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Digital Download solution via Paypal?

gwmbox Member
in General support
Hi guys

Has anyone used ZP to successfully set-up a digital download section where images (not all) are available for download once purchased? If so what solution have you used?

There will be in the 100's or even 1000's of images for digital sale, so the solution would need to be able to manage that.

I am looking for the option to pay via paypal, then paypal send back the 'yes its been paid for' signal and then the user is given access to the download via an encrypted link just for them for a period of Xhours or Xdays.

I have seen the digisell solution, but that seems to be more for the smaller size digital sales, we will have quite a few products being sold.

Oh and we will be making a sizable donation to ZP if the result is successful and the site does earn money, something in the vicinity of 1% of all sales... does not sound like much now but add it up over the longer term...

We would also be happy to discuss a custom solution if anyone is willing to take on the job, and we would in turn provide that solution back to the community if the developer agrees to it.

Cheers

GW

Comments

  • acrylian Administrator, Developer
    If such a solution exists we don't know about it. There once has been a solution called eZenphoto that was sadly not a plugin but a hack of an older version. Therefore we could not recommend it, but it has dissapeared now anyway.

    I don't know the digisell solution you mention and I have right now no idea how the API of PayPal for this works but I have seen this as well with all kind of goods. Since all is code I assume it might be possible.

    I am generally for hire to do custom plugins but be aware that development might cost a little. Just in advance to avoid missunderstandings: General donations are always appreciated and welcome but would not be applicable for such a personal custom development as well as "we pay later if we make profit". If you like you may mail me directly via my (currently placeholder) site to discuss this a little. Link is on our "About us" page.

    Also note generally all solutions for Zenphoto that use Zenphoto code are considered derivative works regarding GPL so the solution in any case would be GPL as well (which does not mean it must be a free download but if I would do this I would make it available, even if generalized).

    I wonder though if it might be easier and more convenient to use any of the already existing open source shop solutions like Zencart, Magento etc? I am not familiar with these in detail but I guess these have that functionality already.
  • gwmbox Member
    Thanks acrylian for your comments, they are valued as always.

    As part of my quest to find a solution I did find this one (http://www.alurian.com/paypal-download-manager/paypal-download-manager/), though not a free solution it might just do what I want. I have taken the plunge to see if it will work and will get back to the community if it does, though I cannot donate it free of course as it is not mine to do so, but it is relatively inexpensive.

    Having said that if a solution came about at a similar cost or not a whole lot more, then I will again reconsider that, and as I said, which you have also mentioned, would be freely provided back to the ZP community. I believe in and always prefer Open Source, but sometimes a solution is not always readily there.

    While ZenCart and Magneto etc are there they are too big for what we need, simplicity is the key for us :)

    Though my idea of donating back to ZP if the site does take off still stands either way... I know that is said often but really of the millions of web sites made each year, very few actually make it and even fewer remember to support those that got them there... that will not be us :)

    Cheers

    GW
  • acrylian Administrator, Developer
    I did take a quick look at that paypal download manager. Best you try it and maybe that can be integregrated of some sort. That would be at least a valuable info to others as well. Seems also you need to buy another script for encoding as well (see the server requirements). But that probably is

    Since that program is not open source you of course can't donate it. Although not having investigated anything in this regard I surely can't even start developing such a shop plugin for the amount this one costs, even with that extra script for encoding. As you know shops are quite complicated things security wise even if PayPal does the most of the part.
    Though my idea of donating back to ZP if the site does take off still stands either way...
    That would be appreciated as it goes directly to our server manager for running our server. My comment was actually just addressing the possiblity of hiring.
  • gwmbox Member
    Just thought I better get back to the community about the solution idea I had above... don't bother... it is fully ioncube encoded to the point that you cannot even style the output even with css as there is little css used. It is also clumsy and would be time consuming if you have many items to add. No categories, no server file location and only single upload feature.... just not up to the standard one hope for to use with ZP.

    So anyway I am going to take acrylian's advice and have a look at Magneto again... bit big for what I wanted but if it works... then why not :)

    Unless anyone has any other suggestions?

    Cheers

    GW
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