Amazon Publication Invoice

A lot has happened since the prior quotation for this job and it has been a steep learning curve for the better part of it.

First of all, I learned that quotes don't usually include tax so you can expect 20% increase on top afterwards. This, as you can imagine isn't particularly nice if you didn't expect it or have the knowledge to begin with.

However, I also learned (thanks to Joe, who has again been a hero) that print jobs that are complete publications (i.e the entire job of printing AND binding is quoted as one job) are exempt from tax.

SO... instead of quoting the print job from Team and the binding from Spink and Thackray separately (meaning two lots of tax on two separate jobs), I was able to get Team to outsource to Spink (as they usually do anyway) all in one go and therefore get the entire publication completed without having to pay tax on the job.

As a result, final billing for 68 complete case bound Amazon Publications (three more from last time) was £1,305 (£19.19 per unit)... and in budget. Brilliant.

This also means that I don't have to transport prints from Team to Spink and that I can simply collect the final books from just around the corner. Also brilliant.

A few other lessons learned were that you have to pay up front when the job is the first one between you and the printers. Fair enough in my opinion.

Not so good though was the fact that proofs got couriered to my door without prior warning (good luck I got home about 15minutes earlier). I guess that I can't moan as the quality is looking amazing and the process has been really prompt... it's just that I feel as if I have been navigating in the dark and learning as I've been getting everything done.

I think it may be my own fault for not mentioning that I was a student, but from previous experience this 'label' has given the impression that I'm after a quote for a job that will never come to anything. Rough with the smooth it seems.

All-in-all, it's a case of lots learned and even more gained.

I can't wait for the final product to be ready for collection. The experience has been a rollcoaster, but one I have been glad to have been a part of.

(oh and one final note... I am quite aware that if this were a professionally paid job I would have to be charging a substantial amount due to the high unit cost of a small print run. For now though, I am very grateful of the experiences that I have gained in both the design process and the print negotiations).