Do you want to own a profitable business without creating, storing, or sending out physical items? If so, then selling digital products on Shopify would be perfect for you. Digital products are items you can see but not touch, taste, or feel. These include ebooks, music, audio recordings, videos, and more. Ecommerce has grown beyond just selling physical items, and Shopify makes it easier by charging less, delivering these items quickly to customers, and giving you a wide online reach. According to research, the number of digital users will grow to 4.76bn users by 2028, and you know what that means? There's a digital gold mine lying around for you to dig out, and make cool cash by selling your craft. So, what are you waiting for? Hop on, let's tell you everything you need to know about digits products, and how to sell them on Shopify.
Can You Sell Digital Products on Shopify?
Yes, you can sell digital products on Shopify! The platform is designed to handle both physical and digital goods, making it versatile for all kinds of businesses. It provides a lot of features that make it easy to list, sell, and deliver digital items to customers. You can easily upload your digital files, set prices, and write product descriptions. Shopify also has apps that deliver digital products right after purchase. Plus, the platform supports subscription services, so you can sell memberships or access online courses. Here are examples of stores that successfully sell digital products on Shopify:
Yurt Rock
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Yurt Rock is an online store specializing in royalty-free loops, samples, and multitrack recordings. They offer a wide variety of digital products aimed at musicians and producers. Their offerings include loops and samples from well-known drummers, percussionists, and other artists, covering genres like funk, jazz, hip-hop, and more.
- Life is Messy and Brilliant
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This store offers creative digital planners and printables. Their success comes from a user-friendly platform and active engagement with their community.
Benefits of Selling Digital Products on Shopify
There are outstanding benefits attached to selling digital products on Shopify, they include;
- Lower Cost of Production
Owning an online store that sells digital products is much cheaper to maintain. Selling physical goods involves many costs, such as raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, storage, and staff. A digital store avoids all these expenses. You only need to focus on the initial cost of creating the digital product and maintaining your website.
- Never Out of Stock
With digital products, there's no running out of stock. This is because digital products can be sold infinitely without the need to restock or reproduce. They are always available, and even after many years can still be sold. Your customers also do not have to worry about shipping free, or shipping details for its arrival.
- Limited Barriers to Entry
If you have ever dreamed of turning your creative skills into a source of income, then selling digital products might be the perfect path for you. Unlike traditional businesses, digital products are easy to create and deliver, making them ideal for anyone looking to start small. The best part? Launching your digital product doesn't need a huge financial investment. Platforms like Shopify allow you to get started quickly and affordably. And, you have the flexibility to run your business from anywhere.
- Global Sales Potential
With Shopify, you can reach a worldwide audience instantly. The internet is like a giant market open to everyone! Selling online means you can reach way more people than you could in a store. While physical products can be exhausting to sell online, and shipping them can be expensive and complicated, digital products are different! You can sell them to anyone anywhere in the world with just a click.
- High-Profit Margin
The biggest perk of selling digital products is the ability to make more money. Think about it: no costs for things like renting a store or shipping physical items. That means more profit ends up in your pocket. Also, since costs are reduced and your profit margins can be much higher, you can reinvest this profit into growing your business or improving your products. - Easy Access to Customers
Digital products are like online downloads, so people usually need an email to get them. The good news is that when someone signs up with their email to buy your product on Shopify, you can reach them directly. In other words, Shopify allows you to build a customer database for marketing. This helps you stay connected with your customers and promote new products or sales directly to them.
Types of Digital Products to Sell on Shopify
There are several digital products that you can sell to make some cool cash on Shopify. They are:
1. Online Courses
Digital products allow you to connect with billions of people from the internet, and you can take advantage of this. You can package your expertise into video lessons, creating a structured learning experience for viewers. The beauty of online courses is the limitless variety. Literally, anything you can think of can be transformed into a valuable learning experience. From baking sourdough bread to creating stunning graphic designs, there are millions of people around the world eager to pay for your knowledge.
Just in case you are feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities? Here are some hot topics that you can turn well into online courses:
- Creative Skills such as Baking, photography, graphic design, playing musical instruments
- Business & Marketing. E.g Copywriting, social media marketing, personal branding
- Health & Wellness. For instance Yoga, meditation, healthy cooking
- Personal Development. This could include time management, public speaking, language learning
2. Software and Games
Selling digital products like software and games can be lucrative. The catchy part is that there are no strict rules. You don't have to be a developer or have coding experience. Many programmers and game developers are brilliant at creating amazing products, but selling them online might not be their forte. Hence, you can partner with these talented people, by helping them showcase their work and manage their online store on Shopify, letting them focus on what they do best – coding.
You can also start with creating simple games or software that address specific needs. A fun puzzle game or a productivity tool can be a great way to dip your toes in and generate sales on your Shopify store.
3. Music and Audio
With music you can feed your fans' ears and also your wallets. It is truly a universal language, enjoyed by people around the world in countless genres. As a musician, you have the power to share your passion and turn it into profit by selling your music digitally!
Apart from albums, audio is a great niche to make some sales. It is a vital part of our daily lives, from movies and podcasts to yoga sessions and audiobooks. Here are some ways you can make money from audio.
- Original Music: Sell your original songs and compositions as downloads or streaming singles.
- Ringtones & Sound Effects: You can create catchy ringtones or unique sound effects for mobile devices.
- Audiobooks & Guided Content: Narrate audiobooks or develop guided meditations/workouts with your voice.
- Custom Audio Projects: Take requests from your audience - demo sounds, audio guides, or anything else they might need.
