Networked printing systems for providing a la carte reproduction services

A method for providing a la carte reproduction services, comprising:

• providing a reproduction system, the reproduction system including a printing system, the printing system being capable of performing a predetermined number of operational printing modes;
• configuring the printing system such that, in a normal operational printing state, said printing system is capable of performing a subset of the predetermined number of operational printing modes, a number of operational printing modes in the subset of the predetermined number of operational printing modes being less than the predetermined number of operational printing modes, a number of the operational printing modes not included in the subset of the multiple operational printing modes being at least one, the operational printing modes not included in the subset of the multiple operational printing modes being non-enabled operational printing modes, the subset of the multiple operational printing modes being enabled operational printing modes, the enabled operational printing modes co-existing with the non-enabled operational printing modes when the printing system is configured and in the normal operational printing state of the printing system, the non-enabled operational printing modes being established when the printing system is configured;
• providing a printer service provider server, operatively connected to the printing system, to provide authorization to enable the printing system to perform the non-enabled operational printing modes, the enabled operational printing modes being enabled to be performed by the printing system without requiring authorization from the printer service provider server;
• enabling a user to select a non-enabled operational printing mode through a user interface associated with the printing system;
• the printing system communicating, in response to a user selecting a non-enabled operational printing mode, with the printer service provider server to request authorization to perform the user selected non-enabled operational printing mode;
• the printer service provider server requesting predetermined information from the printing system;
• the printer service provider server configuring, upon processing and verification of information received from said printing system, the printing system to perform the user selected non-enabled operational printing mode.