Bookmasters vs. Lightning Source

Go with Bookmasters - you cannot go wrong. They have SO MANY plusses going for them.
Please contact me directly for more details!

Just a short note, with either of these resources, you will be the publisher and need to be set up accordingly. From what I know, Bookmasters can handle a few more of the tasks you need to do. LS is a printing source, mainly POD, single copy to a few dozen at a time, but they can handle larger runs if you need them too from the info I've received.

Another diff I found when I compared the two is Bookmasters is more expensive overall, but they do take some of the burden off of you, which is a trade off some feel is worth it. Tombookpub, I'd be interested in knowing why you really like Bookmasters. Maybe you can post a few highlights here.

If you are a publisher, you need your own ISBNs. They do normally come in a block of 10, however, you can buy one legally from http://www.booksjustbooks.com which might be a way to go if you're not sure how many books you want to do on your own beyond your first.

Hope that helps.

Bookmasters Plusses

1. You set your own book price.
2. You are your own publisher.
3. You have 2 options to print (digital and offset)
4. Bookmasters can get your book listed on the Ingram as well as Baker & Taylor DBs as a distributor.
5. They can also fulfill book orders.
6. Competitive pricing

I could go on and on....

Thanks Tombookpub,
Most of those things are also the case with LSI, except not certain about their relationship with Baker & Taylor. I got info/prices from Bookmasters a couple of years ago, so it might be worth checking back with them for an update.

It looks better, in the eyes of others (reviewers, wholesalers, book buyers) if you buy a block of 10. They can tell in some way, shape or form - as I seem to recall. If you go the ebook route too, you would have used up two for any book.

Once again, you should pick up a book or two and start versing yourself with this detailed process.

Bookmasters is a standout among the many for many reasons. However, I experienced problems with the first run of 1500 books where they did not satisfactorily ready the book for printing and, as a result, had to rerun the entire lot. Out of the deal, I got 500 books free. A few graphics designers have also claimed problems with how they handle the inner design.

I have used Lightning Source for years now and have always been pleased with their service, pricing, and quality. The added bonus of having them connected with Ingram takes all of the hassle out of sales to Amazon and such, since I prefer to focus my marketing efforts on direct sales within my niche.

Returns

Do either of these companies handle returns of books?

BookMasters has a good reputation, but in order to determine whether they're better than, let's say, Lightning Source, one would need to do a direct comparison of cost, quality, etc. I know someone who used BookMasters several years ago for offset printing and incurred a monthly charge for storage and fulfillment, so you’ll want to estimate how many books you’ll need to sell each month to offset this expense. Their digital offering may be more cost effective. This same person also discovered that one of his books had several pages missing. The person he spoke with, who sounds like she had incorrect information, said they could go through the remaining books to make sure they had no missing pages but there would be a charge per book! That was several years ago. As with any printer, just make sure they will take care of their mistakes at no cost to you. In all, they’re supposedly efficient, have some good people working there, and generally put out a good product.

beccam said:

Do either of these companies handle returns of books?

Click to expand...

Does anyone have any idea how BookMasters handle book returns?

Bookmasters

I'm using BookMasters and have been very happy with them so far. The quality of the printed version of my book (hard cover with jacket) was very good. They also did a reasonably good job on our documentary DVD.

We've had quite a few orders through their 800 number and Web site (linked to our site) and everything seems to be moving along nicely.

So far, so good--mark me up as a happy BookMasters customer. ;-)

I'd never heard of Book Masters til now. Thanks for the info.

I DO NOT RECOMMEnD BOOKMASTERS! Unless you have money to just throw away every month for every little thing they do for you that others do for free. Example: They charge if you send them books, they charge to create a barcodes. They will charge if you sneeze over the phone. I predict they will not be in business much longer. BEWARE

Do you HAVE to use their cover templates, or are those just offered to help people who aren't savvy to graphic design? I'm a designer who can layout a cover design (and have done so on other successful publishing projects), and I wonder if BM or LS lets a client stick to our own designs, or whether they require one of theirs.

I know how bookmasters handles book returns. I called them not long ago because my second publisher uses them for distribution and printing. I asked them that exact question because LSI is so fickle about what they do with returned books and I wanted to know. BM's said that when they get returned-from-the-bookstore books, they put them in a "certain" place in inventory for the publisher to decide what to do with them. On top of that, the publisher has to pay BM's a separate fee for returned-from-the-bookstore books as well as return shipping (that I'm not sure about but I am sure about the fees.)

About a week after I asked about returned books, I called BM's to buy ten at my author's discount. I expected to get 10 new books. HA! I opened up the box they sent me and right there on the top were four books, signed and dated by me with a B&N author autograph sticker blatantly on the front. When I called to ask what in the hell was going on, they said "oh my! That shouldn't have happened. We never sell used books as new." I was told I could keep the six books which were signed and dated and they would send me six more or I could return the books and get six more (what kind of sense does that make) or I could simply just ask for my money back on those six. I told them that since there was no guarantee they wouldn't send six more USED books as new that I simply wanted my money back.

A day later I was asked if I could please send the books back so they could use them to "show their inventory people what to look for in the future when sending books out."

My response to that was No thank-you. I'll keep the books as according to what I was told by BM's when I inquired, used books were put in a separate place inventory for the publisher to decide what to do with them. I'm pretty sure my publisher didn't authorize you to send out used books (signed and dated with stickers on the front) as new. They complied and I got my money back and kept the used books they sent me as new.

You also might like to know that BM's makes money/commission by selling your books to bookstores. In one months time they oversold my publishers books to the tune of over 900 dollars. That's over 900 dollars in returned-from-the-bookstore fees charged to my small publisher because book stores send the books right back when they don't sell.

If you want the scoop on LSI and returned books, I can give that to you as well. First hand experience. Yes. You have to be careful.

Yep MikeAnthony! You're exactly right!!!!!!

LSI gives you three options when it comes to returns: 1) Don't accept them, 2) Accept returns and let LSI destroy them, or 3) Accept returns and have them sent to you.

Option 1 is free of course. Option 2, they charge the wholesale price of the book. Option 3, they charge you the wholesale price of the book plus $2 shipping.

As far as ISBN's go, Bowker is the main seller of ISBN's and sells in blocks of 10, 100 or 1000. They have recently set up a service where you can buy them individually. Check out https://www.myidentifiers.com/ That is much more expensive in the long run, however.

KP

For those interested and still reading this thread, Option 3 does not operate the way it reads. One would easily assume that what it means is that LSI charges you $2 to send your returned-from-the-bookstore book back to you. Nope (and yes I have emails where they responded.) What it means is that they print you a NEW copy and charge you $2 for shipping that to you. And they're all happy and giggly when they tell you this almost as if to cover up the fact that what they just told you is NOT what was written on the POD contract.

When I asked what they did with my "returned" book they answered that they destroy it? Really? So option 3 is pretty much option 2 OR if it isn't then perhaps it should read: Accept returns and LSI destroys it and prints you a new copy and sends that to you for $2 shipping. They do not honor the wording as it is in the POD contract as it is written. They would only concur that the wording needs to be changed. Of course most of the time you're already set up with them and in too deep to get out without losing money. *sigh*

Don't forget - ISBNs are free in Canada.