Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Power of Native Digital Sales
- Educational Products: Courses and Masterclasses
- Digital Downloads: Knowledge in Portable Formats
- Creative Assets and Templates
- Memberships and Community-Based Products
- Technical and Professional Tools
- Strategic Benefits of Digital Products
- Case Studies: Real-World Success with Shopify
- How to Choose Your First Digital Product
- Pricing Your Digital Products for Profit
- Marketing Your Digital Products on Shopify
- Overcoming the Challenges of Digital Sales
- Why the Unlimited Plan Makes Sense
- Setting Realistic Expectations
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
Imagine a business model where your inventory never runs out, your shipping costs are non-existent, and your storefront stays open 24/7 without a single physical employee on the floor. This isn't a futuristic fantasy; it is the reality of the digital product economy. In 2025 alone, digital products generated over $124 billion in revenue, and the broader e-learning industry is projected to skyrocket to a staggering $848 billion by 2030. For the modern entrepreneur, the question is no longer "should I sell digital goods?" but rather, "what kinds of digital products can i sell to maximize my impact and income?"
The beauty of digital assets lies in their scalability. Unlike physical goods, where every sale requires a corresponding item to be manufactured, packaged, and shipped, a digital product is built once and sold infinitely. This creates a high-margin environment where profit levels often reach 90% or more. However, many merchants feel overwhelmed by the sheer variety of options available. From in-depth video masterclasses and gated community memberships to simple PDF checklists and design templates, the landscape is vast.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the diverse world of digital products, identifying which formats are most profitable and how they can be integrated into your existing Shopify store. We will look at real-world applications, such as how a boutique coffee roaster can sell a "Barista Basics" video course to increase customer lifetime value, or how a fitness coach can transition from 1-on-1 sessions to a recurring membership model. Our mission at Tevello is to turn any Shopify store into a digital learning powerhouse, and we believe that by the end of this article, you will have a clear roadmap for your own digital product journey.
The core thesis of this post is simple: by choosing the right digital format and leveraging a native Shopify integration, you can build a sustainable, recurring revenue stream that empowers your brand and provides immense value to your customers.
The Power of Native Digital Sales
When merchants first ask themselves what kinds of digital products can i sell, they often worry about the technical hurdles. Traditionally, selling a course or a membership meant sending customers away from your Shopify store to a third-party platform. This creates "platform friction," where the customer has to create a new login, navigate a different interface, and trust a new URL.
At Tevello, we believe merchants should own their customer data and brand experience. This is why we focus on a native solution. By keeping your digital products directly on your Shopify domain, you ensure a seamless checkout experience. Your customers use the same account they used to buy your physical products, and you maintain total control over the look and feel of the environment. This native approach is a significant technical advantage, as it reduces customer support tickets related to login issues and abandoned carts.
Educational Products: Courses and Masterclasses
Educational content is perhaps the most lucrative category for digital sellers. People are constantly looking to upgrade their skills, and they are willing to pay for curated, high-quality information that saves them time.
Video-Based Online Courses
Video is the gold standard for online learning. It allows for a personal connection between the instructor and the student. Whether it’s a series of "how-to" videos for gardening or a deep dive into financial literacy, video courses offer high perceived value. For example, a merchant selling sustainable gardening tools can create a comprehensive course on permaculture. This not only provides a high-margin upsell but also positions the merchant as an authority in the field.
When building these, you can utilize all the key features for courses and communities to ensure your content is structured logically. You can use drip scheduling to release lessons over time, preventing students from feeling overwhelmed and encouraging them to return to your store regularly.
Masterclasses and Specialized Workshops
While a course might be broad, a masterclass is often a deep dive into a very specific niche. These are excellent for experts who have a high level of "street cred" in their industry. Think of a masterclass as a premium, high-ticket item. Instead of a $50 introductory course, a masterclass might be priced at $500 because it promises a specific, transformative outcome.
