Adobe Catches Flak For FedEx Kinko Deal

Adobe is facing criticism over its decision to include a prominent button in the software that allows its users to print their .PDF files at a local FedEx Kinko's.

FedEx saw the deal as the way to continue building momentum for its Kinko's unit which it acquired in 2004. Since .PDF has become the business standard for documents, aligning with Adobe seemed like a logical decision. However, some Adobe customers weren't too happy about it.

The loudest objections come from those who fear they may lose business to a competitor, especially those "mom and pop" establishments who may not have a large customer base to begin with. The button appears in both the Acrobat and Reader software.

According to these groups, with no way for smaller companies to add a similar feature into Adobe, some of their customers may opt instead to print with FedEx Kinko's due to the convenience factor. These concerns are not falling on deaf ears at Adobe.

Officials at the company met with several printing company executives about two weeks ago to explain their position. Adobe plans to issue an official response to their concerns on Wednesday. FedEx has defended the feature as being "established with our customers in mind."

Shortly after the meeting in mid-July, Adobe senior vice president for the Creative Solutions Business Unit John Loiacono said the company had learned several "painful" lessons over the weeks following the release of the feature in June.

"The reaction was immediate, strong, and negative," he wrote. However, he said through the meeting that "at the core, we all want to work together, support each other, and ultimately, succeed together."