Quick start: How to securely sell ebook (or any digital download) with MemberWing-X

Here are step by step instructions on how to quickly and securely sell your digital downloadable product with the help of MemberWing-X:

1. Apply Pro license to your MemberWing-X plugin via MemberWingX->General Settings (if you have one). Deactivate/reactivate plugin.
2. PREMIUM_FILES directory should be automatically created by MemberWing-X under main directory of your site's files.
   Using your FTP program create directory 'downloads' under it such as:
   PREMIUM_FILES/downloads
3. Upload your file for sale to PREMIUM_FILES/downloads, such as:
   PREMIUM_FILES/downloads/my_ebook.pdf
4. Optional: create short, promotional version of your ebook and upload it to the same place with this name:
   my_ebook_denied.pdf
5. Create paypal "buy now" button with item name that will include this string: [file: downloads/my_ebook.pdf] such as:
   How to be successful [file: downloads/my_ebook.pdf]
6. Paste HTML code of that paypal button to one of your wordpress "buy stuff here" posts/pages.
   MemberWing-X filter will automatically insert proper IPN code inside of Paypal button's HTML, so you don't need to worry about it.
7. Once user goes to your buy page and clicks buy button - he will be processed by paypal and will get email notification about his purchase + login link + his username / password to login.
   You, as webmaster will get email notification as well.
   NOTE: if user complain that he made a purchase but never received email - ask him to check his "spam" folder as some ISP marks too many legitimate emails as spam.
8. Safe download link for your ebook is this:
   YOUR-SITE.com/premium/downloads/my_ebook.pdf
   Include this into one of your "product" pages.
   If buyer clicks on it - he will get access to full version of ebook.
   If free visitor clicks on it - he will get access to promotional version of ebook (my_ebook_denied.pdf contents will be shown to him automatically)
9. Once buyer logs in to your site - he may click on above "safe" link and download full version of ebook

To test all above manually (without making the purchase) do this:

1. Create new user (Admin->Users>Add new user), say,
   username = johngold
   password = gold
2. Once created - go to his profile: Users->johngold
3. Scroll down until you see table "Products owned".
4. Add manually new product for 'johngold'.
   Inside of "Add new product for this user" area enter product name:
   How to be successful [file: downloads/my_ebook.pdf]
5. Leave "Product ID" and "Subscr ID" blank.
6. Click on [Update User] button.
7. Logoff
8. While logged off - try to click on this link:
   YOUR-SITE.com/premium/downloads/my_ebook.pdf?x=1
   You will either get "404 not found error" or promotional version of your ebook (if you uploaded my_ebook_denied.pdf).
9. Login as your new user: johngold / gold
10. While logged on as 'johngold' - try to click on this link:
    YOUR-SITE.com/premium/downloads/my_ebook.pdf?x=2
    You should now see full version of the ebook.
11. NOTE: I've attached ?x=1 and ?x=2 to URL to defeat your browser caching. You may replicate these tests just by using different browsers such as explorer and firefox. (but not few windows of the *same* type of browser as they will still use cache).
12. Hence your ebook may be delivered to new user in few ways:
    • Just by publishing "safe" link to your ebook on any page of your site, such as:
      YOUR-SITE.com/premium/downloads/my_ebook.pdf
      Free visitors will not be able to see your ebook, only promotional version.
    • By editing email that is sent to user and adding above link to it.
      You may edit text of email sent to user after payment by going to:
      Wordpress admin->MemberWingX->General Settings->"Welcome email body"

For more information please see the latest version of MemberWing-X manual here.

Gleb