Are you ready to join the growing digital product selling revolution? According to recent market research by Goldman Sachs, the digital products business generates over $54 billion yearly, and this figure is projected to reach $74 billion by 2025 (source: Statista). Whether you’re a creative professional, educator, or entrepreneur, learning how to sell digital products online offers an incredible opportunity to build a scalable online business with minimal upfront investment.
What Are Digital Products?
What is a digital product? Digital products meaning encompasses valuable assets that exist in electronic form – ranging from e-books and online courses to software and design templates. Unlike physical products, these digital goods examples can be sold repeatedly without physical inventory costs or shipping concerns.
Why Sell Digital Products?
Intangible assets offer several advantages over physical goods:
- Low Overhead, High Profit: No need for warehouses or shipping costs means more money in your pocket.
- Automation at Your Fingertips: Set it and forget it! Orders are delivered instantly.
(Pro-tip: Don’t forget to perform A/B Testing). - Endless Possibilities: Create digital courses, ebooks, templates, or software – the options are limitless.
- Capitalize on the E-learning Boom: The online learning market is growing rapidly in the age of AI, offering huge potential for digital educators.
Despite the lucrative benefits, there are challenges on the other side of the coin. Competition is fierce in the online marketplace and you may need to stand out with unique, high-quality products and compelling descriptions. Piracy is another threat. Protect your work with strong security measures
Read Also: What are Digital Twins in Manufacturing: Benefits and Importance
Top 10 Best Digital Products to Sell Online in 2025
Here are some of the Digital Products Ideas and Opportunities to explore:
1. Online Courses
The digital product business has transformed how people acquire new skills and knowledge. Selling digital products in the form of online courses and services has become quite profitable, with the global e-learning market projected to reach $848 billion by 2030. Successful course creators often generate between $1,000 to $10,000 monthly with digital course materials sales, for example:
- Professional certification courses with assessments
- Digital information products and training modules
- Live workshop recordings with materials
- Digital product formats for different learning styles
- Interactive community platforms
2. E-books
Creating and selling digital downloads in the form of e-books is one of the most accessible ways to enter the digital goods business. These digital information products allow you to package your expertise into easily consumable formats while reaching a global audience. Many authors generate monthly revenues between $500 and $5,000 through various digital selling platforms, for example:
- Comprehensive how-to guides
- Digital guide online resources
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Kindle investing ebooks
- Industry-specific manuals
3. Best-Selling Digital Items for Print
The market for downloadable software online stores has grown significantly as consumers seek personalized solutions. These virtual products bridge the digital and physical worlds, offering customers the convenience of instant downloads. Successful creators in this space often earn as little as $25 a week to thousands of dollars monthly through digital download sales.
- Digital templates for planners
- Educational worksheets
- Wall art and decor
- Business documents
- Party decoration sets
4. Digital Marketing Products
Digital merchandise in the marketing sector continues to grow as businesses seek ready-to-use solutions. These best digital products to sell help businesses streamline their marketing efforts and improve their online presence, such as image and video editing solutions. Top creators report earning $10,000 to $30,000 monthly through various best platform to sell digital products.
Here are some of the digital tools and template products to sell online:
- Social media marketing templates
- Internet marketing products
- Email campaign designs
- SEO tool packages
- Digital marketing strategy templates
- Resume templates
- Mobile apps
- Graphic design templates
- Adobe Photoshop filters and plugins
- Icon, font, and UX kits
5. Digital Content Shop Assets
The demand for licensed content in digital goods ecommerce continues to grow. This category allows creators to generate passive income through selling digital goods online. Successful content creators often earn between a few dollars per use for stock photos and thousands of dollars for exclusive licensing deals with large companies through various licensing arrangements.
