Features ....
PHP-eSeller is easy to install and maintain with a range of features to automatically sell mp3 files and other digital products such as ebooks, pdf and image files.
Defining a product
By default, a product is defined as digital. To make it a physical item, simply tick a checkbox.
Defining a digital product includes :
- Set a time limit for the purchaser to download the product (default 4 days).
- Set the maximum number of downloads allowed for each product (default 3).
- Define the files which can be downloaded for the product - each product may have more than one download file associated with it.
In addition :
- Optionally select a category and subcategory for the product for use with the store front.
- Enter a description of the product which is displayed in the store front / shopping cart using a WYSIWYG style html editor.
File security
Security of your files is important as this is where you make your money.
- Location of the download files on the server cannot be deduced by looking at the web pages.
- A unique url link is supplied to the purchaser after they have purchased the product to allow them to download.
- When the purchaser goes to the download area, they will only see the items that they have purchased.
- The purchaser cannot deduce the file locations and cannot download after the time limit has expired, or if they have downloaded the item the maximum number of times.
- For added security, and the recommended method, the files should be stored on the web server outside the root of the web site. If they are stored within the publicly accessible area of the web site, then the folder can be protected by the supplied htaccess file.
- Downloads can only be made from pages on your server and not from another server.
- Downloaded files are not cached.
- Files are downloaded by a force download mechanism so that any file type will present a 'save as' dialog box.
Paypal security
There are a number of checks in the script to ensure that the data received from PayPal has not been modified.
- The script checks the PayPal transaction id in the database to make sure that it has not been previously used.
- The cost/currency of the item is checked against the database to make sure that it has not been changed.
- The receiver email address is checked to make sure that it is your primary PayPal receiver email address.
Shopping Cart and store front
Displaying the buy now buttons is achieved in a number of ways to make it as simple as possible to integrate the buttons within an existing web site.
- Products become visible as soon as you have completed its definition.
- HTML Button code is created for you on the fly for each product. Any changes to the product definition such as cost or description, are immediately displayed.
- Products may be listed within categories and subcategories.
- The button image may be chosen from a list or you may enter the url of your own button image.
- The shopping cart and store front system are displayed using via the 'patTemplate' system which separates the PHP code from the HTML code so making it much easier to create your own look and feel. At the moment there are three templates supplied with the product but it is expected that these will be added to.
- Product items and menu item categories can be sorted so that the items are displayed in the required order.
Buttons may also be created by hand if you do not want to use the store so you can mix your existing physical product buttons with the digital products on an existing web site.
Email customers via newsletter
The email functions can be used to send out newsletters to all or specific customers.
- Email all customers who have purchased any item.
- Email all customers who have purchased a particular item.
