# Sell digital products

> Add a download link to each item and send it to buyers in a custom email after they pay.
>
> Source: https://docs.bcl.my/sell-digital-products/

To sell an ebook, template or online class, add a download link to the item on your payment form. Then send the link to the buyer in a custom email. The buyer gets the link automatically once the payment succeeds.

This works on forms that use **Multiple Items**. For access that cannot be shared, see [Deliver digital products securely](/secure-digital-delivery/).

## Add the download link to an item

Upload your file somewhere buyers can open it, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, and copy the link. Then:

1. Go to **Payments** → **Forms**, then click **Create Form**, or click **Edit** on an existing form.
2. Fill in **Basic Information**.
3. On the **Payment Details** tab, set **Price Setting** to **Multiple Items**, then choose your **Portal Key** and **Payment Option**.
4. Under **List of Items**, click **Add Item** and fill in the name, **Amount (RM)** and **Stock**.
5. Click **Add Payment Form** or **Update Form** to save. The **More** button only works after the item is saved.
6. Click **More** on the item.

   *(Screenshot: The List of Items with the More button of the first item highlighted)*

7. Under **Digital Content**, paste the link into **Download Link**. It must start with `https://`.
8. Click **Update Item Information**.

   *(Screenshot: The item panel with the Download Link field under Digital Content highlighted)*

## Send the link by email

The download link reaches the buyer through the `{product_table}` variable in a custom email. Set it up once per form:

1. Open the form and click **Notifications** at the top.

   *(Screenshot: The tabs at the top of the form with Notifications highlighted)*

2. Open the **Custom Email Notifications** tab and turn on **Enable Custom Email Content**.

   *(Screenshot: The Custom Email Notifications tab with the Enable Custom Email Content switch highlighted)*

3. Fill in **Email Subject**.
4. Write your message in **Email Content** and add `{product_table}`. Click **Variables** to copy others, such as `{name}` or `{reference_id}`.
5. To test the email, type your address in the box under **Email Content**. Then click the send button next to it.

   *(Screenshot: Email Content with the product_table variable in the message and the Variables link highlighted)*

6. Click **Save Notification Settings**.

   *(Screenshot: The Save Notification Settings button highlighted at the top of the page)*

`{product_table}` shows each item bought, with an **Access** button that opens its download link. BCL sends this as a separate email, in addition to the standard receipt email.

## Give a product away free

To give away an ebook or a sample, list it as an item priced at RM 0. A free item needs **Multiple Items** (or an option in **Items with Variations**): a **Single Amount** form needs at least RM 1. To set it up:

1. On the **Payment Details** tab, type **0** in the item's **Amount (RM)** in **List of Items**. A new item also needs its **Commission**: type 0 if you do not pay affiliates for it.

   *(Screenshot: The List of Items with 0 entered in the Amount (RM) of the Home Brewing Guide item, highlighted)*

2. Add how the buyer gets the file: a **Download Link** sent with the custom email above, or protected content linked to the item. See [Give buyers access to protected content](/protected-content-attach-to-products/).
3. Click **Update Form**.

On the form, the item shows **FREE** and is always in the order, with a quantity of 1:

*(Screenshot: A form's items as the buyer sees them, with the RM 0 item last, a quantity of 1 and FREE as its amount)*

When the whole order comes to RM 0, **Total to pay** shows **FREE**. The buyer fills in their details and clicks **Complete Payment**. The buyer then goes straight to the receipt instead of a payment page, or to your own success page if the form has one. BCL records the order as successful, with **Manual Payment** as the payment channel and the note **Free Order - No Payment Required**:

*(Screenshot: Transaction Details of a free order: Amount FREE, Payment Channel Manual Payment and Status Description Free Order - No Payment Required highlighted)*

Protected content access and your automations then run as they do for a paid order. Sometimes BCL does not send the standard receipt email for a free order. So place one free order yourself before you share the form, and check that your download email arrives.

Free orders earn affiliates no commission. To collect sign-ups with no order at all, use a [lead form](/lead-form-notifications/) and send the ebook in its autoresponder instead.

## Common issues

### My customer paid but did not get the download link. Why?

BCL sends the link only in the custom email. Open the form, go to Notifications → Custom Email Notifications, turn on Enable Custom Email Content and put {product_table} in Email Content.

### The custom email is set up but my customer says it never arrived.

Ask them to check the Gmail Promotions tab, Spam or Junk, and search All Mail. If you need a download link nobody else can open, use protected content (/secure-digital-delivery/) instead.

### Can I use a Google Drive link instead of protected content?

Yes. Put the link in Download Link on the item. It needs no add-on, but anyone who gets the link can open it. Protected content (/secure-digital-delivery/) needs an add-on and asks for a one-time code.

### Can I give an ebook away free with BCL?

Yes. Add it as an item with Amount (RM) set to 0 on a Multiple Items form, with a Download Link or protected content. The buyer fills in their details and gets it without paying. See Give a product away free (#give-a-product-away-free).

### The email shows a dash (-) under Access instead of a button. Why?

That item has no Download Link. Open the form, open the item, paste the link into Download Link under Digital Content (it must start with https://) and save. Buyers from then on get the Access button. Orders placed before you added the link keep the dash, so send those buyers the link yourself.