Published on September 14th, 2026

# Build a marketplace for digital products with Sharetribe

Sharetribe now has built-in support for digital product marketplaces: a digital download transaction process that lets sellers upload files directly to listings and message file functioanlity for delivering made-to-order digital work.

Digital products are a low-barrier category for a marketplace. They skip the inventory, shipping labels, and delivery hassle. If you can find a niche or category in digital products that’s not served well yet, you might have a real opportunity.

There are two main types of marketplaces for selling digital products: ones where sellers make something once and sell it repeatedly, or ones where they take on custom work with unique scopes and pricing. Like the ones listed below.

![Examples of digital files to sell on a marketplace in two categories. First, made once, sold repeatedly: design templates, sewing or knitting patterns, software plugins, stock photos or music. Second, custom work, made to order: art commissions, logo design, custom illustrations, personalized invitations.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/wudP1wTXAbqfZqgc_typesofdigitalproductmarketplaces.png?auto=format,compress)

Until now, selling any of these on Sharetribe meant sharing links to files hosted elsewhere or integrating a third-party storage tool. 

Not anymore! Sharetribe has a new transaction process built specifically for selling digital downloads as well as a file attachment feature for made-to-order work. All files uploaded to a listing or attached to a message are securely held in Sharetribe-hosted storage and directly accessible through your marketplace.

## A new transaction process for purchasing digital files

The new _Digital download_ transaction process is built for products that are delivered as a digital file. Here’s how it works:

1. A seller uploads up to 10 files when creating a listing, maximum 1 GB per file.
2. A customer finds the listing and makes a purchase. The payment automatically unlocks the previously hidden files, which can be downloaded right on the transaction page.
3. The customer is asked to review the listing seven days after purchase. The seller doesn’t need to leave a review at all.

There are some checks and balances to help make sure the files work and are of good quality. During the seven days before the review period, the customer has the option to report the purchase, in case there was something wrong with the files. At this point, you as the marketplace operator will review the transaction and file, and resolve the report. You can also view all files in Console—more on that a bit later in the newsletter.

Learn more about [the _Digital download_ transaction process](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/16053544-how-digital-download-transactions-work) or enable it in [listing type settings](https://console.sharetribe.com/a/listings/listing-types)!

## Transaction fields and message files for custom digital work

Not every digital product is a pre-made file. A logo designer, a portrait artist, or a copywriter delivers something created to a customer's specifications. A transaction starts with sharing these specs, after which the service provider does the work and delivers a finished file.

You can achieve this kind of transaction low with two features released this year: 

1. Transaction fields: Create fields customers need to fill when starting a transaction (e.g. ask for customization requests, sizing, brand colors, a general project brief, etc.).
2. [File attachments](/changelog/attach-files-to-messages/): Let users attach files to transaction messages. Providers can deliver finished work and any revisions directly in the transaction thread using file attachments.

You can enable transaction fields and file attachments for any transaction process type. For example: _Purchase_ process for fixed-price products (without location or physical delivery options) and _Price negotiation_ for unique work that needs individual pricing.

![A screenshot of a transaction conversation with file attachments enabled. The provider is uploading the deliverable files into a message.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/UZFNceUwH05HxICi_files1.png?auto=format,compress)

## Built-in operator tools

Stay in control of every file uploaded to your marketplace. In Console, you can view, download, or delete files attached to listings and messages.

![The delete file modal in transaction management in Console. The operator has the option to delete file from the transaction question or from everywhere.](https://images.prismic.io/sharetribe/ST-o45NCZ0H08Znx_operatortools.png?auto=format,compress)

Or, if necessary, you can [shut down digital file uploads and downloads entirely](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/15636645-disable-file-uploads-and-downloads), for example to prevent a spam problem, in [access control](https://console.sharetribe.com/a/general/access-control).

## Customize with code

Everything above works without touching a single line of code. However, since Sharetribe is also a headless marketplace solution, you can customize it infinitely. Here are a just few examples of what you could build on top of it with code:

* Free downloadable files: create a simpler transaction process where people get the files for free when they click to download them on the listing page.
* Unique licenses or watermarks: generate and attach a personalized license or watermark to each digital download automatically.
* Generate listing images based on uploads: Instead of asking the seller to upload a listing image, automatically generate a lower resolution or watermarked image for the listing page and thumbnail.

[Learn more about customizing your marketplace with code](https://www.sharetribe.com/help/en/articles/8463062-how-to-customize-your-marketplace-with-code)

## Build a marketplace for digital products

Most digital product marketplace ideas now have a home on Sharetribe, no coding required. Pre-made products, templates, and media are a great fit for the _Digital download_ transaction process. Custom, made-to-order work is served by transaction fields and message file attachments. 

Either way, the files live on your platform, and you have the tools to manage them without the help of a developer. If you have an idea for a digital product marketplace, [now’s the time to start building](https://console.sharetribe.com/new).

Start your 14-day free trial

## Create a marketplace today!

* Launch quickly, without coding
* Extend infinitely
* Scale to any size
[Start free trial](https://console.sharetribe.com/new)

No credit card required