DiggyPOD

What DiggyPOD is

DiggyPOD is an American book printer and self-publishing service that prints every book in its own facility in Tecumseh, Michigan. The home page says so directly: "Every book we print is produced in our U.S.-based facility in Tecumseh, Michigan", and it presents in-house printing as the reason for faster turnaround, consistent quality control and "no overseas delays". It prints paperbacks, hardcovers and spiral-bound books for self-publishing authors, publishers, schools and organizations, and sells a range of editorial services around the printing.

The company describes itself as having more than 36 years of experience and claims over 3,500 five-star reviews; the home page also says it is trusted by 30k+ authors and 500+ companies. Its footer dates the site to 2004. DiggyPOD is a short-run printer rather than a distribution platform: the author orders copies, DiggyPOD prints and ships them, and the author sells them. Authors keep "100% ownership of their book rights", the FAQ says, and the pricing page sums up its terms as "No contracts, no hidden fees."

What it prints

Books come in paperback (perfect bound), hardcover or spiral binding, with black-and-white interiors, full color, or a mix of both. The order calculator offers trim sizes from 4" x 6" to 8.5" x 11" in portrait and matching landscape formats such as 11" x 8.5". Paper stocks listed for softcovers are 50# Offset White, 60# Offset Natural, 60# Offset White, 70# Offset Smooth and 80# Gloss White.

Hardcovers have a minimum page count that depends on the paper, according to the pricing page:

• 50# Offset White, black-and-white pages: 42 pages minimum
• 60# Offset White: 36 pages
• 60# Offset Natural: 34 pages
• 70# Offset Smooth: 30 pages
• 80# Gloss Text White: 45 pages

Covers are printed on 10pt C1S cover stock with free gloss lamination, and matte lamination is available as an alternative. The spine calculator page explains that DiggyPOD's perfect-bound spines are scored four times, including a hinge score, which it calls the hinged binding.

The home page's genre section shows who orders: children's picture books and early readers, Christian and other faith titles, cookbooks (spiral, paperback or hardcover, including fundraiser cookbooks), genealogy and family histories, fiction, personal development, poetry chapbooks and school yearbooks. One testimonial comes from an organization that has printed conference workbooks for 6 conferences.

Published prices

DiggyPOD prints a worked example on its price page. For a 5.5" x 8.5" paperback with 68 black-and-white pages on 50# white offset, perfect bound, with a full-color gloss-laminated cover, the price per book is:

• 50 books: $4.35 plus shipping
• 100 books: $3.34 with free shipping
• 250 books: $2.65 with free shipping
• 300 books: $2.59 with free shipping
• 500 books: $2.16 with free shipping
• 1,000 books: $1.86 with free shipping

The page explains why the unit price falls: each order carries fixed setup costs for file review, press preparation and binding setup, which are spread across more copies as the run grows. Orders of 100 books or more qualify for free ground shipping. The FAQ puts short-run paperbacks in a typical range of $2 to $7 per unit depending on specifications and quantity, and confirms that color interiors cost more than black and white. Shipping rates for smaller orders are calculated by ZIP code in the quote calculator. A banner offers 10% off a first order with the code NEWTODIGGY.

Quotes come from an online calculator where the customer chooses size, paper, binding, page counts and quantity, and can pick production speed; the menu also lists an expedited printing service. A quote can be saved by creating an account and edited later, with files added before printing.

Files, proofs and samples

DiggyPOD reviews files before printing. The sample book page describes the review as "A free service that ensures your book files are error-free, print-ready, and backed by DiggyPOD's quality guarantee", and a call to action promises that the team will make sure everything is print-ready, "fast, free, and included with every order". Every order includes a free online PDF proof; physical bound and unbound proofs cost extra.

For authors who lay out their own books, the site offers free Microsoft Word templates in 9 sizes, with the margins already set, plus instructions for mirror margins (.5" top, bottom and outside, .8" inside) and a 1/8" bleed on each side. It suggests Adobe InDesign for books with bleeds and recommends exporting PDFs with the PDF/x-1a:2001 setting. A spine width calculator covers softcovers, and first-time authors can use a free book spine creation service with cover templates that can be laid out in Word.

Anyone unsure about quality can request a free sample book. The sample page says it shows the color and black-and-white print quality, the paper options, a color cover with gloss lamination, and perfect binding with the hinged spine.

Editorial and other services

Printing sits alongside a list of paid services, with price ranges based on a 200-page book with five images or less:

• Author coaching: $1,500 to $3,000
• Developmental editing: $1,000 to $2,500
• Line editing: $1,000 to $2,000
• Typesetting and interior design: $1,500 to $2,000
• Cover design: $1,000 to $3,000
• Proofreading: $600 to $1,000
• E-book production, including support loading to Amazon KDP: $300 to $400
• Ghostwriting, copy editing and audiobook production: custom pricing

The menu also lists ISBN numbers, barcode creation and book marketing education. A branded storefront with warehousing and fulfillment is marked "COMING SOON".

Guarantees and support

The home page offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee: if books arrive with a printing defect, binding issue or shipping damage and the customer gets in touch within 30 days, DiggyPOD reprints at no cost. It also states a value guarantee to make things right if it misses on quality, service or delivery.

Support is by phone, with a toll-free line at 1-877-944-7844 and a second number, 866-595-9970, and the site's menu promises "Yes, we actually answer the phone!" Hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern, closed at weekends. A free 15-minute call covers the printing process, pricing, shipping and turnaround, with no obligation to order, and a follow-up email summarizes what was discussed. The home page says its U.S.-based support team is a recipient of the Newsweek Customer Service Award. The office is at 301 Industrial Drive, Tecumseh, MI 49286. Once a book is printed, reorders and changes for future printings are straightforward, according to the FAQ.

Who it suits

DiggyPOD suits a self-publishing author or small publisher in the US who wants to buy a short run of finished books at a known price and sell them directly. The published price ladder, free shipping from 100 copies and free file review make the numbers easy to plan, and the phone support is aimed squarely at first-time authors.

It is a weaker fit for an author who wants a supplier to ship individual customer orders as they come in: the storefront with warehousing and fulfillment is still marked coming soon, and the published price example starts at 50 copies.