How to create a file (like PDF) and limit number of printouts

Question

I have created a brochure that organizations are very eager to use. They do want to buy electronic license of it with their company on it. I'd like to price it with limitation to the number of "allowed" printouts. I.e. up to 100 printouts $300, up to 500 - $500. Any suggestion how to do this easily and also user friendly for the buyers.

I do know that once they print one copy they can make Million photocopies. First, let's assume that the companies are all very ethical - and in most cases they are and will not make photocopies. Then, if you have a solution for the future that will for instance show somewhere - printed copy # 5 out of 100 - that would be great (but given my initial research i do not expect this to be an easy solution). Just for your information the amount I earn is about 1500/year, so I wouldn't want to go into very complex and sophisticated and expensive solution - Thanks a lot for any suggestion!

Paul

Answer 1

I am going to attempt to answer the question that I see hidden in the actual question you asked.

I have created a brochure that organizations are very eager to use. They do want to buy electronic license of it with their company on it. I'd like to price it with limitation to the number of "allowed" printouts. I.e. up to 100 printouts $300, up to 500 - $500. Any suggestion how to do this easily and also user friendly for the buyers.

In order to avoid losing a potential sale the simple solution is to provide them a copy of the file that cannot be printed at all and offer to send them physical copies of the document for a price. If all they want is an electronic version of the file this compromise shouldn't be that hard to sell.

Of course you can also just increase the cost of the file itself that does allow printing unlimited copies to cover the potential opportunity cost from future sales in the future.

If you are asking if there exists a option within Adobe Acrobat or any of the major PDF editors that would allow you to specifically only allow a certain amount of prints the answer to that question is of course, no there isn't.