Question

Topic: E-Marketing

How To Control Licensed Document Downloads?

Posted by Chris Blackman on 4/4/2007 at 4:48 AM ET 500 Points
I have a client who has developed an educational curriculum (i.e. PDF document content) he wants to be able to sell over the web, amongst other channels.

What tools or methods does he need to use to allow users to download just one copy of the content they have purchased?

How can he limit the use of the content to one user? He wants to avoid selling it cheaply to, say, one student, or maybe one school, only to have them copy the program internally without paying for it.

Anyone know of any good examples of how this should be done?

Is there a way to make the content "expire" so he can update it annually, say, and charge a renewal fee for the updated content?

This is not an ASP type program, it's more like a PDF e-book purchase, that he wants to limit to single-user.

Any suggestions, references, examples would be gratefully received.

Thanks...
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by MajorHal on 4/4/2007 at 6:17 AM Accepted
    Hi ChrisB,

    I don't know if your client can really limit the use to all the things he wants. I have bought a lot e-books from many different publishers. He can make some limitations.

    I sell e-books as follows: You purchase the book on-line but it is sent to you instantly by email from an autoresponder. That way the customer can't go back and download multiple copies. The book is a PDF file and the document security doesn't allow it to be printed or altered.

    There probably is a way to restrict access to a web download page so you can't get at it unless you go through the payment process first. Maybe someone else here at Marketprofs can help with that. If you don't get an answer here try some of the forums for Adobe or for the software used to design the web site. I use FP 2003 and there are a lot of useful 3rd party add-ons available. Do a Google or Yahoo search.

    Also, he may want to think about selling it through eBay or Amazon. You can't get to the download without purchasing first.

    The reason I like the autoresponder method is the customer's info is captured in a database. I use that info to send them email follow-ups for additional products. Your client could do the same with updates.

    The 1 thing I know for sure is I have been able to copy a whole e-book to a network or multiple computers. I have never found an e-book that could be restricted to 1 computer. It's not like installing software that registers itself to a computer or workstation.

    I hope this as been useful.
    Good luck,
    MajorHal
  • Posted on 4/4/2007 at 9:49 AM Accepted
    There is an excellent article on this at the following link.

    https://www.wilsonweb.com/ecommerce/wilson-digital-sales.htm

    This gives you both the "poor man's solution" and also links (by affiliate, mind you) to products/services that can help you achieve this in other ways.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 4/4/2007 at 9:12 PM Author
    Thank you MajorHal, Greg, Ethnicomm and Marcus.

    Great responses, this is what I love about the KHE.

    Seems like there's a clear-cut trade-off between putting obstacles in the path of the unscrupulous that will disenfranchise the genuine purchaser, and the likelihood that lost sales (through copying) will in fact be very small. Which is exactly what the material on the wilsonweb.com site confirms.

    The "Sword of Damocles" penalty structure Marcus suggested is a great idea and would likely deter all but the most hardened copyright thief. And let's hope they aren't representative of the people running the majority of educational institutions!

    Might leave it open another day just in case anyone comes up with any more ideas.

    Thanks again.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 4/11/2007 at 9:18 PM Author
    Steve, Kym

    Thanks for your inputs. I'll have a good hard look at a business model where the cost to comply does not create a barrier to purchase, and perhaps where we can persuade the client (an environmental NFP) to give away a significant component of the program in order to create a much greater number of sales of smaller, low-cost components over time. Razor blade/handle style.

    The Adobe Document Center product looks interesting but I can imagine users becoming irritated with constantly having to re-enter their details for each access.

    Thanks everyone.

    ChrisB
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