Espresso Book Machines

[Christopher Valen]

The Economist has an interesting article on the Espresso Book Machines and the rise in digital book printing. You can read the article by clicking on the following link:

http://www.economist.com/business-finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id...

[I. J. Parker]

I don't care for the idea.

[Christopher Valen]

I haven't seen any of the Espresso machines around Mpls. and St. Paul, but I have heard they're being used in England.

[Jack Getze]

If I owned a bookstore, I think I'd want one of these machines to reduce inventory costs. I'd carry and display the stuff that sells regularly, plus a good inventory of new books. And then a nice machine and the Expresso Catalogue with three million other titles my customer could print up right there.

Wonder what the quality's like?

[Christopher Valen]

I haven't seen any books printed on the Espresso, Jack, but from what I've heard the quality is good. I think you've hit on the key selling point, inventory control. As the Economist article stated, 30% of all books printed are returned. That's a high percentage and a huge waste of paper and resources. Anything that could lower the return rate would be good for authors and publishers. The big retailers already have most of the advantages. Small stores could essentially have as large an inventory as the major retailers and more books would be "in stock" if all the customer had to do was print it on the machine instead of hope it was on a shelf.

[John McFetridge]

A couple of universities in Canada (University of Alberta in Edmonton and McMaster University in Hamilton) are using the machines. A little whil ago a publisherhad a simultaneous book launch atthe two schools and used the machine as part of the launch party. As far as I know it went very well and people were happy with the quality of the books.

But I have heard that publishers and schools are going to bypass printed books completely and use a subscription service for e-books.

[Christopher Valen]

Interesting to know that two Canadian Universities are using the machines. Thanks for the info, John.

[D.R. MacMaster]

I will support anything that puts real books in people's hands. I don't really care for e-books, too many traps related to DRM and formats and other techno-crap, stuff you don't have to deal with when you have a nice physically real book on your shelf.

I wish my local bookstore had one, it would probably be still in business if it did.

[Christopher Valen]

I think the machine could benefit many small bookstores, D.R.

[Jude Hardin]

I think it's a great idea, as long as the quality is at least as good as the mass market paperbacks on the shelves now.

[Stacy]

Isn't it true Barnes and Noble were thinking of doing this one day? I think I heard that in a forum discussion last year. I'm gonna go read the article now!

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Christopher Valen]

Stacy,

I don't know if B&N has plans to do this or not. Maybe someone else knows?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

So this is basically the book equivalent of a Redbox. I haven't used the latter, but I know it's been successful in these parts.