Last Updated on by Dan S
Originally Published June 5, 2023.
Offering digital products for sale on your Shopify store is a strategic way to diversify your product catalogue, reduce fulfilment costs, and significantly increase your potential for profits. Choosing the right app for selling digital products is a crucial decision. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up and selecting a digital downloads app for your Shopify store.
How to setup digital downloads for Shopify using an app
Setting up digital products for sale on your Shopify store requires the use of a specialized app that seamlessly handles file uploads, secure storage, and automated delivery of the purchased digital files to customers. Follow these steps to set up digital downloads using a Shopify app:
- Select a digital downloads app that fits the needs of your Shopify store and install it.
- Configure the app settings to match your store’s preferences, including download limits, expiration dates, and file storage options.
- Upload your digital products, assigning product variants where applicable, and ensure that the correct file is assigned to each product variant if necessary.
- Test the process thoroughly to ensure an excellent buying experience for your customers. This includes purchasing a digital product from your store yourself, receiving the download link, and downloading the file.
What to look for when selecting a digital downloads app for Shopify
With numerous digital downloads apps available on the Shopify App Store, it’s essential to consider several factors when selecting the app that will best meet the needs of your store and customers. Look for the following features when choosing a digital downloads app:
- User-friendliness: The app should be easy to use and manage, both for store owners and customers.
- Integration: The app should integrate seamlessly with your Shopify store and any other tools you may use, such as email marketing platforms.
- Customization: The app should allow customization of the customer experience, such as email templates and download pages.
- Storage and Security: Ensure the app offers secure file storage, as well as options to limit downloads and set expiry dates on download links.
- Customer Support: Check if the app developers offer prompt and helpful customer support to troubleshoot any issues you may encounter.
- Pricing: Choose an app with a pricing structure that suits your business needs and budget.
The 4 best apps
Lets run through the apps.
Digital Downloads
This Official Shopify app for selling digital items gives customers instant entry to downloads they’ve bought and it’ll additionally notify individuals when a product has been updated. Digital Downloads allows you to promote items with file sizes of 5GB or less and it additionally features a dashboard that can assist you to monitor downloads.
Sky Pilot
With Sky Pilot you can sell downloads like PDFs, software, films and pictures which your customers can view instantly or optionally download. This Shopify app for digital merchandise features a customisable stream/download page which you’ll be able to customise to match the look of your Shopify Store.
FetchApp
We’ve had a number of clients use FetchApp with positive outcomes.
If you wish to manage the number of times a product can be downloaded or the period of time a link works then give fetchApp a try.
SendOwl
SendOwl is another very popular choice. It is extremely flexible and offers merchants complete control and delivery over digital goods to customers. Downloads can be sent to the customer, streamed instantly (video), provided by email and also included in the customers account section. Content can be dripped over time and can also be sold using Shopifys POS system.
Offering digital products for sale on your Shopify store is a strategic way to diversify your product catalogue, reduce fulfilment costs, and significantly increase your potential for profits. Choosing the right app for selling digital products is a crucial decision. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up and selecting a digital downloads app for your Shopify store.
Conclusion
Selecting the right Shopify app to sell digital products can significantly impact your store’s success and customer satisfaction. Consider the features, security, integration, and pricing to make the best choice. With the proper setup and an excellent app choice, you’ll be well on your way to maximizing your profits through selling digital products on your Shopify store.
