Getting ready to print books on demand can be daunting, no matter how much printing experience you have. But when you’ve worked tirelessly to bring your project together, you need all the information you can get to make your prints the best they can be. 

If you’re not familiar with PrintLink, let us give you a little introduction. PrintLink is Mixam’s print-on-demand (POD) service changing how you print and earn income online. PrintLink takes away the often laborious, expensive and time-consuming tasks of packaging, shipping and quality control, meaning you’ll have no inventory. Customers can order copies of your publication direct to their door, and you can control how many pages viewers can preview - display a sneak preview or reveal the whole story in stunning definition. You’ll also be in control of your pricing, so there’s no limit to your earning potential! Plus, every PrintLink order includes a free virtual preview you can share anywhere online so friends, family and customers can see your print-on-demand ideas come to life before their copy even arrives. 

You can read more about the benefits of PrintLink here, and we’ve devised a comprehensive list of the most common questions to help you get started.

 

What can I print?

One of the best parts about PrintLink is that you can print anything you like! You just need to ensure your content is legal, copyright-free and abides by our T&Cs.

Items available for PrintLink include: Booklets, Catalogs, Magazines, Zines, Activity Books, Art Books, Children's Books, Coffee Table Books, Coloring Books, Comic Books, Cookbooks, Family History Books, Graphic Novels, Hardcover Books, Lookbooks, Memoirs, Paperback Books, Photography Books, Wedding Books, Yearbooks.

PrintLink is an excellent opportunity to share personal projects with your nearest and dearest without having to do all the organization! You can publicly or privately share a link with as many people as you want. Users can view your publication online and bookmark it forever so long as the link remains active, or they can head to our website and purchase a printed copy and order it directly to their home address.

PrintLink is also a practical option for professionals looking to make their mark. You could be a self-publisher ready to turn your manuscript into professionally bound books or a creative who wants to showcase their best work as a portfolio piece. You can share the link on your website, social media accounts or anywhere else to drum up interest and get people buying. From there, anyone can order copies to an address of their choosing.

 

How do I make money from my prints? 

Mixam will pay you monthly via the secure, third-party payment platform Stripe. You can access an overview of processing payments, total earnings and transactions. You can also view individual sales transactions when you log into your Mixam account. 

Printing on demand is an effective way to get passive income - meaning you exert minimal effort and earn money automatically while we carry out the labor. When setting up an order with PrintLink, choose Fixed Markup or Percentage Markup for a flexible and dynamic pricing strategy which you can adjust anytime. You’ll either set a fixed amount or percentage, and we’ll add this to the item cost. You’ll always earn the same amount for each sale, but the buyer price can fluctuate depending on production costs. If this occurs, we will notify you by email, and the price change will take immediate effect.

Here’s how to set up a Stripe account:

Step 1

Log in to your Mixam account and click the PrintLink tab.

 

Step 2

Click the Link Bank Account button at the top of your screen to connect your bank account to Stripe.

 

Step 3

Fill out your details via the online form. You can add a product description if you don’t have a website.

 

Step 4

Click the Agree & Submit button, and we’ll redirect you to the PrintLink tab. Click the Payment Dashboard button at the top of your screen to view your Payment Summary. 

You can also connect your bank account to Stripe via a previous order. Log in to your account > Click the PrintLink tab > Click the Active Publications tab > Select an order number > Scroll to your order’s PrintLink tab > Click Link Bank Account > Fill out the online form > Click the ‘Agree & Submit’ button.

 

Can I set up PrintLink via a previous order? 

PrintLink isn’t just for new orders. Every past and present order in your Mixam account will indicate whether you can convert it into a PrintLink order. You just need to ensure you connect your bank account with Stripe so you can get paid directly from us.

How to set up PrintLink on a previous order:

Step 1

Log in to your Mixam account and go to your Orders tab.

 

Step 2

Click the relevant order number and scroll down to the PrintLink tab, which will list the eligible items for PrintLink.

 

Step 3

Fill out the fields in the PrintLink tab, including Publication Details and Pricing.

 

Step 4

Use the toggle to enable or disable a free virtual preview to share online. Make sure you have thoroughly checked your work before enabling your online preview.

 

Step 5

Click Save Publication to save your details.

 

Why are my print specifications unavailable for PrintLink?

We offer specific printing options because no matter whether your customers order one copy or hundreds, our production facilities need to batch orders with specifications in common with other items in the production queue to give you the most economical prints as efficiently as possible.

Suppose you want to set up a previous, existing order with PrintLink, but your original print specifications are unavailable. In that case, we’ll offer alternatives as close to the originals as possible without compromising quality. If you want to set up a new order for PrintLink, but some print specifications are unavailable, we’ll also offer you alternative specifications, such as paper types and weights.

 

Do I need to include an ISBN or barcode on my publication? 

Unlike other print-on-demand companies, you don’t have to include an ISBN or barcode each time you print with us. You only need to add them to your projects if you intend to sell your publications via online retailers or bookstores. You can read more about these features on our dedicated Support page.

 

Print on demand opens up a world of possibilities, and PrintLink is a service that will continue to grow and improve with your help. To launch your PrintLink, log in to your account and see if your previous orders are eligible. Alternatively, you can get your quote for your publications on our website, and if you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please don’t hesitate to contact our team of print experts.

For more news and inspiration, check out the array of posts on Mixam's Blog and visit our Support section for helpful guidance and advice on all things print.

Image Credits: Unsplash and Freepik