Mixam is always looking for ways to make printing online straightforward and accessible. We aim to blend the expertise of our print professionals with our intuitive online system. That’s why we’ve taken print-on-demand a step further by offering publishers a way to share and sell work on their own terms.

Let’s say you’re new to the world of online printing, and you want to sell your book online. Print-on-demand books are printed and shipped to your customers as and when they place an order, as opposed to you ordering in bulk. Ordering in bulk means you’d have to undertake most of the workload like the ordering, packaging and shipping. While some like to keep a close eye on their stock and undertake these tasks themselves, it can be laborious, expensive and time-consuming. 

So we’ve reimagined print-on-demand with PrintLink. Mixam will provide publishers with a shareable link that contains a free virtual preview of your print files. When enabled, you can share it anywhere online. But every time your customers place an order via an enabled link, we’ll print, cut, bind and ship your work for you, allowing you to streamline your income with a pricing strategy strategically tailored to your needs. It’s also a low-risk print method, meaning you won’t lose money if you don't hit your sales target, and you can also disable your link anytime you want.

PrintLink is perfect for personal and commercial projects. For example, you could be a writer wanting to turn your manuscript into a Reading Book. You can either set up a PrintLink with previous orders or get a quote for a new order. Once you’re satisfied with your proofs, you’ll receive a unique link containing the preview, which you can enable for online sharing. You could share the link with family and friends, or add it to your website, social media channels or email marketing to promote your new title and encourage buyers to purchase a printed copy. 

This service also has pricing strategies for a kaleidoscope of projects. Each one provides the flexibility to choose what you earn, if anything, and this figure will appear in your production cost summary. And if later you decide to make changes to your pricing, unlike other print-on-demand companies, you won’t have to start a new order or generate a new PrintLink. We’ll update any pricing changes straight away. You can choose from the following:

• Production Cost: This option lets you sell your publication to buyers at production cost. There is no additional markup, and you will not receive any revenue payment for any orders. This option is great if you're a new starter or want to establish yourself and your work. Plus, you can always change from this option to another strategy if you plan to profit from customer orders later.

• Fixed Markup: This option means you set a fixed revenue payment for each order. You earn the same amount per sale regardless of production cost fluctuations. The final retail price will vary depending on production costs. It will help you quickly open another revenue stream, and your profits will be easily trackable.

• Percentage Markup: This option means you apply a markup percentage to the production cost. The final retail price, as well as your revenue payment, will vary depending on production costs. But like Fixed Markup, this is a beneficial way for publishers to save time and money.

There are multiple benefits to PrintLink. One advantage is there is no inventory, and you won't have to worry about money tied up in unsold stock. You can also save on vital storage space, meaning you can spend your money and time on other activities, like promoting your publication. Furthermore, when you design your print files, there are no limits to the number of edits you can make.

Plus, most print-on-demand services insist that creators submit their work with an ISBN or barcode. But we know that not all print work has commercial purposes, and purchasing an ISBN can be expensive. At Mixam, we take a more relaxed approach -  you don’t have to add an ISBN or barcode if it’s not necessary. PrintLink is also an attractive option for our environmentally-conscious society. Customers are increasingly aware of how their buying habits affect the world around them, and setting up a PrinkLink means we will use resources, materials, and energy only when needed.

PrintLink continues to expand and improve with your help, and we’d appreciate hearing your thoughts and opinions about it here. This service includes a wide choice of print specifications, and the free shareable flipbook preview is just the first exciting step on your self-publishing journey. You can also expect fast turnaround times as standard. You and your customers can still access 24-hour professional help from our print experts, who are happy to share their years of print knowledge to help you and your customers get the most out of PrintLink. 

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 here.

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.

Article Image Credit: Unsplash