Ok first off, let's go through a few things as you seem to be mostly set up.
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You wrote:
I have my own merchant account [offline]. I'd like to process sales of a PDF book in real-time via a download and using my own merchant account, without getting a gateway or an online merchant account. Alternatively, just find a gateway to use with my existing merchant account. I have not found a solution to either
scenario. iBill, etc. require an online merchant account.
Although, my understanding is that online merchant accounts just process the credit card in real-time and do not get involved with the downloading
aspect. The only options I have found that do both are ClickBank or DigiBuy, etc. to do the automation of real-time processing and downloading the file.
Here's my understanding of what needs to be done:
1. Create book in PDF Format
2. Create an .exe file to provide to ClickBank or Digibuy for downloading.
3. They process in real-time and automatically download ebook .exe file.
4. Per the forum, there's a caveat with ClickBank's affiliate program and alternative payments; i.e., PayPal, etc. affiliates aren't credited unless payment goes through ClickBank.
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If you want to process orders on-line in real time you must use a gateway. If your merchant account provider does not provide one, you'll need to get one. In addition, does your merchant provider offer on-line merchant accounts? If so, maybe they can add to the account you have. And if you don't plan on using it for off-line orders switch to on-line only.
For simplicity, use ClickBank. It's cheap and easy.
1. Yes, create your PDF ebook. Though I always zip my ebooks using Winzip. Mac users can decompress using StuffIT.
2. There is no reason to create an installer. You can if you want but it is not neded. Users can just download and place it in the directory of their choice.
In addition, you don't provide your file to ClickBank.
3. Yes, ClickBank will process the order. Customers are directed back to your site to download after they order.
4. Yes there does seem to be an issue with the affiliate program. In my opinion, if merchants want to use more than one way to order why shouldn't they. The biggest to problems are these. One, if they are not putting a ClickBank order link on their site at all. Two, some merchants seem to be putting their own affiliate links and directing buyers to other pages or sites to order. An example would be
Http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?mynick/mynick
Since the last affiliate to send the customer gets the sale, the merchant will receive the sale and commissiion. That is a blatant rip off. I would not worry about it. If you use ClickBank then you won't be cheating affiliates will you? Good
This is my order process.
1. Customer orders through ClickBank.
2. Then customers are sent to what ClickBank calls a thankyou page. You specify this url in your account. You can name it what you want such as http://www.mydomain.com/thanks.html. You can put a link on that page to download the book.
One issue with that. I would do two things.
The first thing is don't name the page thankyou.html, it's to easy to guess. name it wxg2j4k78.html or something like that.
It will not work under a subdirectory or at
ftp.yourdomain.com/robots.txt
Lastly, put an index.html file in the directory. Just make it say "access not allowed" with a link to your email for contact. This way if some one knows the location of the directory and types it in their browser, they will get the index page, not alisting of whats in the directory.
