Amazon.co.jp starts print on demand (POD) which prints and delivers books for each order, corresponds from 1 volume

A major mail-order site Amazon.co.jp has started a service "Print on Demand (POD)" that prints and delivers books for each order.

By adopting a format that prints and ship books for each order, you can eliminate the state of "out of stock", and it is said that there are various merits such as being able to offer books at low cost.

Details are as below.
Amazon.co.jp: Print on Demand (POD)


According to the page of "Print on Demand (POD)" service set up at Amazon.co.jp, the service can print promptly from one volume according to user's order by on-demand printing technology, It is said that it will be shipped, and the book to which this program is applied will be in a state of "in stock" that can be shipped all the time.

Also, as merit of publishers and authors, there are the following points, such as the fact that there is no need to print books in advance and keep them as inventory, and that even out-of-print books can be provided to users at low cost.

· Even out-of-print books, rare books, special order books, foreign languages ​​and large typographic versions, even products that were relatively costly in the past can be offered to domestic customers at low cost
· Reduce the risk of printing large numbers of copies and the cost of keeping inventory
· You can sell overseas publications in Japan by reducing transportation expenses to Japan, costs of keeping inventory in Japan, etc.
· It is possible to sell Japanese publications abroad by reducing distribution costs

Unfortunately at the moment there are mainly foreign books, but if there are things like domestic publishers getting involved or printing doujinshi and others will become possible, will not it be quite interesting service?