Field guide

Sell your first digital product from a website you own.

Start with one product and a way to reach people who need it. Then choose checkout, delivery, support, and tax handling that you can maintain.

1. Make something small and finishable

Choose a specific task you can help someone finish, such as planning a trip or preparing a client quote. Make a small first version and show its actual contents. A buyer needs to know what they can do with it and which software it requires.

2. Own the storefront

A hosted platform can provide checkout, delivery, and tax handling for a fee. Running your own site gives you control of its source and layout, but you take responsibility for hosting, maintenance, and seller obligations. Compare the full cost before choosing.

3. Wire up payments that go straight to you

Check whether Stripe supports your business and country, then complete its account verification. Create a product and price and test the checkout with test keys. Stripe processing fees and payout schedules still apply when you sell through your own site.

4. Deliver automatically

Automatic delivery saves you from sending each order by hand. The download endpoint should verify the payment and product on the server before returning a file. Test the downloaded archive as a buyer, including its instructions and required software.

5. Find a small first audience

Find a community or group with the problem your product addresses. Read its promotion rules before posting. Show a useful sample, explain who it is for, and answer questions. Keep a record of where visitors came from so you can decide where to spend time next.

6. Set refund and support terms

State the refund window, how to request a refund, and how to contact support. Put those terms near checkout as well as on the policy page. Choose terms you can honor and check the consumer rules that apply to your customers.

7. Plan for tax and recordkeeping

Check your registration, collection, and filing obligations before selling. Stripe Tax requires both account configuration and checkout integration; enabling it in the dashboard alone does not change API-created sessions. Calculation and collection do not automatically cover every filing obligation.

The shortcut

Pagemage includes a storefront, Stripe Checkout, verified file delivery, and editable legal-page templates. You still need your own product, provider accounts, business details, and launch checks. The setup guide lists those steps.

See three fictional storefronts, built with nothing but Pagemage sections: a contractor, a digital-product shop, and a consulting practice.

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