You can sell both digital and selected mail order products with Digistore24. Digital products include the following product types:
- Member areas and video courses
Access to a protected area on a website where members can participate in online courses, for example - Webinar
Seminar, event, or workshop that takes place online via internet video - Software
Executable programs for download, SaaS (Software as a Service), and license keys
Each product you sell must be created as a separate product in your Digistore24 account. This applies to products that are just free gadgets as well as larger product packages. In the following step-by-step tutorials, you will reach your digital product in just a few steps.
Step 1: Set up product
Start by creating and configuring a product in Digistore24. This is the basis for everything else and will only be linked accordingly.
Note
You set one language per Digistore24 product. If you want to sell the same product in multiple languages, create a separate product for each language (e.g., by duplicating a fully configured base product). You can find more information here: Offer a product in multiple languages.
- Go to the Vendor view Product setup > Product configuration.
- Click on the Add product button.
- Enter a Product name.
-
Select a product language at Language.
If you want to offer the product in additional languages, create a separate product for each language (see Offer a product in multiple languages).
- You can enter a Product name for buyers.
- Select the Product type. Depending on your selection, additional input fields will appear.
- If you have selected the product type Member areas and video courses: Select a Performance period.
- If you have selected the product type Webinar: Choose a Performance period.
- You can select a Product group to which the product should be assigned.
- You can enter a Note. The content of the field is only visible to you.
- You can enter a Tag.
- Specify the Affiliate commission specifically for this product.
- Enter the URL of the sales page in the Sales page field. If you leave this field blank, the URL of your order form will automatically be entered.
- Enter the URL of the thank you page in the Thank you page field. This is mandatory.
However, you do not need your own thank you page:- if you deliver your digital product via the Download vault. Here the customer will receive your download product directly on the Digistore24 order confirmation page.
- if you have an IPN connection to Digibiz24 and Digimember. Then the customer will receive their access data and further steps directly on the Digistore24 order confirmation page. This also applies to generic IPN connections.
- Do not apply for approval yet - you will do that later!
- If you want to limit the sale, for example, you can set it in the bottom window Sales restrictions.
- Click on Save at the bottom.
Next, you create a Payment plan. A payment plan sets both the price of the product and the way the customer buys your product. For example, by one-time payment, subscription, or installment.
Step 2: Set up payment plan
This is how you set up your payment plan:
- In the edit view of the product you just created, switch to the tab Payment plans. You can find the tabs between the title of the page and the navigation bar. If you are no longer in the edit view of your product, you can access it by going back to Product setup > Product configuration, finding your product in the list below and clicking the Pencil on the far left.
- Set the Currency to specify which currencies may be used for payment.
- Select whether the price or prices (for multiple payment plans) of the product should be specified as gross or net at All prices are. To find out the difference, click here.
- Select whether the amount representing the VAT should be displayed on the order form at Show VAT on Order Form.
- At Payment methods you can choose which payment methods can be used.
- Click Save. Now scroll down to the Add payment plan window.
- If you wish, you can set a free trial period during which the customer can use your product free of charge after entering their payment details.
- Under First payment you set the cost at the first payment. For one-time payment, this is the same as the final price.
- Under Number of payments, you should specify in the dropdown list whether your product will be purchased by one-time payment, subscription or installment (choosing the number of installments in the dropdown list).
Useful information: You can also add multiple payment plans to a product so that the customer can choose a financing option.
An example: A customer can buy product x for 399€ immediately or book a subscription of 29.99€ per month. Since you are selling a mail order product, it hardly makes sense to offer a subscription.
If you have opted for installment payments, continue reading the instructions, otherwise go directly to point 11 in these instructions. - If you have chosen Installment payment at point 7, you will now see the Subsequent payments field. Enter here the amount that your customer should pay after the first payment has been made.
An example: A customer has taken out a subscription with monthly debit. The vendor has set 10€ as First payment and 5€ as Subsequent payments. Now the customer is debited 10€ at the time of purchase and 5€ in the following month. - If you have selected installment payment at point 7, you will now see the First billing period field. Here you can define the time interval between the first and the second debit.
- If you have selected installment payments in point 7, you will now see the Subsequent billing periods field. Here you can define the time intervals between the debits after the second debit.
An example: A customer buys your product on installment. The vendor has set 6 months as the first billing period and 1 month as the Subsequent billing periods. Accordingly, the first debit at the time of purchase occurs in the first month, the second debit in the sixth month, and all subsequent debits in each subsequent month. - If you select Yes for Quantity discounts, another field opens where you can specify additional individual prices.
- If you have selected installment payments in item 7, you should specify here whether it is actually an installment payment or rather a time-limited subscription. More information on the difference and detailed explanations can be found here.
- Sequence is only of interest to you if you have created multiple payment plans.
- Make sure that in the Active field the switch is set to Yes.
- If you select Yes for Specify your own texts, another field will open where you can replace the default Digistore24 texts with your own.
If you are satisfied, click on Add payment plan.
There is a payment plan preconfigured!
When you create a product, Digistore24 automatically creates a payment plan with a single payment of 37€. If you have created your own payment plan, you can easily delete it by clicking on the X icon. Alternatively, you can edit the payment plan by clicking on the pencil icon.
Now you have created your product and set up at least one payment plan. If you upload a product image, it will enhance your order form.
Upload product image
- In the edit view of the product you just created, switch to the Order form tab. You can find the tabs between the title of the page and the navigation bar. If you are no longer in the edit view of your product, you can access it by going back to Product setup > Product configuration, finding your product in the list below and clicking the Pencil on the far left.
