You’ve finished your digital download, written the sales page and chosen a price. Before you tell anyone about it, there’s one more job worth doing: try buying it as though you were a customer.
A product can be useful and still leave buyers frustrated if the download is missing, the files won’t open, or the instructions make no sense. A short test before launch is much easier than dealing with confused customers afterwards.
This checklist is for ebooks, templates, planners, checklists, printable files and other downloadable products. You don’t need special software. You need a little time, a second email address and a willingness to check the boring details.
1. Check what you’re actually selling
Open the finished product folder. Does it contain exactly what your sales page promises? If the page says customers receive a PDF guide, an editable document and three templates, those four or five files should all be there. Don’t include rough drafts, old versions or files with names such as FINAL-v7-really-final.
Give each file a plain name that helps the buyer understand it. For example, Meal-Planner-Guide.pdf is easier to recognize than document3.pdf.
Keep a separate master copy for yourself. When you’re preparing a product with editable files, don’t accidentally include your own notes, personal information or working documents.
2. Open every file on a different device
It’s easy to assume a file works because it opens on the computer where you made it. Try it on a phone as well. For a printable product, open the PDF at normal size and zoom in to check that text is readable. For a spreadsheet, look for broken formulas and missing instructions.
If your product requires a particular app, say so before checkout. An editable template that only works with paid software isn’t a good surprise for someone who expected a standard PDF.
Ask yourself: Could a first-time buyer figure out which file to open first?
3. Test the actual purchase and delivery process
This is the most important check. Use your platform’s test or sandbox purchase mode if one is available. If it isn’t, follow the platform’s supported method for checking checkout and fulfillment. Don’t create fake orders that distort your sales figures.
- Open the sales page in a private browser window.
- Click the buy button and check that it leads to the intended product and price.
- Complete the supported test checkout.
- Check the confirmation page and the delivery email.
- Download the files using the links a buyer receives.
- Try the download on a phone or another browser.
Make sure the confirmation email doesn’t land in an unexpected folder during your test. One test doesn’t prove future delivery will always work, but it can catch a broken setup before your first customer does.
4. Read the sales page like a stranger
Don’t look at the page as its creator. Imagine you’ve arrived from a search result and know nothing about the product.
Within a few seconds, can you tell what it is, who it’s for and what you receive? Are the price, file types and delivery method clear? Does the page say whether the buyer needs additional software?
Remove claims you can’t support. A planner can help someone organize their week, but it can’t honestly promise to double their income. Clear examples and previews are usually more useful than big claims.
If you’d like a more detailed page-by-page guide, see what to put on a digital product sales page.
5. Check your usage rights and customer terms
If you created every element yourself, you still need to check any third-party fonts, photographs, graphics or templates you used. A license that lets you use an image in a finished ebook may not let you pass the original image file to buyers for reuse.
Products bought with private label rights or resale rights need extra attention. Read the specific license for that product, not just a general explanation of PLR. Some licenses allow editing and resale but forbid giving buyers the same resale rights. Others restrict where you can sell or what files you may include.
Put clear customer-use terms in the download when needed. Don’t promise rights you don’t own. For an overview of the different types, read the guide to PLR and MRR products.
6. Make the first five minutes easy
A customer shouldn’t have to email you to ask where to begin. A short START-HERE file can explain what’s included, how to open it and what to do first.
For example, a digital planner could say: “Open the PDF first. Print pages 2–5 at actual size, or use the editable version if you prefer to fill it out on your computer.”
Keep instructions specific to the product. Avoid pages of generic motivational advice when the buyer really needs a download link and a few clear steps.
7. Work out what you keep after fees
Check the final price shown at checkout, including any applicable taxes or platform charges. Then calculate your own revenue after platform and payment-processing fees. A $9 product doesn’t necessarily mean $9 reaches you.
Different marketplaces handle fees, taxes and refunds differently. Use the platform’s current published information rather than copying old numbers from a blog post.
Our guide to pricing your first digital product includes a simple way to compare prices and costs.
8. Prepare for the questions customers might ask
Write down the answers to a few likely questions before launch: Where is my download? Can I open it on my phone? What software do I need? May I share or resell it? How do I contact you if a file is damaged?
You don’t need a large help center. A short FAQ on the product page or in the delivery instructions may be enough. Make sure the contact method you provide is one you actually check.
9. Give the whole thing one final read
Spelling mistakes happen, but some errors cause more trouble than others. Check headings, prices, file names, download instructions and any claims about rights. Click every internal link and every product button. Make sure the preview image matches the current product, not an older version.
For products with a lot of pages, check the table of contents and page numbers after exporting the final PDF. A last-minute edit can shift everything.
A simple prelaunch checklist
- All promised files are included.
- File names and instructions are easy to understand.
- PDFs, templates and links open correctly.
- Checkout points to the correct product and price.
- A supported test purchase delivers the files.
- The sales page accurately describes what’s included.
- Any third-party assets and resale rights have been checked.
- Customers can find help if something goes wrong.
- Fees and any applicable charges have been reviewed.
- The final product matches its previews.
What to do after launch
Keep the test files and a note of what you checked. When you update the product, repeat the relevant checks. A new version of a PDF or a changed download link can introduce problems even when the first release worked.
Pay attention to real customer questions. If three people ask how to open a template, the instructions probably need work. Fix the instructions instead of answering the same question forever.
You can also look at the beginner’s guide to selling digital products for the wider process, from choosing an idea to making your first offer.
A launch doesn’t need to be perfect. It does need to be clear, honest and functional. Checking the buying experience before you send visitors gives your first customers a much better chance of getting exactly what they expected.
Featured photograph: Kari Shea via Unsplash.
