Experiences selling digital downloads?

[justice]

Hi, I'm thinking to setup a small shop selling digital downloads for change (think app store prices). I'm looking into the whole distribution question (paypal helps you setup the buy buttons but that does not make the download securely available).  Initially I was hoping to integrate it all in my existing website, but now I'm considering a secure download area - but not looking for a ecommerce shop, just an easy to use solution that takes care of the from payment onwards part of the process. Was thinking of using paypal but these solutions also charge a hefty sum which means not much money left, so this is a problem for me too.

Does anyone have any experience in such things and could give me some pointers?

Found the stuff below in case others are looking for it:
https://cms.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=developer/solutions_dgd
DigiVendor - seems like an interesting candidate.
Prestashop - an open source solution
Brad Sucks Digital Download Store - Found a solution written by an artist looking for someting similar primarily focused on digital downloads, checking it out right now.

[mouser]

while i don't have any insight, i'm interested in hearing what you go with and why.

[superboyac]

I'm VERY interested also.

My criteria would probably be similar to many of you:
--secure purchasing

--simple, elegant website...professional looking

--easy to setup, minimize the need for a programmer or full-time administrator, something a non-programmer can manage (assuming he is comfortable with computers in general, like I am)

--Hopefully, it doesn't LOOK like a blog.  I don't want a purchasing website where it's so obviously a shoehorned blog theme.  Even if it's on wordpress, I don't want the blog-look to be obvious, if possible.

[Curt]

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Shopping, the code 226sTs will subtract 10 or 20 % from the listed CoffeeCup prices.

[JavaJones]

I would just use a free eCommerce app. You say you don't want/need an ecommerce "shop", yet it sounds like that's exactly what you need. Without one, you'll be setting up the payments for each item manually in Paypal, and then trying to figure out how to interface Paypal's payment confirmation with a stand-alone secure downloads system, right? Why not just use one of the many free, easy, open source (or not) solutions that automatically integrate with Paypal (and other) payments, and automatically handle security, etc?

Something like Prestashop:
http://www.prestashop.com/
http://www.prestasho...wnloadable_products/

Or OpenCart:
http://www.opencart.com/
http://www.opencart....ation&path=25_29

Most of these systems can also integrate with other sites, either through template editing for visual cohesion or, in some cases, actual content embedding.

- Oshyan

[justice]

Yea you're right JJ Cheers for OpenCart, hadn't heard of that.

[housetier]

Moneybookers and WePay are alternatives to Paypal. I only have mixed experience with paypal...