Mini-Courses and "Quick Wins"
Not every educational product needs to be ten hours long. In fact, many customers prefer "quick wins." A 30-minute mini-course that solves one specific problem—like "How to Set Up Your First Google Ad"—can be a powerful lead magnet or a low-barrier entry point into your ecosystem. These are easier to produce and allow you to test market demand before committing to a larger project.
Digital Downloads: Knowledge in Portable Formats
If video feels too daunting to start with, digital downloads are an excellent alternative. They are often easier to produce but still offer significant value to the buyer.
Ebooks and Comprehensive Guides
The ebook market continues to grow as readers move away from physical clutter. If you have expertise in a subject, packaging that knowledge into a 50-page PDF is a classic way to generate passive income. Ebooks work well for recipes, fitness plans, business strategies, and technical manuals.
Checklists and Worksheets
Sometimes, people don't want to read a whole book; they just want a roadmap. Checklists and worksheets are "actionable" digital products. A travel blogger might sell a "Ultimate Packing Checklist for Solo Female Travelers," while a business coach might sell a "Weekly Profit Tracking Worksheet." These are low-priced items that can lead to high-volume sales.
Swipe Files and Resource Libraries
A swipe file is a collection of proven examples—like email subject lines, sales page copy, or social media templates—that a customer can "swipe" and adapt for their own use. These are incredibly popular in the B2B space because they provide an immediate shortcut to success.
Creative Assets and Templates
The "creator economy" has fueled a massive demand for assets that help people make their own content look and sound professional.
Design Templates (Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator)
Many small business owners aren't designers, but they need high-quality graphics for Instagram, Pinterest, and their websites. Selling editable Canva templates allows these owners to look professional without hiring a full-time designer.
Photography and Video Stock
If you are a photographer or videographer, you can sell licenses for your work. Instead of selling a physical print once, you can sell the right to use an image as a website background or in a marketing campaign hundreds of times. This is a prime example of building an asset once and selling it forever.
Music and Sound Effects
With the rise of YouTube and TikTok, creators are constantly searching for royalty-free music and unique sound effects. If you have musical talent, selling "beats," background tracks, or transitions can be a steady source of revenue.
Memberships and Community-Based Products
The most stable form of digital revenue is recurring revenue. By shifting from one-time sales to a membership model, you can predict your income month-over-month.
Gated Content Communities
A membership site provides exclusive access to content that isn't available to the general public. This could include a library of past webinars, exclusive "behind-the-scenes" videos, or early access to new products. Successful brands often use this to build a "tribe" around their brand. We have seen success stories where merchants unifying a fragmented system into a single Shopify store saw a massive reduction in support tickets because everything—the shop and the community—was in one place.
Professional Mastermind Groups
In a mastermind, the value isn't just the content you provide, but the access to other people in the group. By facilitating a space where professionals can network and solve problems together, you can charge a premium monthly fee. This model relies heavily on community features like member directories and social feeds, which help members feel connected.
Subscription-Based Tools and Assets
Think of this as "SaaS-lite." If you provide a tool that people need to use regularly—like a database of industry leads or a weekly updated list of trending keywords—a subscription model is the perfect fit.
Technical and Professional Tools
Digital products aren't just for "creatives." Professionals in finance, engineering, and data analysis can also monetize their tools.
Advanced Spreadsheets and Calculators
A well-built Excel or Google Sheets template can be a lifesaver for someone trying to manage their taxes, track their fitness, or project their business growth. If you have spent years perfecting a specific calculator for your own use, chances are someone else would be willing to pay to use it too.
Custom Fonts and UX Kits
For the more technically inclined, creating custom fonts or User Experience (UX) kits for web developers is a high-demand niche. These assets are essential for building unique brand identities online.
AI Prompt Libraries
As AI becomes more integrated into business, the ability to write effective "prompts" has become a valuable skill. Selling libraries of high-performing prompts for ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Claude is a burgeoning market that requires very little overhead but provides immense value to users trying to get the most out of AI.
Strategic Benefits of Digital Products
Integrating digital goods into your Shopify store does more than just add a new line to your revenue report; it fundamentally changes your relationship with your customers.