Some popular examples of licensed digital content that creators can sell online include:
- Stock photography collections
- Sell digital downloads online of music
- Video footage packages
- Vector illustration bundles
- 3D model collections
6. Premium Content Libraries
Creating a digital product service around content libraries offers subscribers access to comprehensive resources. This model works particularly well for those looking to sell digital goods and services through subscription-based access. For example, Snowboard Addiction is a one-stop shop for snowboard enthusiasts. They sell snowboarding gear and offer online tutorials and live courses. Library creators often generate a few hundred dollars per month for smaller niche libraries to thousands of dollars per month for large, established platforms with a diverse user base through recurring subscriptions.
Some more examples of subscription-based digital libraries include:
- Professional resource collections
- Digital selling tools and training materials
- Digital marketing products and services bundles
- Exclusive content updates
- Industry-specific tools
7. Product photography
Professional visual content creators can build a successful business by selling digital files online. The rise of e-commerce has created a massive demand for high-quality professional product photos. Experienced photographers can earn handsome amounts through digital goods sales.
You can sell:
- Product photography collections
- Brand identity packages
- Social media content bundles
- Lifestyle photography sets
- Corporate image libraries
You can find clients for product photography through Online freelance platforms or digital products website like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.
8. Digital Media Products (Music, art, and entertainment)
Entertainment content offers creative professionals multiple ways to sell digital content. This category spans various creative works that can be monetized through digital product sales. For example, music streaming platforms provide opportunities for artists to earn revenue through streams and royalties. On average, Spotify pays artists between $0.003 and $0.005 for each stream.
Some examples of digital media products include:
- Original music compositions
- Digital download entertainment packages, for example, Video game soundtracks, gaming assets and animations
- Podcast content bundles
- Social media monetization, such as ad revenue, sponsorships, and audience tips
9. Sell Digital services
Professional services packaged as digital items allow experts to sell their knowledge. This approach combines personal expertise with the scalability of digital product delivery. For example, a fitness coach might sell live personal training sessions bundled with a downloadable workout plan. The average annual salary for a digital service specialist at the United States Digital Service is $44,209.
Here are a few examples of professional services that can be packaged into digital products to generate income and share expertise effectively:
- Consulting program materials
- Popular digital guide topics
- Technical support packages
- Design service bundles
- Marketing strategy kits
10. Digital Product Formats for Membership
Building a membership program creates recurring revenue through selling digital products online. This model focuses on creating long-term value and community engagement.
For example, Nomad List offers global networking and city data for digital nomads. Similarly, Bored Ape Yacht Club uses NFTs to provide members with exclusive access to events and perks.
Successful membership site owners can earn anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per month through subscription fees.
Here are some popular digital product formats you can offer as part of a membership program:
- Exclusive community access
- Digital goods online libraries
- Member-only tools
- Premium content access
- Special resource collections
How to create and sell digital products?
In this section, we’ll learn how to create digital products and where to sell digital products.
1. Market Research and Validation
Before creating your product, it’s essential to understand your target market’s needs and preferences. Conducting thorough market research ensures there’s demand for your product. You can use the following tools to gather insights and validate your ideas:
- Google Trends for topic research
- Answer The Public for question discovery
- Social media listening
- Competitor analysis
2. Product Creation and Development
Once you’ve validated your market, it’s time to focus on creating high-quality content that directly addresses your audience’s needs. Your product should have a USP (unique selling point) for the niche. Here are the key steps to follow in the development process:
- Outline your product structure
- Create engaging content
- Develop supporting materials
- Test with beta users
3. Platform Selection and Setup
There are many popular digital product selling website to choose from, including Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, and others. Choose the right platform to get the benefits of selling digital products online. Consider factors like pricing, ease of use, scalability, customization, and whether the platform is open source.
Here’s a comparison of popular digital product marketplace options:
| Feature | Adobe Commerce (Magento) | Shopify | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Custom | Starts at $29/month | Starts at $29/month |
| Ease of Use | Difficult | Easy | Moderate |
| Scalability | High | High | High |
| Customization | High | Moderate | High |
| Open Source | Yes | No | Yes |
In addition to eCommerce platforms, analyzing customer analytics and integrating an OMS (Order Management System) is crucial for streamlined operations. Some popular OMS solutions are Kibo OMS, Magento OMS, and Shopify OMS. These can be easily integrated with your respective ecommerce platforms.
