Create and Sell a Downloadable Product for FREE

A downloadable or virtual product is a non-physical item you can sell from your website that you don’t need to ship to the customer. It can be instantly emailed or downloaded directly when a customer buys it.

It’s usually in the form of a PDF, but it could be access to a members-only area on your website, a course, an email series, or something else. The possibilities are numerous and you’ll want to pick one that’s right for your business. For this tutorial, I’ll be talking about doing it for a PDF download from a WordPress website. You’ll be turning your site into an e-commerce store in no time!

The best part is, you can do this for FREE!

That’s right, you don’t have to pay for any up-front costs for the plugins or services to set this up. You do pay a transaction fee for each purchase which is currently 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

Here are the basic steps for a WordPress website using PayPal and WooCommerce.

1. Sign Up for a PayPal Account
   • Verify PayPal Account
2. Decide on a downloadable product you can sell
3. Create Word document which will become your downloadable PDF
   • Make sure to add your branding and business info
   • Export as PDF with a clear file name without spaces, and save for later
4. Create a Purchase Instructions Page on your website
   • Include wording to satisfy PayPal terms for an auto-return page
   • Insert Purchase Instructions Page URL into PayPal for auto-return
5. Install WooCommerce on your website
   • Run set up wizard and connect PayPal
   • Set up taxes if applicable
   • Add cart to menu
6. Create your Virtual/Downloadable Product in WooCommerce
   • Load your PDF as the file for download
7. Create your landing page
   • Create the link for your product and add to the “buy” button
8. Install and set up MailChimp for WooCommerce (optional)
9. Test a purchase
   • Create a coupon for testing (optional)
10. Modify any areas you’d like to adjust
11. Market your product to the world!

Once you’re done, the sequence the buyer goes through looks like the following flow chart, starting on “Landing Page” with the “Buy Button”.

For a detailed 28-page guide with step-by-step instructions for turning your WordPress website into an e-store, download the “Create and Sell a Downloadable Product without Spending a Dime” for only $9. You’ll learn how to create a PDF for virtual download using Microsoft Word, install and set up WooCommerce, set up PayPal, create a landing page with a “buy” button, and connect Mailchimp (optional). 

Create and Sell a Downloadable Product – PDF

Only $9