Increasing Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
When a customer buys a physical product, there is often a long gap before their next purchase. Digital products can fill that gap. For example, if someone buys a high-end yoga mat from your store, you can immediately offer them a "14-Day Morning Flow" video course. This increases the total amount they spend with you (LTV) without you having to spend more on customer acquisition.
Building Brand Authority
Selling information products establishes you as an expert. When you provide a comprehensive guide or a high-quality course, you aren't just a "vendor"; you are a teacher and a leader in your niche. This builds deep trust, which makes customers more likely to choose your physical products over a competitor's.
Diversifying Revenue Streams
Physical retail is subject to supply chain issues, shipping delays, and inventory costs. Digital products provide a "buffer." If your latest shipment is stuck in a port, your digital courses and memberships continue to sell and generate cash flow, keeping your business stable during turbulent times.
Case Studies: Real-World Success with Shopify
To truly understand what kinds of digital products can i sell, it helps to look at those who have already paved the way.
Consider the story of a niche hobbyist brand. We have seen how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses alongside their physical hobby kits. By offering the digital "how-to" at the point of sale for the physical supplies, they created a perfect ecosystem for the customer. This strategy of generating revenue from both physical and digital goods is one of the most effective ways to scale a Shopify store today.
Another powerful example involves large-scale migrations. Many established creators start on platforms that charge high fees or offer limited branding. One of our favorite cases involved migrating over 14,000 members and reducing support tickets by moving to a native Shopify environment. By keeping customers at home on the brand website, the merchant was able to offer a unified login experience that simplified the user journey and increased retention.
How to Choose Your First Digital Product
If you are starting from zero, the "Choice Paradox" can be real. Here is a simple framework to help you decide what to create first:
- Identify Your "Most Asked" Question: Look through your customer support emails and social media comments. What is the one thing people always ask you for help with? That is your first digital product.
- Analyze Your Competitors: What are other people in your niche selling? Don't copy them, but look for gaps. If everyone is selling ebooks, perhaps there is a demand for a video-based masterclass.
- Audit Your Internal Tools: What templates, spreadsheets, or processes do you use internally to run your business? Could these be cleaned up and sold to others?
- Start Small: Don't try to build a 20-hour flagship course on day one. Create a "Minimum Viable Product" (MVP), like a 5-page guide or a 20-minute video, and see if people are willing to pay for it.
If unifying your stack is a priority, start by a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses.
Pricing Your Digital Products for Profit
Pricing is where many merchants get stuck. Because the "cost of goods sold" (COGS) for a digital product is nearly zero, you have a lot of flexibility.
The Psychology of Pricing
- Low-Ticket ($7 - $27): These are "impulse buys." They are great for building an email list of actual buyers rather than just "freebie seekers."
- Mid-Ticket ($47 - $197): These are usually comprehensive courses or specialized tools. They require a bit more sales copy but offer a significant revenue boost.
- High-Ticket ($497+): These are flagship programs, masterclasses, or high-level coaching memberships. They require high levels of trust and often a sophisticated sales funnel.
The Advantage of 0% Transaction Fees
Many platforms will lure you in with a low monthly price but then take a 5% to 10% "success fee" on every sale. This effectively punishes you for growing. Our philosophy is different. We believe you should keep 100% of what you earn, which is why we offer predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees. Whether you sell ten courses or ten thousand, your costs remain the same, allowing your profit margins to expand as you scale.
Marketing Your Digital Products on Shopify
Once you have decided what to sell, you need to get it in front of people. Because your products are native to Shopify, you can use all the marketing tools you already know.
Content Marketing and SEO
Write blog posts (like this one!) that answer the questions your digital product solves. If you sell a course on "Advanced Photography," write articles about "The Best Lighting for Portraits" and link to your course as the next logical step for the reader.
Email Marketing and Automations
One of the most effective ways to sell digital products is through an automated "Welcome Sequence." When someone signs up for your newsletter, send them a series of emails that provide value and then offer your digital product as a solution to their problem.
