Selling digital products on Shopify is one of the fastest ways to build a scalable online business. No inventory, no shipping headaches, and no limits on how many times you can sell the same product. If you’re a beginner, though, the setup can feel confusing—files, payments, delivery, security, automation… where do you even start?

This step-by-step guide walks you through exactly how to sell digital products on Shopify, from product creation to instant delivery after payment. By the end, you’ll have a clear, beginner-friendly system you can use to sell ebooks, software license keys, design assets, subscriptions, or any other digital product.

What Are Digital Products?

Digital products are items customers can download or access online instead of receiving physically. Common examples include:

• 📘 Ebooks, PDFs, guides
• 🎨 Design files (PSD, Figma, Canva templates)
• 💻 Software, apps, plugins, license keys
• 🎓 Online courses and video content
• 🔑 Subscription keys, activation codes, API keys

Unlike physical products, digital products are delivered instantly after purchase—making automation and security essential.

Learn more Digital Products vs Physical Products: Key Differences Explained for a detailed walkthrough.

Why Use Shopify to Sell Digital Products?

Shopify is one of the best platforms for selling digital products because it offers:

• Secure checkout and trusted payment processing
• Full control over branding and customer experience
• Powerful app ecosystem for automation and delivery
• Scalability from your first sale to thousands per day

learn more Why Use Shopify to Sell Digital Products? briefly walk through

However, Shopify doesn’t natively handle advanced digital delivery. That’s where a dedicated digital delivery app like Digitally becomes essential.

Step 1: Decide What Digital Product You’ll Sell

Before touching Shopify, get clear on your product:

Ask yourself:

• Who is this for?
• What problem does it solve?
• Is it a one-time purchase or recurring?

Beginner-friendly digital product ideas:

• A niche ebook or checklist
• Website templates or themes
• Software license keys
• Premium downloadable resources

👉 Tip: Start simple. You can always expand your product line later.

Internal link: 8 Digital Product Ideas You Can Start Selling on Shopify Today*

Step 2: Create Your Shopify Store

If you don’t already have a Shopify store:

1. Sign up at Shopify
2. Choose a theme (free themes work perfectly for beginners)
3. Set your store name, currency, and basic settings

You don’t need custom code or technical skills at this stage.

Step 3: Add a Digital Product in Shopify

Now let’s create your product:

1. Go to Products → Add product
2. Enter your product title and description
3. Upload product images or preview screenshots
4. Set pricing
5. Uncheck “This is a physical product” (important)

At this point, Shopify knows your product is digital—but it still doesn’t know how to deliver it. That’s where automation comes in.

Step 4: Install a Digital Product Delivery App

To sell digital products professionally, you need automation for:

• Instant file or license key delivery
• Secure downloads
• Order-based access control
• Fraud prevention

Digitally is built specifically for Shopify sellers who want reliable digital product delivery.

With Digitally, you can:

• Automatically deliver files or license keys after payment
• Protect files from unauthorized sharing
• Handle high-volume sales without manual work

Learn more Gumroad vs Shopify for Digital Products: Which Is Better for Creators?*

Step 5: Upload Files or License Keys in Digitally

Depending on your product type, Digitally supports multiple delivery methods:

📂 File Delivery

• Upload PDFs, ZIP files, videos, or documents
• Set download limits and expiration rules

🔑 License Key Delivery

• Upload a list of unique license keys
• Automatically assign one key per order
• Prevent reuse or duplication

This setup ensures every customer receives exactly what they paid for—instantly.

Step 6: Enable Instant Delivery After Payment

One of the biggest advantages of digital products is instant fulfillment.

With Digitally:

• Customers receive their download or license key immediately after checkout
• Delivery happens via secure email and/or order page
• No manual emails, no delays, no mistakes

This improves:

• Customer satisfaction
• Conversion rates
• Refund reduction

learn more about License Key Delivery Automation vs Manual Delivery: What’s Best for Selling Software Online?*

Step 7: Secure Your Digital Products

Security is critical when selling digital goods.

Digitally helps protect your products with:

• Secure download links
• Download limits per customer
• Time-based access expiration
• Order validation to prevent sharing

This reduces piracy and ensures only paying customers can access your content.

Step 8: Set Up Payments and Taxes

Shopify supports multiple payment methods, including:

• Credit/debit cards
• PayPal
• Local payment gateways

Make sure to:

• Enable your preferred payment providers
• Configure digital product taxes (VAT/GST if applicable)

Shopify handles the checkout security so you don’t have to.

Step 9: Test the Buying Experience

Before launching, always test:

• Make a test purchase
• Confirm payment flow
• Verify instant delivery
• Check email notifications

Testing ensures your customers have a smooth, professional experience from day one.

Step 10: Launch and Market Your Digital Product

Once everything works:

• Publish your product
• Share it via email, social media, or ads
• Optimize your product page for SEO

Because delivery is automated, you can focus on marketing instead of fulfillment.

Why Automation Matters for Digital Product Sales

Manual delivery doesn’t scale.

Automation helps you:

• Save time
• Avoid errors
• Sell globally 24/7
• Scale without adding workload

This is especially important for:

• Software sellers
• Subscription-based products
• High-volume launches

Common Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid

• ❌ Sending files manually via email
• ❌ Using insecure public download links
• ❌ Forgetting to disable physical shipping
• ❌ Not testing delivery before launch

Using a dedicated solution like Digitally helps you avoid these pitfalls from the start.

Final Thoughts: Selling Digital Products on Shopify the Right Way

Selling digital products on Shopify doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right setup and automation, you can create a professional, secure, and scalable digital business—even as a beginner.

By combining Shopify’s powerful storefront with Digitally’s instant delivery, automation, and security, you get the best of both worlds:

• A trusted ecommerce platform
• Reliable digital product fulfillment

Whether you’re selling ebooks, software license keys, or premium downloads, this system grows with you.