Suggestions for hosting and selling an MP3 but not done the usual way? (kinda long)

[JoeM]

This is not the typical scenerio and I've kind of turned it into a learning exercise at this point. I've had a few people ask if I would make a song available for purchase by download. I expect maybe 10 but less than 25 people will want to buy it. I don't want to go through the usual channels (iTunes, etc.), I don't want to give the file away for free and I don't have a site to host my own ecommerce app and file on. I would like to automate the process so I don't have to email or send the file or link to it.

I was going to make it available through Sellfy using PayPal. There's a 5% charge that would go to Sellfy added to the usual PayPal charge (I set up Micro payments) but then I started wondering if there was a way to do it bypassing Sellfy and just encountering the PayPal charge.

I went to sites.google.com and built a one page site for the song and added a PayPal Buy Now button. After a purchase, PayPal can return the buyer to any URL you set up so my thought was to build a second site at sites.google.com, upload the file there and provide a download link on this "Thank You" page. I was hoping I could not make the site public yet still allow access if I sent the buyer the link.

Google sites sharing doesn't work this way and I, as owner, would have to add each person I'd want to admit to give them permissions to view the download page. Plus I'd have to email them to let them know they could now see the page. So I'd need notice from PP that someone bought the song, then go to the download site and put their email in to allow them in and then notify them.

Using my own DropBox to enable the download after payment winds up being similar. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can host the MP3 for free somewhere and after payment allow it's dowload to be available for a certain number of hours?

If it's not possible I'll just use Sellfy as that seems pretty painless.

[graylocks]

i have a couple of ringtones from my songs up on my website. it's on the honor system and i clearly state i'd like to be paid but i'm not coming after them. there is a Paypal button on the page. sometimes i get a payment. i see from my webstats it's downloaded infrequently.

so the 10-25 folks you feel might want the song don't you think they'd pay? is it worth your time for them possibly not to? maybe you could make the page unsearchable and therefore no one could get there who didn't know how to get there so that might cut down on people outside your original purview finding it.

just a thought.

[decay]

Bandcamp?

example:
http://brownout.bandcamp.com/

[The Grim Ninja]

I'm pretty sure you could sell such an item on Etsy. You would be able to take credit card or paypal payments. Etsy's fees are pretty reasonable.

I've never done a digital goods item through Etsy, but I think the delivery process is automated.

[graylocks]

decay wrote:
Bandcamp?

example:
http://brownout.bandcamp.com/

bandcamp seems to take 15%.

[clay]

I sold an mp3 download on my website a couple years back, but it required the use of a PHP script to facilitate the download, emailing of a unique link to the buyer, and making the link expire after a set amount of time. The only fees were paypal. But it would need to be hosted on a server/platform that can handle PHP scripts. If you're trying to avoid setting up a domain on a standard server, I'm not sure what other options might exist. PM me if you are interested in the script...I think I should still have it somewhere.

[JoeM]

graylocks wrote:
i have a couple of ringtones from my songs up on my website. it's on the honor system and i clearly state i'd like to be paid but i'm not coming after them. there is a Paypal button on the page. sometimes i get a payment. i see from my webstats it's downloaded infrequently.

so the 10-25 folks you feel might want the song don't you think they'd pay? is it worth your time for them possibly not to? maybe you could make the page unsearchable and therefore no one could get there who didn't know how to get there so that might cut down on people outside your original purview finding it.

just a thought.

Yes, I know I can put the link on the first page and put a donation button. That would be very easy as you say. The money isn't an issue other than the fact that I'm more interested in seeing if I can build this process without using the usual CGI and post back code that's usually needed. As I mentioned, if it can't be done, I'll just put it on Sellfy and give them a link there.

[JoeM]

graylocks wrote:
[quote=decay]
Bandcamp?

example:
http://brownout.bandcamp.com/

bandcamp seems to take 15%. Yes, 15%. Somehow, I don't think my 6 sales belong there ;-)

[JoeM]

The Grim Ninja wrote:
I'm pretty sure you could sell such an item on Etsy. You would be able to take credit card or paypal payments. Etsy's fees are pretty reasonable.

I've never done a digital goods item through Etsy, but I think the delivery process is automated.

I took a look at Etsy but I think it's way more than I need.

[JoeM]

clay wrote:
I sold an mp3 download on my website a couple years back, but it required the use of a PHP script to facilitate the download, emailing of a unique link to the buyer, and making the link expire after a set amount of time. The only fees were paypal. But it would need to be hosted on a server/platform that can handle PHP scripts. If you're trying to avoid setting up a domain on a standard server, I'm not sure what other options might exist. PM me if you are interested in the script...I think I should still have it somewhere.

Thanks Clay but I'll probably just use Sellfy.