Site(s) for donation and download

Photog4ChristPhotog4Christ Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
edited April 9, 2010 in Mind Your Own Business
Does anyone know of a site that will allow you to put something online, have someone make a donation (of any amount) and then allow a download?

I had an idea for making my own Windows 7 Theme Packs (very easy to do) with my photos as backgrounds. I would like to put the Theme Packs on my web site and a person can make a donation of any amount (maybe a minimum of $5) and then they can download the file. All of this would be automatic, so I wouldn't have to be directly involved with the transactions. Maybe if the system could send them a unique URL that would be used once (for download only) and then no longer usable after they download the file.

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you in advance.
Neal
<><
Neal Jacob

[URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B

Comments

  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    Photog4Christ wrote:
    Does anyone know of a site that will allow you to put something online, have someone make a donation (of any amount) and then allow a download?

    I had an idea for making my own Windows 7 Theme Packs (very easy to do) with my photos as backgrounds. I would like to put the Theme Packs on my web site and a person can make a donation of any amount (maybe a minimum of $5) and then they can download the file. All of this would be automatic, so I wouldn't have to be directly involved with the transactions. Maybe if the system could send them a unique URL that would be used once (for download only) and then no longer usable after they download the file.

    Any thoughts on this?

    Thank you in advance.
    Neal

    What you could do is setup a buy it button through paypal. And, when they purchase it you can email them the link to the download.

    I'll do some more research today, and I'll get back to you if I find a better way to do it.
    Jer
  • rgphotorgphoto Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote:
    What you could do is setup a buy it button through paypal. And, when they purchase it you can email them the link to the download.

    I'll do some more research today, and I'll get back to you if I find a better way to do it.

    I've got one better. I believe with paypal, you can set a landing page. So once they pay (or donate), they will be forwarded to a different page. Set up a page that is normally unlisted within your website to be that page.
    website | blog | twitter | facebook

    Nikon d700, sb-600 external flash Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM, AF NIKKOR 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 D, AF-S NIKKOR 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 G, AF Promaster Macro

    Using photography to pay for engineering school is a bad business plan.
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    rgphoto wrote:
    I've got one better. I believe with paypal, you can set a landing page. So once they pay (or donate), they will be forwarded to a different page. Set up a page that is normally unlisted within your website to be that page.

    yeah, I knew you could do that... I just wasn't sure how to. but, that would be the best way to do it I think...
    Jer
  • rgphotorgphoto Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote:
    yeah, I knew you could do that... I just wasn't sure how to. but, that would be the best way to do it I think...

    It's tough to explain how to without actually doing it. I believe paypal makes it pretty clear when you're building a button.
    website | blog | twitter | facebook

    Nikon d700, sb-600 external flash Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM, AF NIKKOR 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 D, AF-S NIKKOR 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 G, AF Promaster Macro

    Using photography to pay for engineering school is a bad business plan.
  • Photog4ChristPhotog4Christ Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    rgphoto wrote:
    I've got one better. I believe with paypal, you can set a landing page. So once they pay (or donate), they will be forwarded to a different page. Set up a page that is normally unlisted within your website to be that page.

    Yeah, but I want to find something that would generate a random URL, so the link can't be used again. Otherwise, people can get around this by e-mailing the landing URL to friends, etc...
    <><
    Neal Jacob

    [URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    I found this: http://www.shareit.com/

    Not sure if it costs anything, but it looks like it would work.
    Edit: found this in their FAQ
    shareit wrote:
    How much does share-it! cost?

    Overview of the two share-it! Pricing Models:

    share-it! VALUE
    - 4.9% of the product price plus 1 USD/EUR per transaction if share-it! delivers the download product or the license key to your customer
    share-it! FLEX
    8.9% of the product price, but at least 1 USD/EUR per transaction, no delivery restrictions

    If you're only asking for $5 its probably not going to be worth using this...
    Jer
  • Photog4ChristPhotog4Christ Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2010
    Thank you for the feedback and the research. :)

    I was looking into E-junkie, but they're $5/month, so I don't know if it would really be worth it for a "donation only" business model.

    Thank you again. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. :D
    <><
    Neal Jacob

    [URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B
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