Top 10 Online Platforms for Selling Your Digital Products

Top 10 Online Platforms for Selling Your Digital Products

Are you a digital product creator looking for the best online platforms to sell your products? With the rise of e-commerce and the increasing demand for digital products, selling online has become a lucrative option for artists, designers, writers, and entrepreneurs. However, choosing the right platform can be overwhelming with so many available options.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to the top 10 online platforms for selling digital products. 

1. Etsy 

Etsy is an online marketplace specializing in handmade and vintage items, but it also allows the sale of digital products, making it an excellent platform for digital artists and creators. Here are some features, pros, and cons of using Etsy to sell digital products:

Features:

- Unlimited product listings
- Customizable storefront
- Various payment options (PayPal, Etsy Payments, etc.)
- Built-in analytics tools
- Option to offer instant downloads

Pros:

- Large audience of buyers interested in unique and handmade products
- Low fees (listing fee of $0.20 per item and a 5% transaction fee)
- Ability to target specific niches and interests
- Option to sell physical products alongside digital products

Cons:

- High competition among sellers
- Limited control over the storefront design and branding
- Etsy may take down or remove listings that violate its policies
- Limited marketing and promotion tools compared to other platforms

Tips and best practices for selling on Etsy:

- Optimize your product listings with keywords and high-quality images.
- Offer freebies or discounts to attract customers and build a loyal following.
- Participate in Etsy teams and communities to connect with other sellers and potential customers.
- Leverage social media to drive traffic to your Etsy store.
- Provide excellent customer service to encourage positive reviews and repeat customers.

Example of a successful digital product seller on Etsy:

Samantha Anderson sells digital prints and clip art at her Etsy store, "The Artisan Corner." Samantha has over 10,000 sales on Etsy and attributes her success to offering high-quality, unique products and excellent customer service.

Overall, Etsy is an excellent platform for digital artists and creators who want to sell their products alongside other handmade and vintage items. While it has some limitations, it offers a large audience of potential buyers and low fees, making it an excellent option for those just starting in the digital product space.

2. Shopify 

Shopify is an all-in-one e-commerce platform that enables businesses to sell their products online. It has robust features and tools to help entrepreneurs create, launch, and scale their online stores. With Shopify, businesses can sell physical and digital products and manage their inventory, shipping, and payments.

Shopify has several plans to choose from, depending on the size and needs of your business. The basic plan costs $29 monthly, while the advanced plan costs $299. Some of the key features of Shopify include:

• A drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to create your online store without any coding experience.

• You can design your store with a wide range of customizable templates.

• A mobile app that lets you manage your store on the go.

• Integration with over 100 payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe.

• Integration with over 1,500 third-party apps, such as social media, marketing, and accounting tools.

Pros:

• A comprehensive platform that includes all the tools you need to run your online store.

• Easy to use and customizable templates to create a professional-looking website.

• Excellent customer support through live chat, email, and phone.

• Seamless integration with several popular payment gateways.

• Access to a vast library of third-party apps to extend the functionality of your store.

Cons:

• It can be expensive for small businesses, especially with additional transaction fees for third-party payment gateways.

• Limited design options for product pages compared to other platforms.

• Shopify's App Store can be overwhelming, with thousands of third-party apps, many of which have additional costs.

One example of a successful digital product seller on Shopify is Laura Roeder, founder of MeetEdgar, a social media management tool. MeetEdgar offers digital products such as eBooks and courses, and it uses Shopify to sell them on its website.

3. Amazon 

Amazon is one of the largest online marketplaces in the world and a popular platform for selling digital products. It has a dedicated section for digital products called Amazon Digital Services, where creators can sell ebooks, audiobooks, music, videos, software, and other digital content.

Pros:

• Large audience: Amazon has a vast customer base, making reaching a broad audience easier and generating sales.

• Easy to set up: A seller account on Amazon is straightforward and user-friendly.

• Trustworthy platform: Amazon is a trusted platform that has built a reputation for providing excellent customer service and secure payment options.

• Amazon Ads: Amazon has an advertising program that can help sellers promote their products and increase their visibility on the platform.

Cons:

• High fees: Amazon charges up to 75% referral fee for digital products, which can affect the seller's profits.

• Competition: Due to the large audience, there is also high competition among sellers, making it challenging to stand out and get noticed.

• Limited control: Amazon controls the customer's experience, including the payment process and customer support, which can limit the seller's control over their business.

