Been going around in circles with FastSpring about this question so I thought I'd ask here for those of you who use their service: how do you handle product updates?
When a customer purchases through FastSpring they are sent a receipt with a download link to the current plugin file stored on FastSpring's server. If/when you (the developer) upload a new version to that file (bug fixes, etc.) how do you distribute that update to all the customers who bought it previously?
The original download link "times out" after 7 days and there is no means, AFAIK, to bulk notify customers of an update with the new file.
So, if you are selling your plugins via FastSpring how are you distributing product updates?
OT: Question for developers selling their plugins via FastSpring
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- KVRAF
- 1873 posts since 13 Apr, 2011 from EU
We don't send the download links through Fastspring anymore. We built a user area where customers can download the latest versions hosted on our server. When a user buys something, our database is updated with the transaction and they get an email with a simple "sign up or log in".
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- KVRist
- 444 posts since 11 May, 2016 from Serbia
Did you use some plugin to build a user area?audiothing wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:32 am We don't send the download links through Fastspring anymore. We built a user area where customers can download the latest versions hosted on our server. When a user buys something, our database is updated with the transaction and they get an email with a simple "sign up or log in".
Website: https://youlean.co/
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- KVRist
- 444 posts since 11 May, 2016 from Serbia
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 625 posts since 30 Aug, 2012
Audiothing and Youlean - thank you for the replies.audiothing wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:32 am We don't send the download links through Fastspring anymore. We built a user area where customers can download the latest versions hosted on our server. When a user buys something, our database is updated with the transaction and they get an email with a simple "sign up or log in".
Yes, I suppose the correct way to do this is to use the advanced features of FastSpring to set up a "front end" for order processing and distribute the files from my own server. Will have to study up on FS, HTML and Java to get his done. Seems odd to me that FastSpring doesn't have built-in means for this as a software "retailer".
Last edited by Fender19 on Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 1873 posts since 13 Apr, 2011 from EU
No plugins, just PHP, MySQL, and a lot of patience
They had something, not sure if it's still available, but it was a complete mess. Having your own user area has lots of advantages. The less you depend on external services, the better.
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- KVRist
- 186 posts since 28 Jan, 2013 from Oakland
I'm this approach for my upcoming synth also.audiothing wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:32 am We built a user area where customers can download the latest versions hosted on our server. When a user buys something, our database is updated with the transaction and they get an email with a simple "sign up or log in".
My setup is Firebase for user authentication, and a Node.js server with a mongodb database to keep track of sales.
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- KVRist
- 444 posts since 11 May, 2016 from Serbia
That doesn't sound like a fun...
You did a great job BTW.
Website: https://youlean.co/
