Ok, someone explain Paypal Ebook selling to me.

[Steven Lake]

Ok, from my understanding, there's a way now in Paypal to sell your ebook directly off your site. You apparently setup a button similar to a normal by it now button (at least that's how I understand it), upload your ebook or other digital item to Paypal, add the button to your page, and watch the money come in. At least that's how I understand it.

Could someone kindly explain to me if I'm right, and if so, how do I find this magical digital downloads tool in Paypal and how do I set it up?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

It looks like a new (but more complex) setup for a webmaster, that simplifies the payment and delivery system for the customer. According to the FAQ page (you may need to sign in to view it), you need to be conversant with APIs to set up their Digital Goods solution. I didn't see any details on where the files are stored and accessed by the paying consumer.

Another product digital goods providers opt for is Website Payments Standard because it requires less technical expertise and no programming skills. This is what I use, in conjunction with third-party digital goods delivery software. The digital files are stored on your website, not PayPal, with the Website Payments Standard system.

[GoblinWriter]

Hm, I'll have to check this out. I know I've had some kind readers go out of their way to buy my ebooks through Smashwords, just because they know SW gives the authors the highest percentage of earnings. I wonder what the cut would be after Paypal takes its percentage.

[Steven Lake]

Well, I had someone come up with another system for selling ebooks off your website, but at the end of the day it was too convoluted and I couldn't get it to work, so I just gave up on it. I was hoping that Paypal had something that was more point and click setup for someone like me. I may be a web programmer, but my mantra is, "The easier it is, the happier I am." IE, no need for complex programming if something can be greatly simplified from the start.

Steve, as for the paypal buttons, I already use those for selling print copies of my books from my site. What I'm after is a simplified solution for selling digital content off my site. So far I haven't found anything like that. I've even tried using Paypal's API system, but that's a bloody nightmare to work with. Even futzed with it in their sandbox and still went away with nothing.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I never had a problem with the combination of PayPal's selling buttons and a third-party secure delivery system (I'm using LinklokIPN at present, a product you pay for once for pretty much unlimited use on a single website): It does a great job of delivering my content from my website; it requires only middling-level web expertise to set up--ie, if you can't enter basic data into one php file and your product selling pages, ask your kids--and PayPal's cut is minimal.

Linklok is easy to set up and use, from my perspective, and requires no time in PayPal's sandbox. You use the same PayPal buttons as you do for your printed goods, then the php script automates the delivery process. All I sell is digital products--over thirty of them at the moment--and it never lets me down. I've even made some unintentional goof-ups in the php code, but have been able to isolate and fix the problem fairly quickly. (Backups are Gooood!)

I would recommend it to anyone interested in selling digital goods from their site.

[mr ploppy]

I just have it go to where you can download them after paying. I know it's not secure, and there would be nothing to stop people sharing the link if they wanted to. But at the same time there would be nothing to stop them from sharing the actual file once they've got it anyway.

If you're any good, people will pirate you no matter what you do. No big deal, most of the people who download them for free will never read them anyway. And anyone who does read it might like you enough to buy the next one as soon as it comes out. Or at least write a positive review for it somewhere. Either of those would be better than having them just download someone else's book instead.

[Steven Lake]

Well, I'm not so much worried about the secure download as I am having something that's point and click simple for the end user, and easy for me to install that will keep piracy to a minimum. Yes, I understand that I can't stop it entirely, but I would like to keep a lid on it as much as possible without turning into captain cretin to do it. Hence my trying to find out more about this digital delivery system from Paypal.

[dtracy4]

I currently sell a number of digital products, including ebooks, with PayPal as my payment processor. However, I'm not using the new feature you're describing.

I found this free PHP script that integrates w/ PayPal IPN and it has worked well for me (though I did customize it a bit for more features).

http://www.ngcoders.com/php/selling-...al-ipn-and-php

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I just have it go to where you can download them after paying. I know it's not secure, and there would be nothing to stop people sharing the link if they wanted to. But at the same time there would be nothing to stop them from sharing the actual file once they've got it anyway.

Out of curiosity, why not email the file directly to the address associated with Paypal account?

[Steven Lake]

Ankh, the idea is to automate the process. In today's world of "instant gratification", waiting even as much as 5 minutes for a file to be emailed to you is unbearable to some people and it will prevent them from buying from you. So I'm just trying to see to the needs of my pickier customers.

[Ankh]

I am missing something here. Why is email (to the verified email address, so no chance of abuse) slower than pull of the file from some server?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Ankh

I am missing something here. Why is email (to the verified email address, so no chance of abuse) slower than pull of the file from some server?

It wouldn't, but it would be more fiddly to set up and might not always work. Paypal sometimes has its own email address for the return address in its notifications (I think it depends on how the payment is made?). Then they might have some virus checker stop them from saving attachments, or their ISP might block it as spam. Doing it with a web page saying click here for Kindle, click here for Sony, etc is easier for me and easier for them.

[linux_author]

i will never use PayPal as it requires access to my bank account

[Steven Lake]

Mr. Ploppy, you are spot on. Reliability + Ease of access/use for both parties.

Linux_Author: It doesn't bother me any. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, so let them try to pull money from my account. It has nothing in it anyways. lol. But if you're really that paranoid about them (or some nefarious 3rd party) taking money out, start a second account and assign it to the Paypal account. I know a number of people who do that. (PS, love your username. What kind of Linux stuff do you do? PM me and we'll chat)

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

It wouldn't, but it would be more fiddly to set up and might not always work. Paypal sometimes has its own email address for the return address in its notifications (I think it depends on how the payment is made?). Then they might have some virus checker stop them from saving attachments, or their ISP might block it as spam. Doing it with a web page saying click here for Kindle, click here for Sony, etc is easier for me and easier for them.

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

Reliability + Ease of access/use for both parties.

When I bought Simon Royle's "Tag" from his website, the file was e-mailed directly to me, and it looked to me as a natural method of delivery.

Now, what works for me might not be what works for everybody else, I'll give you that. But I still believe that email notification (even if it is "thank you for your purchase, click on this URL to download your book"), trough email associated with Paypal account, is what most of the customers would expect.

I most certainly do.