Creating Downloadable FilesAlmost everywhere you look on
Internet there is advice on what to sell off your website. One of most common recommendations is “Information.”
Yes, Information! Infoproducts: eBooks, eZines, Newsletters, etc, etc. “How to write a best selling eBook.” “Create your own Newsletter.” “Sell your own eBook off your website.” “People crave information.” Fantastic!
What no one ever explains is how you set up your Infoproduct as a download. As far as I am aware, you will probably struggle to find out how to do this anywhere on web too. The following information assumes you have a website up and running. If you are selling off your site you will need a “Merchant Account” which will take instantaneous payment, which of course, is necessary before your customer is allowed to download your product. You will need to coordinate access from your website (the place where customer decides and takes action to buy your download) to download link you have created. This is where your “Merchant Account” will help. For example; PayPal has excellent tools for setting up your pricing and shipping costs and creating “Buy Now” buttons, which buyers click on to take them to Credit Card/PayPal account holders payment page. You will be able to set up a link through PayPal’s “Merchant Tools” which brings buyer to your download link once payment has been approved.
Creating a Download
One of most efficient and cost effective ways to deliver your Infoproduct is by “Download.” The process is not complicated. All you are doing when you set up a download is directing purchaser (after they have paid by electronic means) back to your web page with a download link on it.
They click this “Download Now” link and they are invited to save or open download on their own computer. Your download product is stored in a predetermined file/folder on your own computer.
The best way to do this is to zip up file to keep it from taking up as much room and then save zipped file to your web server (your website on internet). You can use a program called WinZip (you may already have it) to accomplish this. First you need to download (if you haven't already) a copy of free (evaluation) version of WinZip. www.winzip.com There are other zip programs but WinZip is probably most popular. Before you install, program will ask you if you want program to start with WinZip Wizard or WinZip Classic. Choose Classic. After programme has been successfully installed, follow these steps:
1. Start WinZip
2. From menu, choose "File" and then select "New Archive".
3. A window of your hard drive, showing all contents of your computer, will appear, and you are asked to give zip file a name. Before you give it a name make sure you pay attention to where (what folder) you are getting ready to save this file in. You'll need to locate it later. I would use “Desktop,” but it could be anywhere on your hard drive. Just remember where. Remember this zipped file you are getting ready to create will contain all files you want people to be able to download. This is file that is saved to your web server. So navigate to folder (the place on your hard drive, for example; desktop) where you want zip file to be saved and name it whatever you want. Lets say, for example purposes, you have written an eBook so we can call file ebook. WinZip will attach .zip into filename automatically, so it will be called ebook.zip
4. Click OK
5. Next, window of your hard drive will appear again. At this point you want to locate file/s you want to zip up and be placed inside file you just named in step 3. This is where you choose file/s you want people to download. Let’s say you have saved your eBook on your “Desktop” (but it could be anywhere on your hard drive). Once you find it, select it and click "Add". If you have more than one file to select, hold down control key and select all files and then click Add.
