Price Quote Network Developing Fan Base

Four months ago, Jerrold Jenkins, the CEO of the Jenkins Group, a custom publishing services firm in Traverse City, Mich., rolled out Printellectual, a book printing price quote network.

Printellectual resembles LendingTree.com—but instead of mortgages, think books. Publishers register (membership is free) on Printellectual's Web site (printellectual.com) and enter their book project specifications for either offset printing or POD. The specs are immediately relayed to either the 10 offset printers or the seven POD printers in the network (the companies are listed on the Web site). The printers can send bids directly to the publisher, who then can accept or refuse the lowest bid. The printers currently partnering with Jenkins include Thomson-Shore, Edwards Brothers, and Sheridan.

Jordan said the tremendous growth in the number of publishers was the impetus to start Printellectual. "When I got into publishing 16 years ago, there were 10,000–15,000 publishers. Now, there are 80,000 book publishers. Book manufacturers have only a limited sales force, and many of the small publishers are unfamiliar with them. Printellectual's efficiency makes publishers' lives easier. Printers like it, because they don't have to expend energy trying to reach publishers," Jenkins said. Jenkins receives a fee from the printer after the job closes.

To date, 600 publishers have used Printellectual, including Robert van Hoose, of Homily Grits Publishing, in Ocala, Fla. He told PW, "I'm a fan. I saved $16,000. I had seven bids from seven reputable printers for exactly what I asked for—paper quality, quantities, color, everything."