This post is for all the traffic coming from Print(fu), the once popular PDF Printing Service that is now a PDF Search Engine.
When I started Print(fu), my goal was to take all of those huge PDFs that geeks own, and turn them in to a printed and bound manual that was delivered to your doorstep in 3 days.
For over 2 years the site ran, taking a handful of orders every day, with my fathers business (XpressMessages) handled all of the print fulfillment and shipping. There was a definite pattern in types of the orders, and by far Role Playing Games, Software Manuals and 37 Signals “Getting Real” book were the most popular.
Unfortunately, Print(fu) was only generating around $500 a month in profit, and the cost to scale Print(fu) to handle the consistent barrage of HUGE pdfs – was going to cost a whole lot more than that per month.
However, there was one feature that Print(fu) had (that continually drove Search Engine traffic) was the ability to search the web for PDFs. So as January 2007 I decided to officially turn-off the PDF Printing service and focus on the PDF Search Engine.
As a result, I now make around 300-500 a month from Google AdWords, and I never have to worry about a 5 Gig PDF of the the Koran bringing my server down – and the entire site just runs by itself.
If you are looking for a nice PDF printing alternative, check out LuLu.com.
I’ve used your services when you did print PDFs. I was hoping to use you again, but since you don’t do that anymore, I’m hoping to find someone else.
In the past, you were the only source for printing my PDFs. Would you now of any other service that will do that?
Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated
thank you, Rex
Hey Rex!
Have you checked out Kinkos Online Printing (The PDF has be PERFECT – or their system will reject it). Some think it’s to pricey.
LuLu.com is a Print-on-demand book publisher, the final product is a very nicely bound book.
Maybe some day I will have the itch to bring Print(fu) back to life.
I was one of those geeks printing software manuals, and I was sorry to see your server go away. I’ve been using Staples, but your approach was so much simpler for most of what I print. Thanks for solving the mystery of what happened to Printfu…
Hi Brandon … have you considered switching to using Amazon AWS (details are at http://www.amazon.com/ec2/) ? Shoot me an email if you would like to talk about it.
I have talked to a few companies about bring Printfu back to life – and using Amazons ec2 would absolutely correct the fundamental bottleneck that Printfu had, great suggestions Grumpie!
Brandon, we need print fu back. I believe in the power of the community. If you could list what the bottlenecks are we could solve them for you and bring back this valuable resource.
It would at least be fun to conceptualize it as a business plan project of somekind.
I was thinking that Amazon + plus a hub and spoke model with affiliated printers paying you for business directed to them (for instance)., could work as functioning printfu model.
There must be “long tail” solution to huge PDF printing.
Maybe I am just dreaming…
Any ideas how we could take this to the community?
I wrote this article (link) for a technical newsletter.
http://repairnet.aircare.ca/documentation/newsletterpdfs/toyotatercel.pdf
How did you get it and how did you post it.
Can you please remove it from your list.
Thanks,
Mike
Brandon,
Printfu was such a lifesaver. How could you do this to us? Can’t you bring it back somehow? I have a lot of stuff I must have printed and bound immediately!
Devastated…
Dear Devastated, I really wish there were more like you! Or at least a printing company that would be willing to step up to the plate to build a business around this model. I do think that there is a huge market for it – especially in the RPG, Software Manuals and Design guidelines…. But as people keep talking about it – it is making me get the itch to bring her back.
There is a definite market need for a PDF no frills basic PDF service. I hope you consider this in your future plans.
I really wish Print(fu) was back. I have a 180 page manual that I need to print. Sigh.
Kyle, I do have had dreams about bring Print(fu) back, but right now I cant find the time it requires. . Maybe one day
I googled for Print(fu) again, finding this post. Again. And still wishing it was back. It was a tremendous resource and I would gladly pay double to have it back.
The printing version? I’ve given it some thought. But right now I don’t have the time to build it again. As the old code base was AWFUL!