Upselling at Checkout
Because of the native integration, you can offer digital products as "order bumps" on your checkout page. A customer buying a physical sketchbook might see a $10 "Introduction to Charcoal Drawing" video added as a suggested item. This is an incredibly easy way to increase your average order value (AOV).
Overcoming the Challenges of Digital Sales
While the benefits are massive, selling digital goods isn't without its hurdles.
Dealing with Piracy
It is a reality of the internet that some people will try to share or steal your content. However, the solution isn't to live in fear. By using a secure, gated platform, you make it much harder for unauthorized users to access your content. Furthermore, the value of a course often lies in the community and the updates you provide—things that cannot be easily pirated.
Fighting "Free" Competition
Yes, there is a lot of free information on YouTube. But people don't pay for information; they pay for organization and transformation. They pay to not have to spend 50 hours searching for the right video. They pay for a structured path that takes them from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
Why the Unlimited Plan Makes Sense
As you grow, you don't want to be constantly checking if you've hit a "user limit" or a "bandwidth cap." When you're seeing how the app natively integrates with Shopify, you'll notice that we focus on simplicity. Our Unlimited Plan is $29.99 per month. Period.
This includes:
- Unlimited Courses and Students: Grow your community to any size without fear of price hikes.
- Unlimited Video Hosting: We handle the technical heavy lifting of video delivery and bandwidth.
- Full Community Suite: Build directories, social feeds, and profiles to keep your members engaged.
- Seamless Integration: Everything lives on your Shopify URL, maintaining your brand's integrity.
You can start your 14-day free trial and build your first course now, giving you two full weeks to move your content, set up your community, and see the value for yourself before you spend a dime.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Selling digital products is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It requires effort to build high-quality content and a strategy to market it. However, it is one of the most robust ways to amplify your existing efforts. Instead of working harder for every dollar, you are building assets that work for you.
Success in this space comes from consistency. It comes from listening to your audience, refining your products based on their feedback, and providing a level of support that free content simply can't match. By focusing on the benefits of the model—diversifying revenue, increasing LTV, and building recurring stability—you can create a business that is not only profitable but also deeply fulfilling.
Conclusion
The digital product revolution is here, and it is more accessible than ever for Shopify merchants. Whether you choose to sell in-depth online courses, simple digital downloads, creative templates, or exclusive memberships, the opportunity to scale your business is limited only by your imagination. By answering the question of "what kinds of digital products can i sell" with a focus on your unique expertise and your customers' needs, you are taking the first step toward a more sustainable and profitable future.
At Tevello, our goal is to empower you to own your brand, own your data, and provide an unparalleled learning experience for your customers—all within the Shopify ecosystem you already trust. With no hidden fees and a flat-rate plan, you have a clear path to growth without any technical or financial "ceiling."
To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best digital products to sell for beginners?
For those just starting, we recommend "quick-win" products like PDF checklists, templates, or mini-video courses. These require less production time and allow you to validate your idea with your audience quickly. As you gain confidence and feedback, you can expand these into comprehensive masterclasses or recurring memberships.
How do I protect my digital products from being shared for free?
While no system is 100% pirate-proof, using a native Shopify app like Tevello provides a secure, gated environment. Customers must log in to their account on your store to access the content. Additionally, focusing on the "community" aspect of your product—where the value comes from interacting with you and other members—makes the static files less valuable on their own.
Do I need to be a tech expert to sell courses on Shopify?
Not at all. The modern e-commerce ecosystem is designed for ease of use. Tevello integrates directly into your Shopify admin, so if you know how to add a physical product to your store, you can learn to add a digital course. We handle the video hosting, the student access, and the community features so you can focus on your content.
Is it better to sell a one-time course or a monthly membership?
Both have their merits. One-time courses are excellent for generating a large influx of cash (especially during a launch) and are often easier for customers to commit to. Memberships, however, provide long-term stability and recurring revenue. Many successful merchants use a hybrid model: selling a "foundational" course one-time and then offering a membership for ongoing support and advanced content.