4. Templates and Tools
Not everyone has the design skills or time to build things from scratch. Hence, templates like website themes, business cards, resumes, etc. give people a head start on their projects and save them time. You can help people by offering creative and well-designed templates and showcasing your design skills at the same time. Selling templates on Shopify can be a profitable business. There are many types of templates you can sell including business essentials, design elements, content creation tools, and professional documents
5. NFTs
NFTs Unique digital assets and art, known as NFTs, are becoming popular. They are unique digital collectibles you can sell on Shopify. They can be art, music, or even video game items. To succeed, your NFT needs to be cool and eye-catching. You also need to promote it well on social media and NFT communities. With some creativity and effort, you can make money selling NFTs on Shopify.
6. Downloadable Prints and Stock Photos
There is a big demand for downloadable prints and stock photos. Many physical items, like school books, clothes, home decor, and packaging, feature unique designs. As an artist, you can create various printable designs and sell them online. Stock photos are also in high demand. Even other creatives often need pre-made photos to complete their projects
Steps to Sell Digital Products on Shopify
If you want to sell digital products on Shopify, then you can follow the steps below:
- Setting Up Your Store
To start, you need to choose a Shopify plan. Shopify has different plans for different people depending on your budget. You can always choose the one that's affordable, and upgrade as the business grows.
Next, choose a theme for your store. Shopify has lots of free and paid themes. Pick anyone that conveys your brand’s message. Add your logo, choose colors, and design your store to match your brand identity.
- Adding Digital Products
To add digital products, start by creating product listings. Go to the Shopify dashboard and click on “Products” and then “Add Product.” Fill in the product title, description, and other details. Next, upload the digital files you want to sell.
These could be e-books, music, software, or any other digital product. Then, set the price for each digital product. When creating the price tags, look out for the value your product provides and research competitors to ensure your prices are competitive
- Configuring Digital Delivery
Shopify has a built-in feature for digital downloads. Once a customer buys a product, they will receive a download link via email. To use this feature, install the Digital Downloads app from the Shopify App Store and follow the instructions to set it up. If Shopify’s digital download feature doesn’t meet your needs, consider using third-party apps. Apps like SendOwl or FetchApp offer more advanced features, such as automated delivery and tracking.
Best Practices for Selling Digital Products
Now that you have complete ideas on how to sell your digital products on Shopify, these practices will keep you in the market. They include;
- Product Presentation
If you want to sell digital products successfully, you need to present them well. Write out clear and detailed descriptions that tell what your product is, what it does, and why it's useful. Also, use attractive images and videos to show what your product looks like. You can provide previews or samples to help customers understand what they are buying before they make a purchase.
- Pricing Strategies
To attract buyers, set competitive prices. Check what similar products cost and set your prices to match. During holidays or significant events, you can give discounts or run monthly sales. This will bring in new customers and keep old ones coming back. There's also an option of bundling related products to sell them at a lower combined price.
- Marketing Your Products
Another practice is to promote your digital products using various channels. You can optimize your product listings for SEO, use social media to reach a wider audience and engage in email marketing to keep your customers informed. Paid ads can also help you target specific audiences effectively.
- Customer Support
Great customer support is very important for building trust and getting repeat customers. Being responsive to inquiries, handling issues promptly, and offering refunds when necessary, can lead to more sales and positive reviews.
Legal Considerations
With the advent of the internet, creating and sharing content online has become commonplace. However, it's important to consider legal aspects to protect your work and your users. This includes:
- Intellectual Property Right
Intellectual property rights like copyrights and trademarks ensure that your original work can’t be copied or used without permission. Registering your content gives you the legal support you need if someone infringes on your rights.
- Privacy and Security
When you sell digital products, you handle a lot of customer data. To keep this data safe, you need to follow privacy laws and implement strong security measures. This includes creating a clear privacy policy, using secure payment gateways, and complying with regulations like GDPR if you’re dealing with customers in European Countries.
Tools and Resources
Managing digital products on Shopify is easier with the right apps. These apps include:
- Sky Pilot
Sky Pilot allows you to sell digital products like music, videos, and PDFs. It supports both streaming and downloads, making it a versatile choice for various types of digital goods
- Digital Downloads by Shopify
Digital Downloads are ideal for selling digital files such as e-books, art, and graphics. It provides automated delivery of digital purchases and allows for bulk uploads and secure hosting of files.
- FetchApp
FetchApp is a powerful tool designed to simplify the delivery of digital products on Shopify. It integrates with your Shopify store, automating the entire process of delivering digital files to your customers
Conclusion
Selling digital products on Shopify is a fantastic way to turn your passions into profits. By offering valuable solutions to customers through your digital products (online courses, software, or digital designs), you can build a successful online business. Ready to dive in? Sign up with us today, and we'll help you create your Shopify store today and start turning your digital ideas into reality.
FAQs
Can you sell music on Shopify?
Yes, you can definitely sell music on Shopify. The platform offers tools and apps specifically designed for selling digital downloads, making it a popular choice for musicians.
Can you sell digital items on Shopify?
Absolutely! Shopify is a versatile platform that allows you to sell a wide range of digital products, including music, ebooks, software, printables, and more.
Is Shopify worth it for digital products?
Shopify is one of the best options if you're thinking of selling digital products. It offers a user-friendly platform, secure payment processing, and a range of apps to enhance your store's functionality. However, it's essential to weigh the costs and features against other platforms to find the best fit for your business.
What is the best platform to sell digital products?
Shopify is a strong contender for selling digital products, but it's not the only option. Other platforms like Sparq also specialize in digital downloads. The best platform for you depends on your specific needs, budget, and the type of digital products you're selling.
Can I sell my ebook on Shopify?
Yes, you can sell your ebook on Shopify. The platform supports digital downloads, making it easy to upload and sell your ebook. You can also offer additional products or services alongside your ebooks, such as author merchandise or online courses.