- Click the image icon next to Product image.
- Click on Upload image.
- Now the uploader “FileStack” will open. Upload a suitable image by either dragging and dropping the image onto the window or by clicking “Choose the files” and then selecting the appropriate file. However, please note that the width can only be 100 to 500 pixels and the height can only be 100 to 2,000 pixels. You can upload your image in GIF, JPG, PNG, SVG formats.
- Click on Upload. Once the upload is complete, you will be returned to the edit view of your product.
- Click on Save.
You have now set up your product.
Step 3: Set up order form
In the third step, you create an order form for your product. There are three implementation options: the responsive order form, the classic order form, and the multi-step order form. Find an overview below.
| Responsive | Classic | Multi-Step | |
| Customization | Adapts to the end device (i.e., mobile phone/tablet/computer). | Does not adapt. Looks the same on all devices. | Adapts to the end device (i.e., mobile phone/tablet/computer). |
| Structure | Can be customized through the building block mode. Elements, size, and position are individually adjustable. | Has a fixed structure. Colors and backgrounds can be customized. Further changes are only possible with CSS. | Has a fixed structure. Colors, order, and backgrounds can be customized. Further changes are only possible with CSS. |
| Linking | Is a separate page that is linked on the sales page. | Is a separate page that is linked on the sales page. | Can be placed on any page by code. |
In the following step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to create a responsive order form. If you want to create one of the other order forms, look here.
- Go to the Vendor view Product setup > Order forms.
- Click on the Create responsive order form button.
- You are now in the order form editor, the so-called "building block mode."
- First, get an overview of the available elements.
- You can add elements from the left by dragging them to the desired place with the left mouse button held down. You can make the element wider or narrower by clicking on the right outer side and sliding left or right. Please note that the header image cannot be resized.
- If a Pencil icon is displayed in the upper right corner of an element, you can make settings for the element by clicking on the icon. This is even mandatory for some elements as they will not be displayed on the order form otherwise.
- If a X icon is displayed in the upper right corner of an element, you can remove the element by clicking on the icon.
- Now arrange the elements as you wish. When you are finished, click on Save.
Step 4: Link order form to product
After you have created your order form, you can now link it to your product. Proceed as follows:
- Go to the Vendor view Product setup > Product configuration.
- Click on the Pencil icon of the product you want to connect to your newly created order form.
- Switch to the Order form tab.
- Scroll down to the Order form window. Here, select the order form you just created.
- Finally, click on Save.
You have set up your order form. Now add your order form to the sales page, for example by linking the order form to a “Buy Now” button on your website.
Find link to the order form:
- Go to the Vendor view Product setup > Product configuration.
- Click on the Pencil icon of the product you have linked to the order form and whose link you want to access.
- Switch to the Links tab.
- The third link from the top is the link to your order form.
You have successfully created, customized, and linked your order form to your product and sales page.
Step 5: Set up return period
Now you should set up a return policy. It defines the return period, i.e., how long after the payment the customer has the option to return the product.
Difference between purchase and payment!
In this article, it is important that you understand the difference between a purchase and the actual payment. A return period starts from the moment of payment, i.e., as soon as the product price including VAT has been debited from the customer’s account. The moment of payment does not necessarily have to occur simultaneously with the purchase (=ordering/successfully completing the order form): For example, if you have set a trial period for your product, the payment may be delayed.
To set up a return period, follow this article.
Step 6: Deliver product via download vault
With the download vault, you automatically make your digital products available for download via the Digistore24 order confirmation page. Upon successful purchase, the customer is directed to where they can download your files stored in the download vault.
Benefits of the download vault:
- Protection against viruses and hacker attacks
- Option to limit the download period
- Option to limit the number of possible downloads
- Possibility to upload multiple files as file packages, e.g., via Google Drive or Dropbox (recommended)
Attention: Fee for using the download vault
In addition to the Digistore24 reseller margin, there is a fee of 0.25 € per started gigabyte for using the download vault. This applies per purchase. However, further downloads by the customer and the upload are free of charge. Get a sample calculation here.
Note: The use of the download vault is only possible in combination with the Digistore24 order confirmation page . Please leave the thank you page entry blank so that the Digistore24 order confirmation page is automatically set as your thank you page.
Find step-by-step instructions on how to set up your download vault here.
Step 7: Make a test purchase
- Go to the Vendor view Product setup > Product configuration.
- Click the shopping cart icon next to your product. Now you are on your order form.
- If you have created multiple payment plans, select one of the payment plans you want to test.
If you have added additional input fields and set that it is mandatory to complete those in order to complete the purchase process, complete those as well. - Enter your name and email address.
- Select the Test Pay method in the payment options.
Note: This payment option is only visible to you as the seller of the product. Customers will not see this method. - Click on the Test Payment button.
If you have set everything correctly, you will be redirected to the order confirmation page or - if you have specified it - to your thank you page.
Step 8: Request approval
Now you can be sure that your product was created optimally. To enable the sale of the product, you should apply for approval at Digistore24.
Why?
To protect the reputation of Digistore24 but also your reputation as an entrepreneur, we should be able to guarantee that no shady or even illegal products exist on our platform. With the approval criteria, we can ensure the quality and seriousness of our network and provide you as a vendor with an optimal user experience.
What should I look for before my product approval?
Check out the following articles:
Approval criteria for Digistore24 Inc.
Approval criteria for Digistore24 GmbH