Session: Session 0003 Print-on-Demand Research
Date: January 19, 2026 Duration: ~2 hours Focus: Print-on-demand vendor evaluation for Say It Now
Summary
Comprehensive research into print-on-demand options for the Say It Now tribute book platform. Evaluated 8 vendors against acceptance criteria including API availability, pricing, quality, book sizes, shipping, and integration effort.
Work Completed
1. POD Vendor Research Document
Created print-on-demand-research.md with:
- Executive summary comparing 8 vendors
- API availability assessment for each vendor
- Pricing comparison (Lulu vs Blurb detailed)
- Quality comparison (paper weight, binding, color)
- Book formats & sizes including coffee table options
- Shipping options with delivery times
- File requirements (PDF specs for each)
- Payment models (wholesale vs passthrough)
- Customer reviews from similar use cases (StoryWorth, memorial books)
- Digital/eBook options
- Cost analysis for Say It Now pricing tiers
2. Vendors Evaluated
| Vendor | API | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lulu | Yes | Yes | Best API, quality paper, no minimums |
| Blurb | Yes | Yes | Best photo quality, coffee table sizes |
| IngramSpark | No | No | No API, portal-only workflow |
| Amazon KDP | No | No | No API for custom books |
| Peecho | Yes | Maybe | Good for EU market |
| Prodigi | Yes | Maybe | Complex file requirements |
| BookBaby | No | No | 25+ minimum, offset model |
| Printful | Yes | No | No photo books |
3. Key Findings
Lulu recommended as primary because:
- Free REST API with excellent documentation
- No minimum orders (perfect for one-off tribute books)
- Best paper quality (60# vs competitors' 55#)
- Global shipping with expedited options
- Wholesale payment model (we keep the margin)
Blurb recommended as secondary because:
- Superior photo quality (HP Indigo printing)
- Largest book size (13x11" coffee table)
- Layflat binding option
- StoryWorth (similar use case) uses Blurb successfully
IngramSpark not suitable because:
- No public API for programmatic ordering
- Portal-only workflow requires manual uploads
- Model is for bookstore distribution, not custom per-order books
Amazon KDP not suitable because:
- No API for third-party integration
- Would require manual upload of each book
- Cannot programmatically submit custom content
4. Domain Availability Updates
Updated cloudflare-tlds.md:
.howconfirmed available at $20.20.todayconfirmed not available
Decisions Made
- Primary POD vendor: Lulu (API quality, no minimums, global shipping)
- Secondary POD vendor: Blurb (photo quality, coffee table sizes)
- IngramSpark: Not pursuing (no API, wrong model)
- Amazon KDP: Not pursuing (no API)
- eBook conversion: Will do in-house (Blurb discontinued ebook support)
Next Steps
- Order sample books from Lulu and Blurb (same content, compare quality)
- Test Lulu API with sandbox environment
- Contact Blurb about custom API if photo quality becomes priority
- Decide final POD vendor based on sample comparison
Files Created/Modified
| File | Action |
|---|---|
| print-on-demand-research.md | Created |
| cloudflare-tlds.md | Updated |
| 20260119-zoom-meeting.md | Updated |
Cost Analysis Summary
For a typical 50-page color tribute book:
| Option | Shipping | Total | Margin @ $69 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lulu paperback | ~$8-12 | ~$4-6 | ~$12-18 | ~$51-57 |
| Lulu hardcover | ~$15-20 | ~$4-6 | ~$19-26 | ~$43-50 |
| Blurb softcover | ~$20-30 | ~$5-8 | ~$25-38 | ~$31-44 |
| Blurb hardcover | ~$40-60 | ~$5-8 | ~$45-68 | ~$1-24 |
Recommendation: Lulu for standard tiers, Blurb for premium "coffee table" tier.