Last Updated on by Dan S
Originally Published April 26, 2017.
How to sell digital downloads on the Shopify Platform (Step-by-Step)
Have you ever needed to sell digital downloads on-line? Maybe you spent a while writing an e-book on dropshipping and wish to promote and distribute it your self.
That is why we wrote this article. At this time, we’ll check out how one can retail digital downloads using the Shopify platform.
The digital product marketplace is greater than ever. According to recent studies, the marketplace for digital downloads in 2017 has reach over $300 billion.
If that does not excite you, then this may. Listed below are a few advantages to selling digital merchandise.
- Limitless inventory (if you wish to, you possibly can promote as many digital merchandise as you need)
- Worldwide markets (no transport value)
- Low overhead (no warehousing or storage required)
- Automated methods to ship digital items
- Larger revenue margins (because of low value of manufacturing)
Steps Involved in Selling Digital Downloads
Before we discuss the specific methods to sell digital downloads on Shopify, let’s go over what you need to get started:
- Content you have created or content you have rights to resell, such as eBooks, images, or music files
- A Shopify account and online store
Once you have your digital content and your Shopify store ready to go, you can choose from several different methods to sell and fulfill your digital products.
Fulfill Manually After Receiving an Order
One way to sell digital downloads on your store is to fulfill orders manually. This method involves sending the files to your customers via email after the orders are placed. While this is not ideal for a high volume of orders, it can be a suitable solution for small-scale operations. To fulfill manually, follow these steps:
- Add your digital product to your store, select the “Service” product type (You can add this if it doesn’t exist) and disable shipping/inventory. (Enable inventory only if you want to do a limited run e.g 100 downloads)
- When an order is placed, confirm you have received payment.
- Email the files directly to the customer, along with any necessary instructions for accessing the content. You can use services such as WeTransfer to provide links for larger files. The maximum attachment size via email including the emails content is 20mb.
Sell Digital Downloads Using the Official Shopify App
For a more automated solution, you can use the Shopify Digital Downloads app. This free app enables you to automatically deliver digital files to customers after payment. Here’s how to get started:
- Install the Digital Downloads app from the Shopify App Store
- Add your digital products to your store, selecting the “Service” product type and disabling shipping
- In the Digital Downloads app, add the digital files to their corresponding products
- Customize the email and download page templates to match your brand
After completing these steps, your customers will automatically receive their digital products upon successful payment.
Sell Using a Digital Downloads App From the Shopify App Store
In addition to the official Shopify app, there are several third-party apps available in the Shopify App Store that can help you sell and deliver digital products. Some popular options include:
- SendOwl
- Sky Pilot
- FetchApp
Each app offers unique features and pricing, so be sure to explore your options to determine which is the best fit for your specific needs. With these third-party apps, you can generally expect features like secure file hosting, automatic file delivery, and file-size limits that may be higher than what’s offered by the official Shopify app.
Conclusion
In conclusion, selling digital downloads on the Shopify platform can be a simple and efficient process, depending on the fulfillment method you choose. Whether it’s manual fulfillment, using the official Digital Downloads app, or opting for a third-party solution, you now have the knowledge needed to get started on your digital products journey. Happy selling!
