29.06.21
Amazon has opened its first print on demand facility in Australia. What does this mean for indie authors?
The print on demand facility enables independent authors to print paperback books at the new Western Sydney Fulfillment Centre, meaning their titles will be available for faster and cheaper delivery to Australian readers as books will be printed locally. Previously, printing of titles published through Amazon KDP has taken place overseas meaning that Australian consumers had to pay for shipping of paperbacks from overseas printing facilities.
How does it work?
Once a customer places an order for the title you have enrolled in the Print on Demand service, Amazon’s Western Sydney Fulfillment Centre will print the book and deliver it to them.
What happens if I already have print stock?
If you already have print copies available in fulfillment centres, Amazon will sell through that inventory first, then look to print via Print on Demand if you enroll for the service.
What are the pros and cons of print on demand?
Print on demand (POD) eliminates the need for manufacturing or storing a surplus of books. POD allows you to avoid the cost (and risk) of a significant print run. Your book will always remain “in stock” and a customer will always be able to access that book with relatively fast delivery.
On the other hand, POD does not give your title any physical in-store visibility. Remember that while your title will be available to purchase from Amazon’s website (and possibly elsewhere if you choose to enable “expanded distribution”), your title will not be stocked in bricks and mortar bookshops, able to be discovered by a browsing customer. This is a common misconception about POD we hear at the ASA. Any POD service requires the author/publisher to build a market for your work and generate orders.
The ASA will be running professional development sessions on Self-Publishing and Author Branding, Marketing and Promotion - stay tuned to our Professional Development and Events newsletter for the latest details on our upcoming program.
If I choose to use Amazon’s POD services, is it an exclusive distribution arrangement?
Kindle Direct Publishing is not exclusive for print authors, but it is exclusive for those with digital books in KDP Select. Enrolling in KDP Select means you are committing to make the digital format of that book available exclusively through KDP. During the period of exclusivity, you cannot distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. However, you can continue to distribute your book in physical format, or in any format other than digital.
Should an author adjust their book’s list price for Amazon.com.au?
Printing costs are distinct in every marketplace, which may affect an authors’ royalties, so you should always review your list price when new marketplaces become available. Authors can adjust their book’s list price based on how much they want to earn, always considering the acceptable market prices for their target readership. An author can review Amazon’s printing costs for Australia and calculate their estimated royalties using Amazon’s calculator.
The ASA strongly recommends that authors use these tools in advance to ensure they have priced their books appropriately.
What royalties will I be paid on POD sales?
For print sales through the Amazon website, Amazon KDP pays a royalty of:
(Royalty rate of 60% x list price) – printing costs
For example, sales of a black and white 300 page paperback with a retail price of $19.99 will generate a royalty of:
(0.60 x $19.99) - print costs of $8.62 = $3.37 royalty.
If you have enrolled in Expanded Distribution (sales beyond Amazon), your royalties are lower. You can read more here.
How much are printing costs in Australia and how does this affect a minimum list price?
Below are examples of how the print costs vary between marketplaces. The table below also details how the minimum list price (set by Amazon) is affected.
For more details on printing costs by marketplace, visit the Amazon Help article.
If an author doesn’t update their book’s list price for Australia, what will happen?
Amazon will convert the list price set for their primary marketplace to Australian dollars (AUD). That price will be used as the list price for their book on Amazon.com.au. If that conversion results in a list price outside the minimum or maximum requirements, Amazon will convert it so it is equal to either the minimum or maximum list price for Australia.
Amazon KDP will ensure that the list price you set covers the printing costs, at a minimum. The maximum list price allowed by Amazon is AUD$350.
How long does it take to print each book? What impact does this have on a customer's delivery timeframe?
The book will be printed within 24 hours from when the customer places an order for your book, and will be delivered to the customer at the speed which they have selected upon checkout.
Can authors print their book using the POD facility to have stock to send to a distributor, or can Amazon supply my distributor POD copies directly?
You can order proof and author copies from the Amazon store, but the books can only be shipped to Australian addresses. If you have rights in other territories, you can order from those local stores to ship to addresses outside Australia.
For instructions on how to order proof and author copies, visit these Help articles:
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