Selling Files in WordPress Easily By Easy Digital Downloads

There are always individuals who want to create a website capable of selling files online and aim to prevent any issues by offering comprehensive features. For this purpose, you need a professional Selling Files in WordPress Plugin like Easy Digital Downloads (EDD), which comes with highly valuable features. But what is EDD? In simple terms, EDD is a WordPress plugin that allows you to set up a file-selling store with features that may even exceed your needs. But what exactly is EDD?

As you know, in the realm of e-commerce (online businesses), numerous websites sell files such as educational courses and articles. If you also plan to enter this field and sell your professionally created files, join us in this article as we introduce you to EDD, a powerful plugin for WordPress content management systems.

What is EDD?

The EDD plugin (short for Easy Digital Downloads) is one of the best WordPress plugins for selling files. It is highly popular among Iranian WordPress users because it supports the Persian language by default. This plugin is often the first choice for designers creating online file-selling websites.

Selling Files on WordPress with EDD

EDD is a powerful plugin for creating an online store, specifically designed for selling downloadable products. With its customizable system, you can easily adjust and modify various sections of your store.

What’s the Difference Between WooCommerce and EDD?

Before setting up your online store, it’s crucial to choose the most suitable plugin based on the products you plan to sell. Switching plugins later can result in losing all your product data, forcing you to start over.

You might wonder: What’s the difference between Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) and WooCommerce, and which plugin is better for setting up an online store?

• WooCommerce is primarily designed for physical products like smartphones and computers, though it also supports downloadable products by default.
• EDD, on the other hand, is tailored for digital products like educational courses and scientific articles. However, it doesn’t support physical products by default. To sell physical products with EDD, you’ll need additional add-ons.

Advantages of the EDD Plugin

• Specifically designed for digital products
• Simple and seamless purchasing process
• Ability to limit download links
• Compatibility with various themes

Advantages of the WooCommerce Plugin

• Supports both digital and physical products by default
• High popularity and acceptance among e-commerce plugins
• Optimized and powerful coding and design
• Strong SEO capabilities

Which Plugin Should You Choose?

In addition to the advantages mentioned above, consider the following factors:

1. User Dashboard: A user-friendly dashboard is crucial for any website. Ensure your plugin offers an intuitive interface for both users and administrators.
2. Online Payment Gateway: Ensure the payment gateway you plan to use is compatible with your chosen plugin to avoid additional costs.
3. Setup Costs: While both plugins are free, you may need to pay for additional add-ons and themes.

If you’re only selling digital products, EDD is the ideal choice. For physical products, WooCommerce is better. If you plan to sell both, WooCommerce is recommended as it supports both types by default. Additionally, WooCommerce offers better security and SEO performance compared to EDD.

General Guide to Using EDD

After installing the plugin, a new menu item called Downloads will appear on the dashboard. It includes submenus like:

1. All Downloads

• Purpose: Displays a list of all the digital products (downloads) you’ve added to your store.
• Features:
  • View product names, prices, sales counts, and earnings.
  • Edit or delete products directly from the list.
  • Search and filter products for easier management.

2. Add New

• Purpose: Allows you to create and add new digital products to your store.
• Features:
  • Set product details like title, description, and price.
  • Upload files for download (e.g., PDFs, videos, software).
  • Configure advanced options like variable pricing, download limits, and file access settings.

3. Categories

• Purpose: Organize your digital products into categories for better navigation and management.
• Features:
  • Create, edit, or delete categories.
  • Assign products to specific categories (e.g., “E-books,” “Courses,” “Templates”).
  • Helps customers filter and find products more easily.

4. Tags

• Purpose: Add tags to your products for improved searchability and organization.
• Features:
  • Create, edit, or delete tags.
  • Assign multiple tags to a single product (e.g., “Beginner,” “Advanced,” “2023”).
  • Tags help customers find related products quickly.

5. Payment History

• Purpose: Tracks all transactions made on your store.
• Features:
  • View details of each purchase, including customer email, payment amount, date, and status.
  • Filter payments by date, customer, or status (e.g., completed, pending, refunded).
  • Export payment history for accounting or analysis.

6. Customers

• Purpose: Manages customer information and purchase history.
• Features:
  • View a list of all customers who have made purchases.
  • See details like total spending, number of purchases, and email addresses.
  • Edit customer information or manually add new customers.

7. Discount Codes

• Purpose: Create and manage discount codes for promotions.
• Features:
  • Set up percentage-based or fixed-amount discounts.
  • Define usage limits (e.g., one-time use, unlimited uses).
  • Set expiration dates for discounts.
  • Track how many times a discount code has been used.

8. Reports

• Purpose: Provides insights into your store’s performance.
• Features:
  • View sales and earnings reports over specific time periods.
  • Analyze download statistics and customer behavior.
  • Export reports for further analysis.
  • Includes visual charts and graphs for easy interpretation.

9. Settings

• Purpose: Configure the core functionality of your EDD store.
• Features:
  • General: Set currency, file download method, and store location.
  • Payment Gateways: Enable and configure payment options (e.g., PayPal, Stripe).
  • Emails: Customize email templates for purchase receipts and notifications.
  • Styles: Enable or disable default EDD styles for better integration with your theme.
  • Taxes: Configure tax settings for your store.
  • Privacy: Manage GDPR compliance and data privacy settings.
  • Miscellaneous: Additional settings like reCAPTCHA and debugging.

10. Tools

• Purpose: Provides utilities for managing and troubleshooting your store.
• Features:
  • Import/Export: Import or export product and payment data.
  • System Info: View technical details about your server and WordPress setup for debugging.
  • Data Tools: Recount stats, clear transients, or reset store data.

11. Add-ons

• Purpose: Extend the functionality of EDD with additional features.
• Features:
  • Browse and install official EDD extensions (e.g., recurring payments, product reviews, shipping options).
  • Integrate third-party tools and services (e.g., Mailchimp, Zapier).
  • Enhance your store with premium features tailored to your needs.

Configure the plugin by navigating to the Settings section, where you can adjust general settings, payment gateways, emails, styles, taxes, privacy, and more.

Configure the plugin by navigating to the Settings section, where you can adjust general settings, payment gateways, emails, styles, taxes, privacy, and more.

Key Features of EDD

1. Product List: Displays all added products, allowing you to quickly view and edit them.
2. Product Management Page: Set prices, create variable pricing, and bundle multiple files for a single purchase.
3. Payment History List: Track recent buyers, including their email, payment amount, date, and status.
4. Purchase Report Charts: Visualize sales and download data with advanced filters for specific timeframes or products.

Conclusion

If you’re planning to start selling files on WordPress, EDD is the best choice. Stay tuned for our upcoming tutorial series on Easy Digital Downloads.