazon? Can I split up the order like that?

  • Em_PressEm_Press Professor

    Print on demand means there will be no 60 copies, unless you want them on your own bookshelf or to ship yourself.

     

    One is printed each time someone orders. They will be available for sale on Lulu and Amazon and many other places.

     

    Start a mock project. You will understand as you go through the steps.

     A citizen of the world.

  • ScottDwyerScottDwyer

    So I would have to buy copies of the book I had made? 

  • Skoob_ymSkoob_ym Teacher

    No.

     

    If you don't distribute on Amazon, etc., you do not need to buy a single copy of your own book. Not one. No money out of pocket. Zero. Zip. Nada. And the book will still be available to buyers on Lulu.

     

    But...

     

    If you sell on Amazon and so forth... you must buy one copy. One. And you must look it over and declare that it is what you really truly intended to publish.

     

    You do not need to buy a trunk full of copies to peddle at fairs and street carnivals, unless you just want to.

     

    As Maggie explained, when someone sees the book on amazon and decides to buy it, Lulu will print exactly one copy and will ship it to that buyer. The buyer pays postage/shipping. Nothing out of pocket for you, except that one "proof" copy of the book.

     

    Then Lulu will credit you with your portion of the royalties from that sale. When and if your royalties exceed the threshold -- $20 for print, and I believe it's $5 for Paypal -- you will be paid.

     

    It's that simple.

     

    Now then... It's up to you to make people want to go to amazon and buy the book. You've got to make a good book with a good cover and you've got to market your book as you think appropriate.

    _________________________
    My Books:
    https://voidwheretaxed.wixsite.com/rockandfirepress/about


  • ScottDwyerScottDwyer

    If I self publish a book on lulu... I buy at whatever cost.. say 120 bucks for 60 copies of a 50 page softcover.. for me.. and then can have it offered print on demand online? That sound right?

  • Just KevinJust Kevin Lulu Genius

    If I self publish a book on lulu... I buy at whatever cost.. say 120 bucks for 60 copies of a 50 page softcover.. for me..

     

    If you want to yes. When logged in to your account you can buy your own books at Cost (plus shipping etc.)

     

    and then can have it offered print on demand online? That sound right?

     

    I am not sure what you mean by "and then". If you opt for that option  (ISBN) right at the start of the Project both things are possible.

     

    As said in the other replies. You can opt to only sell on your Lulu Spotlight. There's no need to even buy and Approve a Proof to do that, but it is wise to do so. And I do mean one Proof, not 60.

    Or you can opt for a free ISBN, order, look through, and Approve one Proof, and that sets Distribution in motion to places like Amazon. It will also appear for sale on your Lulu Spotlight, and of course you can still buy at Cost.

     

    If you set the Project to Direct then only the people you give the link to your Spotlight to can view and buy it. If you set it to Private only you can see and buy it. Those two have no ISBN and Distribution option, General does.

    Myself and my friend combined know everything there is to know, but he's not here.

  • potetjppotetjp Bibliophile
    ScottDwyer a écrit :

    Maybe I was not clear? Ok.. I put in an order for Lulu to produce 60 books for me. No where does it say anything about cost to mail me the books I have had Lulu make. And what if I have Lulu make 60.. and I want 10 of those sent to me and the other 50 sold on Lulu and Amazon? Can I split up the order like that?

    These would be two different orders. One of 10 copie sent to your address, and another one of 50 copies sent to another address. You'll be charged both.

    At the end of each order, Lulu calculates how much it will cost you, depending on the location of the addressee and the shipping rate you have selected. This is clearly detailed on the screen. If everything is alright to you, you click on the button at the bottom of the page to place your order. You are then taken to the next page, that is secured, where you can pay with your credit card  or PayPal. (I don't know if cheques are accepted.) Finally you are prompted to print the last billing page.

  • Ron MillerRon Miller Professor
    potetjp wrote:
    ScottDwyer a écrit :

    Maybe I was not clear? Ok.. I put in an order for Lulu to produce 60 books for me. No where does it say anything about cost to mail me the books I have had Lulu make. And what if I have Lulu make 60.. and I want 10 of those sent to me and the other 50 sold on Lulu and Amazon? Can I split up the order like that?

     

    The cost to ship the books would depend on how many books, where they are to be shipped and by what method. That would all have to be calculated at the time you place your order.
    As others have explained, there is no need to order books for Amazon or Lulu to sell. The books are printed individually as each order comes in. There are no preexisting books. You can, of course, order as many as you like for whatever purposes you want to put them to (reselling them, giving them away as gifts, etc.)
    Here is how this works...
    You create a book and upload it to Lulu. As each order arrives (including your own orders if you place any), the books are printed. If someone orders just one book, then just one book is printed. If someone orders ten books, ten books are printed. Lulu then ships the order off to the customer.
    There is a base charge for manufacturing a book. This is the cost to Lulu along with a small profit for the company (what that cost is depends on the size of the book, the binding, the paper and other variables). What a customer pays is that base cost plus whatever you add to that for your own profit. For instance, if the base cost for book is $2.00, you might make the listed price $2.50. When a book is sold, $2 goes to Lulu and you get the balance.
    I might add that whenever you order your own books, you are charged only the basic price. In the case of my example, you would be charged just $2 per book, not $2.50. 

     

     

  • ScottDwyerScottDwyer

    Thanks! That was a very clear answer! Cheers!

  • EnghisauthEnghisauth

    Agreed.  I only buy proof copies.

    However, I will be purchasing bulk copies to sell to local companies.

    We have the choice.

    We can introduce our books to sellers and through lulu's distribution network the companies we introduce our books to can order in the copies they wish to buy.

    We just have to do our marketing (get them interested in our works).

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