This story was originally published in June 2023
Running an online storecan be hard work.
You have to manage inventory, package items and ship regularly.
Say you sell digital downloads.
A digital planner created by Andrea Wong. Photo courtesy of Andrea Wong
You dont have to deal with all of the nuances that come with inventory management.
TakeKatacosmic Design, a digital planner store on Etsy, for example.
Andrea Wong is the woman behind the online business, but she used to be a disorganized teenager.
My organization skills were null, she said in an email.
That changed when her mom gave her a planner.
So I started creating my own.
Do you have a killer idea for a digital product?
Heres what you should know before you roll selling digital products.
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It could mean a whole slew of things.
Printable 3D art templates.
Here are three popular examples.
Niche is the name of the digital downloads game.
Its difficult to stand out with a simple planner template.
But what about a digital planner for students?
My first templates were exclusively things that I would need as a student, Wong said.
Think college assignment tracker, not daily planner.
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You already create lesson plans.
Why not sell them?
To choose your niche, think about the age group and subject area you teach.
High school math teachers can sell trigonometry quizzes.
Kindergarten teachers can sell traceable handwriting worksheets.
Ask yourself: Is this something I would want for my classroom?
If the answer is yes, other teachers will probably feel the same way.
Next thing you know, youre selling digital products, potentially making money off of something youve already made.
There is more demand than ever for independent sewing patterns.
As any sewist knows, drafting a professional pattern is a tall order.
If you have the skills, try listing your digital designs.
Avoid clothing that has been done to death.
The world probably does not need another quilted jacket pattern.
Do you wish there were more plus-size Lord of the Rings cosplay patterns?
Thats a good sign you should create some.
I started using Canva, Wong said.
Readherefor all the details.
Similarly, it is not OK to resell Canva templates or stock elements as-is.
In short: Create your own design, dont steal Canvas.
For other products, youll need a more advanced toolkit.
To create digital sewing patterns, for example, Canva wont cut it.
you’re free to opt forSeamly, a specialized software for drafting clothing designs.
Its free and open-source.
Another popular option is Adobe Illustrator.
Its pricey at$34.49per month, but powerful.
However you choose to design your digital product, test it before you list it.
Send your file to a friend.
Ask them: Did it look professional?
Was the formatting wonky?
Were the instructions easy to follow?
You want your digital file to be clean and clear before you sell it to customers.
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Step 3: List Your Product
Listing digital products is not too different from listing physical products.
But there are certain exceptions.
So youre ready to start selling digital products.
Where do you start?
Do you make your own website or sell on an existing online marketplace?
Etsyhas a thriving, if crowded, digital downloads market.
Meanwhile, Gumroad has less competition and fewer buyers.
When youre deciding where to sell digital downloads, there are pros and cons to every option.
Definitely consider crosslisting posting your digital downloads to multiple platforms to get the most sales.
Sure, you could take a few screenshots of your digital products and call it a day.
But if you want to stand out, show your digital goods in action.
If youre selling lesson plans, display them on a desk with an apple and pencil.
If youre selling a sewing pattern, model the finished product.
Either way, great photos are an important way to showcase your digital downloads.
Whatever you do, make it clear that your items are digital.
Put digital in the title.
Put it in the description.
Put it in the photos.
Theres still a chance customers will confuse your digital products for physical products.
If that happens, stay calm and put on your customer service hat.
Ive had two people message me and say that they thought it was a physical product, Wong said.
After explaining, they are cool with it.
Its tempting to list digital products for a low price.
After all, its just a digital file why not list it for a dollar?
Dont sell yourself short.
If you put time and effort into creating a quality product, people will happily pay for it.
you’re free to always add a discount if sales are slow.
Wongscustom digital planneris $29.07, on sale from $107.66.
That price point keeps sales steady without undervaluing her labor.
People have showed love and appreciation for my designs, Wong said.
That is what has motivated me all this time to keep uploading.
Heres a look at the pros and cons of selling digital downloads.
Ready to Start Selling Digital Downloads?
All you need is an idea, some software (much of it is free to use!)
and a place to sell digital products, and youre well on your way to a digital downloads business.
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Contributor Ciara McLaren is a freelance writer with work in HuffPost, Insider and The Penny Hoarder.
you could find her on Substack (@camclaren).
