Anyone use Lulu to distribute? at DVinfo.net

Bill Mecca · January 8th, 2007, 12:58 PM

Publish on Demand, it looked like a great idea, upload my documentary, link to my store, consumers purchase, Lulu burns, labels, packages and ships and sends me a check.

Looks good til I went to upload the 1.36 Gb file, two tries now and it's died. Checked their forums and it seems to be a big issue. Even on residential DSL that was going to take 6 hours to upload(840 upload) I got to 51% last time before it cut me off.

Has anyone used it successfully, or know of another that operates similarly? Cafepress (which I used for band shirts etc) doesn't do DVD.

Matthew Craggs · January 8th, 2007, 07:48 PM

I remember when Cafe Press first got into CDs you couldn't upload tracks. You would have to make the CD yourself, send a copy to them, and they would then use that master copy to create each disc.

Perhaps you could contact Lulu and ask if they offer a similair arrangement, where you make a master copy, send it to the company, and they could use that copy to create the product.

Bill Mecca · January 9th, 2007, 08:43 AM

Good idea Matt,

but been there, done that. they don't accept it by snail mail, there is a user there who provides a $ervice for uploading, but even after its uploaded there seem to be problems, inserts printed incorrectly, discs not playing etc.

I know forums are rife with the unhappy. Happy users don't post as often, that is why I am soliciting comments.

I haven't given it the third try yet myself. not sure if its worth the frustration.

Jim Michael · January 10th, 2007, 06:46 AM

I think I've seen ads for Amazon doing on-demand production & distribution. Might check them out.

Paulo Teixeira · January 10th, 2007, 05:44 PM

I do have a Producers account with Google but I would charge 20% for the service. Basically Google gets 30% and you’re left with 50% of the total sales. You can use me until Google allows anybody to make money this way and it might be by the end of this year. Since it sounds like I’m advertising, I’d rather get permission from Chris Hurd to do business with any of you.

Henry Harrison · January 18th, 2007, 11:02 AM

I've used Customflix (now owned by Amazon.com) for the last year or so. They do accept snail mail (that's what I used) and they have all sorts of options for marketing. Their Amazon deal isn't what I'd preferr but it's pretty much no-fuss. The only fault I've found with them so far is that I've had to stay on top of them with their accounting, but its mainly been an issue of their system not paying out certain columns.
On the whole I would reccommend them. Its a very no fuss way of distribution.

Brian Andrews · January 24th, 2007, 09:28 AM

Uploading over 1gb files is not easy. Most residential DSL is below 768kb download and much, much lower upload.

Netflix is just now starting a streaming service. There is a reason they ship physical DVDs to your snail mailbox. $0.37 for 4+GB is the cheapest bandwidth around!

January 8th, 2007, 12:58 PM	#1
Bill Mecca Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 475	Anyone use Lulu to distribute? Publish on Demand, it looked like a great idea, upload my documentary, link to my store, consumers purchase, Lulu burns, labels, packages and ships and sends me a check. Looks good til I went to upload the 1.36 Gb file, two tries now and it's died. Checked their forums and it seems to be a big issue. Even on residential DSL that was going to take 6 hours to upload(840 upload) I got to 51% last time before it cut me off. Has anyone used it successfully, or know of another that operates similarly? Cafepress (which I used for band shirts etc) doesn't do DVD. __________________ Award-winning Pine Barrens Documentary! Video, Audio, Music & More

January 9th, 2007, 08:43 AM	#3
Bill Mecca Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 475	Good idea Matt, but been there, done that. they don't accept it by snail mail, there is a user there who provides a $ervice for uploading, but even after its uploaded there seem to be problems, inserts printed incorrectly, discs not playing etc. I know forums are rife with the unhappy. Happy users don't post as often, that is why I am soliciting comments. I haven't given it the third try yet myself. not sure if its worth the frustration. __________________ Award-winning Pine Barrens Documentary! Video, Audio, Music & More

January 10th, 2007, 05:44 PM	#5
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	I do have a Producers account with Google but I would charge 20% for the service. Basically Google gets 30% and you’re left with 50% of the total sales. You can use me until Google allows anybody to make money this way and it might be by the end of this year. Since it sounds like I’m advertising, I’d rather get permission from Chris Hurd to do business with any of you. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

January 8th, 2007, 07:48 PM	#2
Matthew Craggs Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Welland, Ontario Posts: 311	I remember when Cafe Press first got into CDs you couldn't upload tracks. You would have to make the CD yourself, send a copy to them, and they would then use that master copy to create each disc. Perhaps you could contact Lulu and ask if they offer a similair arrangement, where you make a master copy, send it to the company, and they could use that copy to create the product.

January 10th, 2007, 06:46 AM	#4
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	I think I've seen ads for Amazon doing on-demand production & distribution. Might check them out.

January 18th, 2007, 11:02 AM	#6
Henry Harrison New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bozeman, Montana Posts: 22	I've used Customflix (now owned by Amazon.com) for the last year or so. They do accept snail mail (that's what I used) and they have all sorts of options for marketing. Their Amazon deal isn't what I'd preferr but it's pretty much no-fuss. The only fault I've found with them so far is that I've had to stay on top of them with their accounting, but its mainly been an issue of their system not paying out certain columns. On the whole I would reccommend them. Its a very no fuss way of distribution.

January 24th, 2007, 09:28 AM	#7
Brian Andrews Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 69	Uploading over 1gb files is not easy. Most residential DSL is below 768kb download and much, much lower upload. Netflix is just now starting a streaming service. There is a reason they ship physical DVDs to your snail mailbox. $0.37 for 4+GB is the cheapest bandwidth around!