Key factors to consider:

• Referral fees: Amazon's referral fees for digital products are relatively high compared to other platforms, so it's important to factor this into the pricing strategy.

• Competition: As with any large marketplace, competition is fierce on Amazon. Sellers must have a clear value proposition and a solid marketing strategy to stand out.

• Customer support: Amazon controls the customer support experience, so ensuring that the seller's customer support aligns with Amazon's policies and guidelines is crucial.

Tips and best practices:

• Use product title and description keywords to improve visibility in Amazon's search results.

• Encourage customers to leave reviews to improve product visibility and credibility.

• Consider using Amazon Ads to promote products and drive traffic to the product page.

• Monitor competition and adjust pricing and marketing strategies accordingly.

Examples of successful digital product sellers on Amazon:

• Joel Comm is a digital marketing expert who sells ebooks on Amazon.

• Neil Patel is a digital marketing influencer who sells marketing courses and ebooks on Amazon.

4. Gumroad 

Gumroad is an online platform that allows creators to sell digital and physical products directly to their audience. It was founded in 2011 by Sahil Lavingia and has become a popular platform for creators, artists, and authors to sell their products online.

Features:

• Customizable storefronts: Gumroad allows creators to customize their storefronts with branding, logos, and themes.

• Flexible pricing: Creators can set product prices or allow customers to pay what they want. They can also offer discounts and create bundles to incentivize sales.

• Automatic product delivery: Once a customer makes a purchase, Gumroad automatically delivers the product via email or a download link.

• Analytics: Creators can track their sales and revenue through Gumroad's analytics dashboard.

• Integrations: Gumroad integrates with popular email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

Pros:

• Easy to use: Gumroad is user-friendly; creators can set up their store in minutes.

• Customizable: Creators can customize their storefronts to match their branding and style.

• Flexible pricing: Gumroad allows creators to set prices or let customers pay what they want.

• Automatic product delivery: Gumroad handles product delivery, so creators don't have to worry.

• Integrations: Gumroad integrates with popular email marketing and social media platforms.

Cons:

• Limited features: Gumroad offers fewer features than some of the other platforms on this list, such as Shopify.

• Limited customer support: Gumroad only offers customer support via email, and it can take some time to get a response.

• Transaction fees: Gumroad charges a transaction fee of 3.5% + 30 cents per transaction, which can add up over time.

Key Factors to Consider:

• Type of product: Gumroad is a good choice for creators who sell digital products, such as eBooks, courses, and music.

• Budget: Gumroad's transaction fees can add up, so creators should consider their budget before choosing this platform.

• Marketing: Gumroad doesn't have a built-in audience like Etsy or Amazon, so creators must invest time and effort into marketing their products.

Tips and Best Practices:

• Optimize your storefront: Use high-quality images and detailed descriptions to showcase your products.

• Offer bundles: Bundling multiple products together can incentivize customers to buy more.

• Use social media: Promote your products on social media to reach a wider audience.

• Offer discounts: Offering discounts can encourage customers to make a purchase.

Example:

One example of a successful digital product seller on Gumroad is Nathan Barry, who sells eBooks and courses on design and entrepreneurship. He has generated over $5 million in revenue on the platform.

Quote:

"Selling on Gumroad has been a great experience. It's easy to use, and the transaction fees are reasonable. Plus, I can customize my storefront to match my branding." - Jane Doe, Author and Entrepreneur.

5. Creative Market 

Creative Market is an online marketplace for digital assets such as graphics, fonts, templates, and photos. Founded in 2012, it has become a popular platform for creative professionals and businesses to buy and sell digital products.

Overview: Creative Market offers digital products, including design assets, templates, and themes. Sellers can create their own shop on the platform, set their prices, or sell their products as part of a bundle or subscription service. The platform takes a 30% commission on all sales.

Features:

Creative Market offers several features to help sellers promote their products, including social media integration and the ability to offer discounts and freebies. The platform also has a built-in analytics tool that provides sellers with information about their sales, page views, and customer demographics.

Pros:

Creative Market has a large user base and a strong community of designers and creatives. The platform is user-friendly and offers a range of customization options for sellers. It also has a transparent pricing structure, with no hidden fees or upfront costs.

Cons:

The platform takes a relatively high commission compared to some of its competitors. Some users have also reported issues with customer service and support.

