An overview of our print management service

Need printing? We offer long-run offset and short-run digital printing to suit your project and print volumes. We handle the printing of most products, from high-quality, full-colour coffee table books and trade paperbacks, to business and educational books, annual reports, catalogues and magazines. If it can be printed, we do it.

We understand printing. We combine a strong background in graphic design with extensive experience in print production and knowledge of the book trade to offer you expert advice on papers; paper thickness; binding and finishing options; cost-effective page counts; and the process best suited to your book based on your quality requirements, budget, and the number of copies you intend printing. This is especially important when producing high-quality books or when printing in larger quantities, as poor decisions and mistakes can prove very costly.

Limit your risk by letting us handle your printing. We spec the job, obtain comparative and competitive pricing from printers whose presses are best-suited to the job, liaise with the chosen printer, and take care of any issues that crop up along the way (and they do!). Rest assured that we are on your side and that you will receive books that meet professional print standards.

Choosing between litho (offset) and digital printing

Litho (offset) printing

Litho is generally recommended for print quantities greater than 750 books, and for full-colour work such as childrens’ books and coffee table books. Litho is also recommended for authors whose books have mass appeal and who intend selling through bookstores. This is because the unit cost per book on larger volumes is much lower than on smaller volumes and there is greater likelihood of making a profit after the distribution chain has taken its hefty cut of 75% of the selling price. 

Litho offers greater flexibility when it comes to binding and finishing options, and the quality is superior to digital printing. The downside is that litho printing requires a higher capital investment due to the larger print quantities, which in turn results in greater financial risk for the author if books don’t sell.

Digital printing

Digital is best suited to smaller print runs of 1–750 books. It is ideal for small-scale distribution through a single third party, and for direct-to-customer sales.

It is often less suited to high-quality, full-colour work due to the relatively high cost of digital colour. If you’re printing a book in colour, but photographic colour quality is not needed, you can consider commercial inkjet printing – an affordable alternative. Inkjet printing is well suited to training manuals, handbooks, educational books, product catalogues, and so on. It is even suited to some children’s books, especially when unit cost is paramount.

Digital printing is also less suited to jobs requiring specialist finishes because digital printing papers and finishes are quite limited. Extra finishes are usually sent to external suppliers for fulfilment, resulting in additional markups and handling costs, as well as longer turnaround times.

The advantages of digital printing include lower financial risk for the author due to the lower print quantities; quicker turnaround times on printing; and the option to sell books through Publisher.co.za on a print-on-demand basis (no stock is held – books are printed and delivered to customers as and when they make a purchase).

Quotation turnaround time

• Digital: Quotes may take 1–2 working days
• Litho: Quotes may take 2–3 working days

Complex jobs, those that require a selection of different printing options or non-standard finishes, and prices being sourced overseas for best economy will take longer.

Printing turnaround time

Once files have been received and the printer’s proof has been signed off, the following timelines should be factored into your schedule:

• Digital: 5–7 working days, excl. delivery
• Litho: 10–15 working days for softcover books; 15–22 working days for hardcover books, excl. delivery

If books are being printed overseas, expect a 2,5 month lead time from start of printing to delivery of a final printed product at a South African port, plus the time it takes to get through customs. If you are considering an offshore option, production and printing must be planned well in advance.

Find out more about litho vs digital printing

Find out more about print-on-demand (POD)

Our easy printing, delivery and online distribution process

Sell your books online, quickly and easily

Publisher.co.za – SA’s leading online bookstore for indie books

Our work doesn’t stop with printing. Quickfox Publishing is the operator of Publisher.co.za – South Africa’s leading online bookstore for books published independently. Find out how to list your book on Publisher.co.za and start earning more than anywhere else.