[ttbarnes]

Hi all,

I need to build an ecommerce site with MP3 downloads/purchases, obviously complete with a CMS for the client to easily upload new tracks.

Can anyone recommend any CMS's or plugins etc to help achieve this? Any help will be very appreciated.

Tony

[Sandeep]

Magento does allow digital downloads, but is very resource hungry. A client was using a company called 7 digital which allows the upload of music and distribution, the api is then plugged into your website. A list of the API functionality are available on the website, and it was a cheaper alternative plus took care of licencing issues.

alternatively, the project may call for a bespoke CMS to be built which is not necessarily that much more expensive, considering when you're taking in server costs with platforms such as magento.

[ttbarnes]

Sandeep, on 08 October 2011 - 06:23 PM, said:

Magento does allow digital downloads, but is very resource hungry. A client was using a company called 7 digital which allows the upload of music and distribution, the api is then plugged into your website. A list of the API functionality are available on the website, and it was a cheaper alternative plus took care of licencing issues.

alternatively, the project may call for a bespoke CMS to be built which is not necessarily that much more expensive, considering when you're taking in server costs with platforms such as magento.

Thank you Sandeep, appreciated.

I am aware of Magento being resource heavy, so am trying to stay away from that.. If/when I find any other solutions I will be sure to post them on here.

Tony

[rallport]

Whatever solution you go with you'll need to make sure the following applies, to avoid people easily sharing the files:

• The URLs are masked/hidden E.g. don't ever release the exact download link
• The downloads directory should be locked from people browsing it E.g. say I went to site.com/downloads all the individual files shouldn't be listed there - you can use htaccess to achieve this
• When you email the customer with the download link, point the customer to a script, not a file link E.g. site.com/download.php?token=437hrf8u4hth4t87c5ry6873ynv76843hrvt763n4v34
• If using a similar idea to point 3, amongst other things, you could: allow a download link to be used only once, allow the download link to expire after a certain amount of time and mask your file locations.

However, all the above wouldn't stop something legally downloading the file and sharing that physical file.

[oakleaves]

To do this right it is a custom job all the way. Sandeep I don't wish to be deliberately contradictory but I am currently working on this very thing and Magento is not the answer.

Bespoke.

This post has been edited by oakleaves: 11 October 2011 - 09:35 PM

[Gaelen]

I'm with oakleaves on this. Custom job or a highly modified CMS.

Opencart also offers downloadable links but I'm not sure if the token is auto generated or not.

[ttbarnes]

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies, and sorry for my late reply!

Very helpful info. I am now working on this project fully, and looking for an eCommerce solution for selling digital downloads! Otherwise, as you guys say, I will have to get this custom built.

One point from me:

Stay away from GetShopped - download links are only emailed after manually confirming payment (!).

Tony