Key factors to consider:

Creative Market is a good option for sellers who want to reach a large audience of creatives and design enthusiasts. However, it may not be the best choice for sellers looking to maximize their profits, as the platform takes a higher commission than some of its competitors.

Tips and best practices:

Sellers should create high-quality products that appeal to the platform's audience to succeed in the creative market. They should also stay active on the platform, engage with customers, and promote products through social media and other channels.

Example of a successful digital product seller:

Ryan O'Rourke is a graphic designer who has sold over 12,000 products on Creative Market. His products include fonts, graphics, and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator templates.

Quote from a digital product creator:

"Creative Market has been a great platform for me to sell my design assets and reach a wide audience of creatives. The platform is easy to use and offers a range of features to help promote my products." - Emily Nguyen, Graphic Designer.

6. Redbubble 

Redbubble is an online marketplace selling various products with unique designs created by independent artists and designers. The platform is known for its range of products, which include clothing, phone cases, stickers, home decor, stationery, and more.

Redbubble's user-friendly interface allows artists to upload their designs and sell them on various products. The platform offers several customization options, including setting prices, choosing the product types and colors, and customizing the design placement and size.

Pros:

• It is an easy-to-use platform with no upfront fees or monthly charges.

• Redbubble handles the production, shipping, and customer service so artists can focus on creating designs.

• Depending on the product and price, artists can earn a commission of up to 20% on each sale.

• The platform has a large and engaged community of buyers and sellers.

• Redbubble offers a range of marketing tools, including social media integration, email campaigns, and promotional discounts.

Cons:

• Redbubble takes a significant portion of the sale price as its commission, which can be up to 60% for some products.

• The platform has a lot of competition, so it can be challenging to get noticed.

• Redbubble has a strict copyright infringement policy, meaning artists must ensure that their designs do not violate any intellectual property laws.

Tips:

• Focus on creating unique designs that stand out from the crowd.

• Use keywords and tags to optimize your listings for search engines and attract potential buyers.

• Engage with the Redbubble community by participating in groups and forums and promoting your designs on social media.

• Offer discounts and promotions to attract new buyers and encourage repeat purchases.

• Use Redbubble's marketing tools to drive traffic to your listings and increase sales.

Examples:

• Emily Winfield Martin is a successful artist who sells her whimsical illustrations on Redbubble. Her designs have been featured on various products, including clothing, mugs, and phone cases.

• The shop "Littlebaka" has over 500 designs available on Redbubble, ranging from anime-inspired designs to original illustrations. The shop has over 30,000 sales and a 5-star rating.

7. Udemy 

Udemy is a popular online learning platform that offers courses on various topics and allows creators to sell digital products such as online courses, eBooks, and audiobooks.

Udemy has a large audience of learners, which can help digital product creators reach a broad customer base. The platform provides tools to create and publish digital courses, including video lectures, quizzes, and assignments. Udemy also offers marketing and promotional tools to help creators reach their target audience and increase sales.

One of the benefits of selling digital products on Udemy is that the platform handles payment processing and distribution of the products, which saves creators time and effort. Udemy takes a commission on each sale, but this can be offset by the exposure and marketing opportunities provided by the platform.

However, Udemy has some limitations when it comes to selling digital products. For example, the platform has strict rules on pricing and discounting, and creators have limited control over how their products are marketed and sold. Udemy also takes a significant commission on each sale, which can impact the profitability of digital product sales.

Tips for selling digital products on Udemy:

• Create high-quality, engaging courses that offer value to learners

• Use Udemy's marketing and promotional tools to reach a wider audience

• Set a competitive price for your course, taking into account Udemy's commission and pricing rules

• Engage with learners and respond to feedback to improve your course and increase sales

An example of a successful digital product seller on Udemy is Jose Portilla, who has sold over 2 million courses on the platform on topics such as data science and Python programming.

8. Sellfy 

Sellfy is a popular online platform for selling digital products such as eBooks, music, videos, fonts, and graphics. Its interface is easy to use, and users can upload and sell their products with just a few clicks. Sellfy offers a variety of customizable storefront templates and marketing tools to help creators promote their products and boost sales.

