on-line publishing

[nisaba]

you know on-line publishers - things like Lulu, authorcrossing and the like?

Does anyone know if there's an on-line publisher who does cards as well as books? Just a stray, random thought ...

[gregory]

Do you mean one who prints them for you ? If so - yes, but the upfront cost is.... OUCHish.

And the size is VERY standard.

Details from another forum I'm on:

2.5 x 3.75 final card size

Option 1: Printed and cut, 6.53 per deck, 143.76 upfront

Option 2: Printed and uncut, 5.90 per deck, 129.90 upfront

Option 3: Printed, uncut, and laminated, 7.72 per deck, 169.90 upfront

------------------------

3 x 4.5 final card size

Option 4: Printed and cut, 10.39 per deck, 228.62 upfront

Option 5: Printed and uncut, 9.84 per deck, 216.50 upfront

Option 6: Printed, uncut, and laminated, 11.66 per deck, 256.50 upfront

------------------------
Plus shipping.

There is also a site called Playing cards R Us.

based on a 54-card deck, Custom Printed Backs & Faces, Premium 280 Paper Card Stock with Plastic Coating 25+ decks - $9.70 each (25 is the absolute minimum).

but they seem to want more for tarot decks. I can PM you a link to the thread....

But if you DON'T mean that - surely you can just post them for download for anyone willing to pay.....

ETA Lulu says it does images..... and they do have some postcards...Worth a contact ?

[canid]

Those prices are, indeed ouch, however, extremely reasonable when you consider a traditional offset printer will charge, hmm, for 78 scans, film, however many plates they'd use to fit however many cards on, I'm guessing at $2,000 just for prep time, then another $2,000 for press time. And THEN you're in charge of marketing them, packaging, handling payments, mailing....sounds like printers are getting rich, but they're not.

[cirom]

Originally Posted by canid

Those prices are, indeed ouch, however, extremely reasonable when you consider a traditional offset printer will charge, hmm, for 78 scans, film, however many plates they'd use to fit however many cards on, I'm guessing at $2,000 just for prep time, then another $2,000 for press time. And THEN you're in charge of marketing them, packaging, handling payments, mailing....sounds like printers are getting rich, but they're not.

Most offset printers won't have a die cut for trimming rounded corners, This will often require a third party to produce a special die to match the size and configuration. And don't forget the collating costs, who will put all those trimmed cards into order? None but the specialist printers will have any machines capable of doing this, so its a human process, card by card, deck by deck. Oh and what about the printing of an outer box or bag to put them in?

So using printers that do specialize in producing cards will most certainly be cheaper. However they are only an option if you use the standard sizes, and card stock that they are geared to. Anything customized or different and all bets are off.

[baba-prague]

Yes, I'm just jumping in to agree. The printing itself is the least of the issues. It's the cutting, collating, making sure the stock and varnish/lamination is good, getting it boxed etc etc, that tends to push up the cost.

I just don't imagine there is enough market for print-on-demand for something so complex. Playing cards are different - several places will print on demand a standard playing card (in their design and format) with a space in which your own graphic is printed on each card - they tend to be done for promotions, special events and so on. It's a long way from a tarot deck though.