Printing with IngramSpark
IngramSpark serves as the print-on-demand (POD) branch of Ingram Content Group, a company with more than 50 years of expertise in book printing. They offer options for publishing hardcover, paperback, or ebook formats, providing various trim sizes and several paper choices. You can select from multiple binding styles and cover qualities. With their POD technology, publishers and authors can print exactly the number of copies needed—eliminating minimum order requirements and warehousing fees.
IngramSpark provides publishers and authors with comprehensive global print and ebook distribution through a single platform. Books distributed via IngramSpark reach more than 45,000 retailers, libraries, and online outlets, including major companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble. This extensive distribution network is among the largest worldwide, facilitated by numerous print facilities and strong partnerships with international digital printers.
The process of distributing books, especially regarding compensation and payment schedules, can often be confusing. When an author or publisher lists a book for publication and distribution with IngramSpark, they need to select a wholesale discount rate. Typically, offering a discount between 53% and 55% ensures the book is widely available to retailers and bookstores. This discount enables retailers to receive their usual trade discount when buying books from wholesalers and resellers within IngramSpark’s global network.
This is an example of how compensation earnings are calculated:
$25.99 Retail/List Price of book
-55% Wholesale discount distribution partners receive
$11.70 Wholesale price the distribution partners pay Ingram
-$7.18 Print cost for the listed book (6x9, BW paperback) + 1.875% global distribution fee
$4.52 Compensation earnings
Publishers and authors receive a monthly Sales Report through email, and payments are issued 90 days after the month in which the sales are reported. Please be aware that these reports do not include information about the locations of sales or the identities of the purchasers.
This summary highlighted the publishing process via IngramSpark. Because their website offers numerous resources for publishers and authors, not all topics could be discussed in a single blog post. In our next post, we'll explore the Amazon publishing process.