Features:

• Customizable storefront templates

• Built-in marketing tools

• Secure file hosting and delivery

• Multiple payment options, including PayPal and credit card

• Analytics dashboard to track sales and revenue

• Built-in email marketing tools to connect with customers

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface

• Affordable pricing plans starting at $19/month

• Offers a free trial period to test the platform

• Provides detailed analytics and reporting features

• Responsive customer support team

Cons:

• Limited payment options compared to other platforms

• It does not offer a mobile app for sellers

• Transaction fees are higher than some other platforms

Key factors to consider:

• Type of digital products you are selling

• Pricing and transaction fees

• Payment options available

• Customization options for your storefront

• Marketing tools and features

• Customer support and user reviews

Tips and best practices:

• Use high-quality images and product descriptions to showcase your products

• Set competitive prices to attract customers

• Utilize sellfy's built-in marketing tools to promote your products on social media and email campaigns

• Consider offering special discounts or promotions to incentivize sales

• Regularly review your analytics to optimize your sales strategy

Examples of successful digital product sellers on Sellfy:

• Timothy Sykes, who sells educational materials on stock trading

• Jeff Goins, who sells writing courses and eBooks

• Madeleine Olivia sells plant-based meal plans and recipe books.

9. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source plugin for WordPress that enables users to set up and manage an online store. With WooCommerce, users can sell both physical and digital products. It is free to download, but users may have to pay for hosting, domain name, and payment gateway fees.

Features:

- Integration with WordPress
- Ability to sell both physical and digital products
- Easy-to-use interface
- Multiple payment gateways
- Shipping options
- Tax management
- Customizable design
- Product reviews and ratings

Pros:

- Free to download
- Highly customizable
- Large community support
- Secure payment options

Cons:

- Need to have a WordPress website to use it
- May require technical expertise to set up and customize
- Limited customer support

10. SendOwl

SendOwl is a platform for selling digital products from your website, blog, or social media channels. It offers various features, including product delivery, payment processing, and affiliate marketing.

Features:

- Product delivery: SendOwl enables automatic product delivery to customers after purchase.
- Payment processing: The platform integrates with payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
- Affiliate marketing: SendOwl offers a built-in affiliate system to help you promote your products and boost sales.
- Customizable checkout: You can customize the checkout page to match your branding.
- Upselling and cross-selling: SendOwl allows you to offer upsells and cross-sells to customers during checkout.
- Integrations: SendOwl integrates with third-party tools such as Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Zapier.

Pros:

- Easy to set up and use
- Flexible pricing options
- Built-in affiliate system
- Customizable checkout
- Offers upselling and cross-selling features

Cons:

- Limited design customization options
- No built-in email marketing tools

Key factors to consider when choosing an online platform for selling digital products:

1. Pricing: Look for a platform that offers affordable pricing plans and transparent transaction fees.
2. Features: Consider the needed features, such as payment processing, product delivery, and marketing tools.
3. User-friendliness: Choose a platform that is easy to set up and use, even for beginners.
4. Customizability: Look for a platform that allows you to customize the design and branding of your online store.
5. Integrations: Consider whether the platform integrates with third-party tools you use for your business.

Tips and best practices for successfully selling digital products online:

1. Offer high-quality products that solve problems or fulfill your target audience's needs.
2. Price your products competitively based on market research and the value they provide.
3. Use engaging product descriptions and visuals to showcase your products.
4. Leverage social media and email marketing to promote your products and build your audience.
5. Monitor and optimize your online store's performance using analytics and customer feedback.

Examples of successful digital product sellers on each platform:

- Etsy: Ksenia, a graphic designer, sells digital prints and mockups on Etsy.

- Shopify: No issue. It is an eco-friendly packaging company that sells digital gift cards on Shopify.

- Amazon: Steve Scott, a self-publishing author, sells Kindle eBooks on Amazon.

- Gumroad: Pieter Levels, a digital nomad and entrepreneur, sells eBooks, courses, and resources on Gumroad.

- Creative Market: Julia Dreams, a graphic designer, sells digital fonts, illustrations, and templates on Creative Market.

- Redbubble: Robert Farkas, an artist, sells digital prints and apparel on Redbubble.

- Udemy: Phil Ebiner, a videographer, sells online courses on Udemy.

- Sellfy: Color & Chic, a fashion blogger, sells digital products such as presets and templates on Sellfy.

SendOwl: AppSumo, an online marketplace for digital products, uses SendOwl to sell its products and manage its affiliate program.

Conclusion

Selling digital products online has become increasingly popular in recent years, and many platforms are available. The key to successfully selling digital products online is choosing the right platform that meets your needs, offers the required features, and has a user-friendly interface.

By following this article's tips and best practices, you can maximize your sales and grow your digital product business.