Where to Get Multiple Copies of Photobook Published: I would like to create a 20-25 page photobook for friends and family - about 20 copies. When I have done this before (Shutterfly...

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

I would like to create a 20-25 page photobook for friends and family - about 20 copies. When I have done this before (Shutterfly, Wal-Mart) there hasn't been any discount for multiple copies - the price is the same per copy for 1 or 20. It seems like it should be cheaper if you do several copies. Any recommended sites that allow you to create your own photobook and have good quality at a reasonable price?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

MikWar wrote:

I would like to create a 20-25 page photobook for friends and family - about 20 copies. When I have done this before (Shutterfly, Wal-Mart) there hasn't been any discount for multiple copies - the price is the same per copy for 1 or 20. It seems like it should be cheaper if you do several copies. Any recommended sites that allow you to create your own photobook and have good quality at a reasonable price?

Just out of curiosity, why would you think it should be cheaper?

It probably depends upon the process being used, which if designed for small production runs may not yield any cost savings regardless of the number of copies being made.

From the business perspective if one person buying 20 copies of one thing is the same as 20 people buying 1 copy each of 20 different things, the concept of volume discounts is meaningless.

Linary Loc: UK

MikWar wrote:

I would like to create a 20-25 page photobook for friends and family - about 20 copies. When I have done this before (Shutterfly, Wal-Mart) there hasn't been any discount for multiple copies - the price is the same per copy for 1 or 20. It seems like it should be cheaper if you do several copies. Any recommended sites that allow you to create your own photobook and have good quality at a reasonable price?

Make that 500 copies and you will get a discount. Digital Printing has a unit cost which does not really alter in the very small runs. The set up charge for printing and binding is exactly the same for 1 or 100 copies, the digital run-on price is the same, the binding set up and run-on price is the same.

Over (say) 500 copies, the printing method would be different even though the binding would be the same.

Any cost savings should be in post and packing charges.

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

Peterff wrote:

Just out of curiosity, why would you think it should be cheaper?

It probably depends upon the process being used, which if designed for small production runs may not yield any cost savings regardless of the number of copies being made.

From the business perspective if one person buying 20 copies of one thing is the same as 20 people buying 1 copy each of 20 different things, the concept of volume discounts is meaningless.

Good question - I just assumed (there's that word..) that producing many copies would be less expensive than 1 copy. In manufacturing, setting up to produce many copies is cheaper than setting up for a few copies. Perhaps the set-up in publishing is minimal. I wonder if anyone has found a site that discounts multiple copies.

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

Linary wrote:

Make that 500 copies and you will get a discount. Digital Printing has a unit cost which does not really alter in the very small runs. Any cost savings should be in post and packing charges.

Interesting - out of curiosity, do you know of any sites that discount 500 copies?
Mike

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Peterff wrote:

Just out of curiosity, why would you think it should be cheaper?

It probably depends upon the process being used, which if designed for small production runs may not yield any cost savings regardless of the number of copies being made.

From the business perspective if one person buying 20 copies of one thing is the same as 20 people buying 1 copy each of 20 different things, the concept of volume discounts is meaningless.

Many businesses offer discounts for buying several of one item. It could be three or more or fifty or more. Rather than go through twenty separate transactions, there is one transaction selling twenty items. When I was a kid, I worked in a supermarket. We gave a 5% discount for buying a case. Someone brought it out from the back,and we sold two dozen items without anyone have to put them on the shelf and stamp the price on each. There was one transaction at the register, rather than twenty.

I'm sure a discount is available from some publisher, but it would depend on the number of books qualifying for the discount. I would try Adoramapix.
https://www.adoramapix.com/

Linary Loc: UK

MikWar wrote:

Interesting - out of curiosity, do you know of any sites that discount 500 copies?
Mike

In the UK there are many digital printers using rotary digital presses (Indigo) that can scale charges. I would imagine the same in the states, but you would need to search for Digital Printers and get quotes.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

MikWar wrote:

I would like to create a 20-25 page photobook for friends and family - about 20 copies. When I have done this before (Shutterfly, Wal-Mart) there hasn't been any discount for multiple copies - the price is the same per copy for 1 or 20. It seems like it should be cheaper if you do several copies. Any recommended sites that allow you to create your own photobook and have good quality at a reasonable price?

Yes, Adoramapix does give a discount. I just did a quick "build," and a $37 book became $34 when I selected six or more. Of course, pricing depends on the size of the book and the number of pictures. I've gotten several books from them, and they ranged in price from $16 to $80. I never select one of their preset designs. I decide where the pics go on each page.

https://www.adoramapix.com/

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

jerryc41 wrote:

Many businesses offer discounts for buying several... (show quote)

Good point, but this really an economics / product management issue. Part of the reason that these services are available is because the technology available today makes small volume production viable but the process may not scale.

High volume would likely involve different processes where the economies of scale can come into play.

You have to run the numbers to know where volume breaks make sense. For small jobs it is highly variable.

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I have used Picaboo for books I give to family at Xmas. I've never been disappointed.

paul2u Loc: W/PA

Vistaptint will make photo books 5.5 x 7.5 one for $10,00 5/$47.00 8/$74.00 etc. Vistaprint.com

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

jerryc41 wrote:

Yes, Adoramapix does give a discount. I just did a quick "build," and a $37 book became $34 when I selected six or more. Of course, pricing depends on the size of the book and the number of pictures. I've gotten several books from them, and they ranged in price from $16 to $80. I never select one of their preset designs. I decide where the pics go on each page.

https://www.adoramapix.com/

Jerry, how many pages/ photos are in a book of that cost?

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

jerryc41 wrote:

Yes, Adoramapix does give a discount. I just did a quick "build," and a $37 book became $34 when I selected six or more. Of course, pricing depends on the size of the book and the number of pictures. I've gotten several books from them, and they ranged in price from $16 to $80. I never select one of their preset designs. I decide where the pics go on each page.

https://www.adoramapix.com/

Very helpful. Thanks for the info and link.
Mike

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

joehel2 wrote:

I have used Picaboo for books I give to family at Xmas. I've never been disappointed.

Thanks - I'll check them out.
Mike

MikWar Loc: Chicago, Western Suburbs

paul2u wrote:

Vistaptint will make photo books 5.5 x 7.5 one for $10,00 5/$47.00 8/$74.00 etc. Vistaprint.com

Great Suggestion - thanks. I'll check them out.

Mike