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The Downloads product lets you sell digital content directly from your Sherpo store: from ebooks and templates to Excel/Sheets spreadsheets and art packs. Sherpo handles hosting, checkout, access protection, and file delivery automatically. You can include multiple files or external links, secure PDFs and spreadsheets, and even mix hosted and third-party assets in a single bundle. If you’re looking for a guide about how Downloads work for customers, you can find it here:

Downloads

Learn how users buy and unlock Download products.

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Create a Download product

  1. Go to Products → New product.
  2. Enter a title and short description.
  3. Select the Files tile (download icon).
  4. Click Create product to open the workspace.
From there, use the Basic info tab to describe your product, list what’s included, and set a price in Prices. Downloads share the same pricing options as other Sherpo product types, and you can offer free or one-time paid products, create coupons, automations, and enable reviews. For a guide on the product’s Overview, Basic info, and Settings tabs, check this out:

Info & Settings

Edit your product’s info, description, and settings from the dashboard.

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Upload files

Use the Files & links tab to upload the files your customers will receive after checkout.
  • Click Add files to open the uploader.
  • Drag and drop files, or click to browse.
  • Wait until the upload finishes%: Sherpo automatically attaches them to your product, and they will be visible under “What you get” on the right-hand side.
Each file appears with its name, size, and type. You can rename files or add a short note to describe what’s included. Files remain locked until the buyer unlocks the product through checkout or a manual grant.
Add files modal in Sherpo Downloads
Once uploaded, they’ll appear in your dashboard under the file list:
Files and links management table in Sherpo Downloads
If your content lives elsewhere (like Google Drive, Notion, or GitHub), use Add link to include it in your download package. Links are only visible after users unlock the product.
  • Enter the URL (must support HTTPS).
  • Add a Link name (displayed on the product page).
  • Optionally, add a Link description to give context.
Adding an external link to a Download product
Sherpo automatically normalizes the URL, appends product identifiers for analytics, and lists it alongside your hosted files.
The Files & links section lists all uploaded and external assets in one view, showing file size, type, and security status.
List of uploaded files and external links in Sherpo
You can:
  • Delete or replace outdated files.
  • Update names and descriptions anytime.
Sherpo automatically ensures updated content is delivered to new buyers while preserving delivery logs for existing ones.

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Secure PDFs and spreadsheets

If you’re delivering sensitive materials, you can toggle Security next to individual files. From the Files & links tab, click the menu next to a file and choose Add XLSX Security or Add PDF Security.
  • Sherpo supports protection for .pdf and .xlsx formats.
  • When enabled, files are watermarked and delivered securely to prevent unauthorized sharing.
  • This feature adds view-only access with optional watermarking for identifying misuse.
Adding XLSX Security to a file in Sherpo Downloads
Protected files display a badge in your list (e.g., XLSX Security enabled or PDF Security enabled). You can disable protection at any time via the same menu option.
Removing PDF security in Sherpo Downloads
Other file types (ZIPs, images, videos) remain downloadable by design. Use ZIP archives for non-sensitive material or export confidential content as secure PDFs/XLSX files when possible.

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Add a cover or preview

Use the Cover tab to upload images or videos that visually represent your Download product. Covers appear at the top of your live product page and on storefront listings.
Cover upload inside Sherpo Dash
This is a great place to display mockups, artwork, or preview videos or screenshots of what buyers will receive.
Upload cover images to a Download product

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Product page settings

Under your product’s Settings tab, you can customize what appears on the live product view. There are two key toggles for Download products:
  • Hide reviews — disables customer reviews and prevents new ones from being submitted.
  • Sales counter — displays the total number of transactions for this product, including free unlocks and discounted purchases. When enabled, this powers the “Product unlocked by N customers” line under the What you get section, giving your page subtle social proof.
Product page settings in Sherpo
You can adjust these at any time; changes apply immediately to your live product page.

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Customer experience

Once published:
  • Visitors can view your product cover, description, and price.
  • After checkout, buyers instantly unlock access to the full Files & links list.
  • Each download link is secure and scoped to their account.
If you update a file, simply re-upload a new version with the same name: Sherpo will automatically serve the latest version to new buyers.

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Best practices

  • Keep filenames clear and descriptive (Design-Kit.zip, Guide-v3.pdf).
  • Group related files into a single ZIP to simplify delivery.
  • Use notes to highlight dependencies or updates (“Requires Photoshop 2024”).
  • Combine hosted files and tracked external links for hybrid delivery.
  • Secure PDFs or spreadsheets for intellectual property or premium content.
With Downloads, Sherpo manages storage, permissions, and delivery for you, so you can focus on creating and selling your best work.

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FAQ

Yes. You can include up to 10 items: files, links, or both, in one product. They’ll appear together in your customers’ download view.
No. Files and links stay hidden until users complete checkout or receive manual access.
You can upload up to 7 files, with a limit of 5GB per Download product.
Absolutely. Re-upload a file with the same name and delete the old version. Sherpo automatically updates future downloads.
It’s automatically removed from the product page and from Sherpo. This is definitive, so make sure you don’t involuntarily delete files you no longer have elsewhere!
Sherpo applies watermarks and controlled access to .pdf and .xlsx files. It prevents sharing and ensures only verified buyers can view them.
Yes. Set the price to $0 in Prices. Buyers will still complete the free checkout flow to verify email and receive file links.
Yes. You can offer discounts or combine file products into a single product to create a bundle for higher-value sales.
Yes.
Yes. All sales and free unlocks appear under Sales, including the buyer’s email and timestamp.
Yes. You can archive, unpublish, or delete it anytime from your product’s Settings tab.