How to allow secure downloads after paying through paypal?

[julusha]

Hi guys!

I'm trying to sell downloadable books on my website. Customers are paying thru paypal and then they are redirected to a webspage that gives a link to download. The worst thing is that it shows the actual download link to everybody. I mean that it's name is not encrypted or anything, not secure. Please help - how it should be done correctly?

Maybe I need to send them the link in their e-mail... How to generate this link so that other people can't use it? Is it part of paypal options?

Thank you!

[Misty11]

Hello julusha,

One of the best ways you could secure your downloads after paying with PayPal would be to set up auto return option.

Here's how to set the auto return preference:

Go to www.paypal.com and log in to your account, Click 'Profile' near the top of the page, Click 'Website Payment Preference' under 'Selling Preferences,' Select 'On' next to 'Auto Return,' Specify the page buyers will be redirected to next to 'Return URL,' then click 'Save.'

Or

Go to www.paypal.com and log in to your account, Click 'Profile' near the top of the page, Click 'My selling tools,' Click 'Update' beside 'Website preferences,' Select 'On' next to 'Auto Return,' and Specify the page buyers will be redirected to next to 'Return URL,' then click 'Save.'

I hope this will help.

Misty

[julusha]

Hi Misty,

thank you!

Have a question though...after paying, paypal takes them back to the website, but at the top everybody can see the link's name

wwww.websitename.com/download.html

so it means that

1. once somebody purchases the book, he/she can send this link to everybody in the world:)

2. all search engines can find this link (file) since it's on the website's server...

am i wrong?

i'm new to this so maybe i'm asking wrong questions..

so i'm thinking maybe this link name should encrypted or dinamically generated every time by paypal or do i need somebody to write this code.. i'm sure i's been written a zillion times...

could you help 🙂

thank you!

[Misty11]

Hello julusha,

I would agree, that is not good that everyone can see the link and share it with who ever they want. This would be something that you would have to talk to a developer about. One thing you could do though (even though it could be time consuming) is to protect the page with a password that would have to be send out manually after each sale. Otherwise PayPal does have a Devloper Forum that may be able to offer a better solution.

Misty