In an effort to streamline its print-on-demand offerings for small publishers, Ingram is launching IngramSpark, a program that will offer an inexpensive and easy-to-use platform for small publisher clients to distribute print and digital titles. IngramSpark, which is being announced at BEA and set to launch in July, is aimed at making the distributor's current systems easier to use. Mark Ouimet, v-p and general manager at Ingram, said the company "wanted to make it easy for publishers to create an account and start uploading their content in just a few minutes."
Elaborating on IngramSpark, Ouimet said that this platform is intended to allow small publishers a "one stop shop" to be able to get digital distribution and print-on-demand for their titles. While Ouimet would not discuss the pricing structure--he said that information is not something the company is "not ready to roll publicly"--he noted that there wouldbe a "modest" and "competitive" set-up fee. (Ouimet added that there would be a set discount off of retail, and publisher would have a guaranteed compensation for any sales that happen through the program.) Ouimet noted that the program is geared at small publishers, and not individual authors.
Ingram will be doing demos of IngramSpark at their booth at BEA and, with plans for the services to go live July 1, a full rollout is expected by mid August.
