Costs to consider when printing CDs

Emerging musicians may showcase much of their material online and make it available for download, but this shouldn't replace the traditional physical album.

Gigs are great places to encourage people to purchase your music, but running off a number of CDs can come at a financial cost.

If you are therefore planning to produce a batch of CDs to sell at your merchandise stand or through your website, it is important to budget effectively.

Blank discs can be picked up for next to nothing these days, so it is the packaging and inlays that could be more costly.

Wallet sleeves are the cheapest cases to buy and put in the post, but they don't necessarily make your album look professional.

Standard CD jewel cases are slightly more expensive but do add a lot to the look of your product - and they are also far more difficult for punters to misplace.

Research the various postage prices that are currently on offer and how they equate with the cost of packaging.

See how they fall into your budget and decide which one represents the best value.

It is not just the music that you are sending out to people - it is an overall product that you want to portray your band effectively.

Product category: Electronic musical instruments