Just One Thing! Digital Product Setup for Beginners
LYNNIE VERSION
Would you like to read this article in more grown-up words, still easy to understand? Jump here.
Hi! I’m Lynnie! Today I’m telling you about digital product setup. Setup means everything you need to get ready, besides your shop.
Remember the five kinds of setup jobs in our setup checklist? For selling files, you ALWAYS need just one. Your offer! A big online mall can do most of the other jobs for you.
The one thing: your offer
Your offer is your file itself. A template, a recorded lesson, a drawing, an e-book, a sewing pattern… anything people can download or open.
Setting it up means deciding:
- What’s inside?
- What does it promise?
- How much does it cost?
- How do you show it?
Buyers can’t peek inside a file before they buy. So show them, with preview pages or a short video!
A file is different from a job
When you freelance, you promise to do a job LATER. A file is already finished BEFORE anybody buys it.
And then you can sell the same file again and again and again. Without doing more work! Grown-ups call that “scalable.” Big word! It means it can grow without you working more. Our freelancing setup article shows the difference.
Helper agreements? Nope!
You don’t need agreements with helper companies. You can sell from your own website or social shop without joining anything.
If you use a big mall like Etsy, Gumroad or Teachable, you just say yes to its rules. That’s a choice you make, not a must.
Rules pages
In a big mall, the mall’s rules cover you and your buyers. You don’t need your own pages!
But if you sell on a page that YOU own, it changes. Your website, your own checkout page, or even a link-in-bio page. Then you need a privacy page and sale rules. They explain what people are buying, if they can get their money back, and what happens with their information.
Easy rule: a page that’s yours means the rules pages are your job. Our article on legal requirements for an online business explains more.
Getting paid
Big malls take the payment for you. You just connect your bank account in the mall’s settings. Done!
On your own site, you use a payment helper like Stripe or PayPal, or the checkout that comes with your website tool. Lots of social shop tools do paying AND sending in one.
Shipping? Never!
Files never get shipped. Ever! After paying, the buyer gets a download link, a file, or access to a page. Automatically!
No boxes. No tape. No lost packages. Yay!
A story
A language teacher makes printable flashcards for learning new words. She puts them in a big online mall, with clear preview pictures and a list of all 200 cards. She connects her bank account.
No rules pages, no payment helper, no shipping. Just a tiny listing fee!
Tiny money, no face
You need very little money to start. You’d be surprised! Free tools or tiny one-time fees are enough. No monthly fees before anybody knows your file. And you can bring visitors yourself, no agency needed.
Files are perfect if you don’t want to show your face, too!
What’s next?
That’s the end of the digital products module! The next article starts way number five: print-on-demand, with five example characters. The whole module is in the book on our products page. Want a grown-up to help you set up? Go to our services page.
What grown-ups usually ask (and I answer)
What do I always need to sell files?
Just your offer: the finished file, its price and how you show it.
What makes people buy a file?
A clear name, an honest description and nice previews.
Do I need helper agreements?
No! Saying yes to a mall’s rules is a choice, not a must.
How do I get paid?
In a mall, connect your bank. On your own site, use a payment helper.
Do files need shipping?
Never! They arrive by themselves.
Will there be step-by-step lessons for each of the ten ways?
Maybe! If lots of people want them. Join the waitlist and you’ll know first.
Is there a cheap way to start selling files?
Yes! Lynnaider shows you ways that cost nothing, or very little. You’d be surprised! And a free robot helper called Lynnaider Compass helps you step by step.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and should not be regarded as legal, tax, or business advice. Pursuing an online business does not guarantee income; results depend on many factors including the business environment, individual effort, skills, and consistency. Some links on this site may allow Lynnaider to earn a commission at no additional cost to the reader.
