With a digital product, the first time a buyer notices a problem is usually the moment they open the file. A page that prints with the edges cut off, a link that goes nowhere or a font that has turned into something strange all lead to the same thing: a message, a refund request or a disappointed review.
Most of these problems are easy to catch if you check the product the way a buyer will experience it, rather than the way you made it.
Check the downloaded copy, not your working file
Your design software shows the file as you made it. Buyers see the exported file, on their own device, in whatever app they have. So download or export the final version, close your design software, and open that copy on a computer and on a phone. Problems that hide in your working file often show up here straight away.
The checks that catch most problems
- Fonts. In a PDF, fonts should be embedded so they look the same everywhere. In Adobe Acrobat Reader you can check under File, Properties, Fonts.
- Image quality. Zoom to 100%. Anything meant for printing should be sharp at its printed size, usually at least 300 ppi.
- Page size and margins. If you offer A4 and US Letter, each needs its own file. Keep important content at least 5 mm inside the edge, because home printers cannot print right to the edge.
- A test print. Print one page at Actual size or 100% and measure it. It takes two minutes and catches scaling problems no screen will show you.
- Links. Tap every tab and hyperlink in a digital planner, in the apps you mention in your listing. Open outside links, such as template links, in a private browser window where you are signed out.
- Editable templates. Make sure buyers get their own copy rather than an edit link to your original, that it works with a free account if you say it does, and that the fonts are available to them.
Packaging and file names
Clear, consistent file names help buyers find the right file and help you keep track of versions. Something like ShopName-ProductName-A4.pdf is easy to understand. Avoid unusual symbols, which can cause download problems on some devices, and only use a ZIP file when there are lots of files. Many buyers struggle to open ZIP files on phones.
Instructions and licence
Even simple products benefit from a short page explaining how to download, open and use the files, what the licence allows and how to contact you. It prevents the most common questions before they are asked. The free Buyer Instruction Sheet Templates give you ready-made pages to adapt.
Does the listing match the product?
Finally, compare the listing with the files. Do the preview images show real pages, not just styled mockups? Does the listing say what sizes and formats are included, what app or software is needed, and that it is a digital download? Has every claim, such as works in a particular app, actually been tested? A listing that sets the right expectations is one of the best ways to avoid refunds.
After you publish
Download the product as a buyer would, for example with a test purchase or a 100% discount code, and open it once more. Check the live listing on a phone. Then note the version and date, so you always know which files buyers received. The free Product Care Log keeps a record of every update.
Use a checklist every time
The free Quality-Check Checklist puts all of this, and more, into eight sections you can print and tick, with space for notes. Use it for new products and for every update, and skip the sections that do not apply.
Every product is different. Treat this as a starting point and add the checks that matter for your own products and buyers.