What if I say you can get maximum output from business without taking unnecessary chances on shipping, inventory, or storage? Yes, that’s right! This is the power of selling virtual products on WooCommerce.
But to start selling virtual products, you must understand how to add these products to your list and associate them with WooCommerce.
Online entrepreneurs are looking into different avenues where they can save a good amount on shipping, higher scalability, better profit margins, etc. And this is the reason why this blog helps anyone at that juncture to start their online business.
Let’s understand further.
What are Virtual Products?
The digitally available products or non-physical goods are considered virtual products. Some examples of digital or virtual products are e-books, online courses, stock photos, etc.
Why WooCoommerce is best for selling Digital Products?
WooCommerce is most sought after as it’s an easy platform to start any online business. That’s why it has become a first choice among entrepreneurs. The ‘n’ number of plugins associated with WooCommerce and how seamless payment integrations are make it a standout from other e-commerce platform builders.
Irrespective of the industry you are coming from, WooCommerce sets apart the kind of features and user-friendliness with which the website can be operated.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Sell Virtual Products on WooCommerce
Step 1: Install WooCommerce Plugin
- Look for the Plugins tab on the WordPress Dashboard
- Once you click, type in WooCommerce on the search bar
- The plugin pops up and click on Install and then Activate.
Step 2: Setting up Virtual Product on WooCommerce
You can refer to the guide to configure General Settings on WooCommerce.
Once, General Settings are set, you can move to the Products tab, and create your first virtual product.
- Click on the Products tab, then navigate to Downloadable Products
- And then you get a window like this:
- Under File Download Method, you will be able to choose from 3 methods: Force Downloads, X-Accel-Redirect/X-Sendfile, and Redirect Only.
Force Downloads: In this method, the files are force downloaded using the PHP function. But, if the files are larger, then there’s a chance for cut-off during downloading.
X-Accel-Redirect/ X-Sendfile: To access this method, it requires the X-Accel-Redirect/X-Sendfile module to be installed and enabled on the server. This is considered the most reliable method as the files are directly served to the customer.
Redirect Only: Over here, the user is redirected using a link and they can download the file from there. The issue with this method is that anyone who follows the link can download the file.
- Select “access restriction” options
If you are enabling the “Downloads Require Login”, then you are prompting the users to log in to make the download.
If you are enabling “Grant Access to Downloadable Products“, you give users access to the products while the order is processing. This is most beneficial in cases where both virtual and physical products are clubbed together.
- The setting “Append a unique string to filename for security” is already enabled by default. This setting will help enhance the security of your files.
Step 3: Creating a Virtual Product on WooCommerce
- To add a virtual product, navigate to the Product tab on the WordPress Dashboard and click on Add New Product.
- Then, on the opening, enable the checkbox “Virtual Product” or “Downloadable Product“
Things to Keep in Mind Before Setting Up Virtual Products on WooCommerce
Navigate to WooCommerce Settings and do the following:
- Under General Settings, limit downloadable item purchases to 1
- Under Inventory Settings, Disable Stock Management
- Under Shipping Settings, Disable Shipping
Conclusion
Adding digital products and selling them is as simple as selling normal physical goods. While extra-understanding has to be encouraged on the security of the downloadable products, the rest of the process is pretty much the same.
To make sure that your virtual products sell, do the needful by aligning the product pages with SEO-aligned descriptions and user-friendly designs.
Start listing your first virtual product today! Need help? Drop your questions in the comments!
FAQs
- Can I sell both physical and virtual products in WooCommerce?
Yes! WooCommerce allows you to sell both product types in the same store.
- How do I protect my digital products from unauthorized downloads?
Use WooCommerce download restrictions, licensing tools, or plugins like Easy Digital Downloads.
- What’s the best way to market virtual products?
SEO, social media, email marketing, and influencer partnerships work best.
- Can I offer subscriptions for virtual products?
Yes! Use WooCommerce Subscriptions to sell recurring memberships or services.
- What’s the best plugin for selling online courses on WooCommerce?
LearnDash or LifterLMS are great options for course-based virtual products.