Need help implementing the right OMS for your platform? Ignitiv provides seamless implementation for BigCommerce OMS, Commercetools OMS and more.
4. Marketing and Promotion
Successful digital product marketing services (i.e. digital seller) require a multi-channel approach. Create unique and agile ecommerce experiences to meet customer needs. Combining ensures maximum visibility and engagement. Key marketing tactics include:
- Content marketing strategy
- Email marketing campaigns
- Social media presence
- Paid advertising
Success Stories
Here are a few inspiring stories of people who turned their big ideas into successful electronic products:
- Cinnamon and Jason scaled their business, Pixie Faire, to $600,000 annually by selling digital doll clothing patterns, leveraging Shopify and SendOwl for seamless delivery.
- Abigail Peugh, a UGC (User-Generated Content) creator, overcame challenges and built a thriving digital product business on Instagram through storytelling, audience engagement, and product creation. Her first product, a UGC starter kit, generated $10,000 monthly.
…and more
Conclusion: Creating outstanding digital products
Ready to start your digital product journey? Begin by identifying your expertise and validating your product idea. There are countless ways to launch your first Virtual products—you just need to invest time in brainstorming and thorough research to develop an idea in a niche that creates real value. Remember, every successful product today started as just an idea. So, take the first step and bring your vision to life!
FAQs
Here are eight great apps to help you sell digital products on Shopify:
- EDP – Easy Digital Products: Ideal for selling downloadable files and license keys.
- Filemonk: Simplifies branding and selling e-products.
- SendOwl: Offers automation features for complex digital product businesses.
- Courses: Perfect for selling lessons, tutorials, webinars, and manuals.
- Single: Great for musicians selling both physical and digital music.
- FetchApp: Free plan available for delivering digital downloads (up to 5MB storage).
- Sky Pilot: Supports membership programs with files and video streams.
- BookThatApp, Tipo, or Sesami: Great for scheduling consultations or coaching sessions, all with free plans.
To start selling Web-based products, the initial cost is typically very low, often only requiring the cost of a platform to host your products (like a website or marketplace listing) and any software needed to create them, often costing just a few dollars per month, allowing you to begin with minimal upfront investment.
The time required to create a digital service or product depends on its complexity, skills, and team size. A simple product like an ebook or course might take weeks to months, while a complex app or software could take months to years.
Yes, digital products can be sold globally online. You can reach a global market without shipping costs using platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, or your own website. However, you should comply/adhere to legal compliance, currency conversion, language barriers, and market research for successful international sales.
To sell digital downloads, you need to:
- Create your digital product,
- Choose a platform like Etsy, Gumroad, or Shopify to host it,
- Set a price,
- Market your product to your target audience, and
- Provide a secure way for customers to purchase and download the digital file;
Essentially, you need to identify your niche, develop your digital content, choose a selling platform, and effectively promote it to reach potential buyers.
Digital products streamline business by eliminating physical inventory, reducing costs, and enabling instant, scalable delivery.
Here are five key tips for sales and marketing:
- Create a Valuable Product: Offer unique digital content that adds value and stands out from free online content.
- Promote a Free Lead Magnet: Share a free version of your product to build trust, grow your email list, and work on upselling.
- Start an Affiliate Program: Partner with trusted influencers and offer commission-based incentives to drive traffic and sales.
- Collect Preorders: Generate early sales with discounted “early bird” pricing for your new digital items.
- Offer a Money-Back Guarantee: Build buyer confidence with a risk-free purchase policy, boosting conversion rates.
Several platforms offer options to sell and buy digital products, including free digital products. For example, Gumroad’s basic plan, Etsy (with listing fees), and social media platforms. You can also explore opportunities with free digital products to resell to build your initial portfolio.
