All of us in ecommerce have a heavy vested interest in maximising income whilst minimising the time spent maximising! Where some are losing out 'big time' is from the downside of technology where there is always someone trying to beat the system for their own ends, maybe devious, theft complacent or just plain evil.



Digital product security is of paramount importance. Good old 'commonsense' is invaluable but IP Tracking is a major advance in monitoring ecommerce product theft and licence abuse. Really, in these times of increasing ID fraud and a large receptive market for pirated product, there is little choice but to equip ourselves with 'state of the art' security, rather like credit card companies who are always looking to stay one step ahead of the criminal. Digital product security is now as necessary to employ on your digital downloads, as it is to fit an effective burglar alarm on your home.

You may ask what this is to do with you? Now, was it not you who either developed a cracking piece of software or fantastic ebook that took you weeks or months of 'your life' to complete? Did you not sometimes shut yourself off from family and friends, many of whom already doubting or protesting your devotion to financial success. Possibly you are a highly motivated affiliate who has chosen to promote, or joint venture with another person. Either way, you are both now at great financial risk from digital product theft.

"70% of people admit they would not pay for a digital product if they could get their hands on a pirated copy for free!"

OK, so now you sell, either directly or you outsource the sales system, through a global distributor who handles all online billing and marketing. The orders start to arrive and you begin to relax a little, then the order flow becomes sporadic and you wonder what's happening. Strangely, you notice increased refunds', sales slowing way down, yet product registrations are up? What you may well have done is leave the window open for the burglar to get in.

You are probably now a victim statistic of either download theft or serial refunder action. Your 'download or Thank You page' has probably been hacked into or your product copied and 'shared' illegally within the ever-receptive online community!

There are two types of shareware products available, one being the respected product, specifically designed for free issue and 'try before you buy' sector. These have a well-earned place in 'shared asset' world. The other type is 'share-warez'and that is what your product could now be, stripped of it's copy protection and available to one and all.

"86% of computers users "own" digital products they did not pay for! (These are not free or trial versions)"

Can you afford this situation to continue? Are you willing to be monetarily ransacked every time you set up a customer download page, or initiate a PPC campaign that costs a packet, only to deliver miniscule ROI? No! you need to monitor everything about your product sales, especially licence abuse after download.

It doesn't matter if you are one person with a single ebook, or a team of highly motivated software marketers with multiple products on the go, you cannot go forward until you have protected your sale, your backend or whatever.

Mike Filsaime is one of our top online marketers and a tough nut to crack if selling him on new ideas. Mike was concerned that he was apparently registering some 15% more product than he was positively selling. Mike had multiple keyword products in Google's 'top ten listings' and after discussing innovative IP tracking of registered licence holders, was moved to investigate the matter further, Highly sceptical at first, Mike has seen his sales rise by 15% since installation of IP licence tracking, coincidence? he doesn't think so.

How does IP Tracking work? Very simply is the answer, if you have the technology. On purchasing a downloadable product, the customer is required to complete a brief 'registration' form, in return for which they get a licensed alphanumeric code. In the event the customer decides that the product is not fit for purpose, or within the terms of guarantee, requests a refund, the seller is then able to curtail further use of the product.

It will also be feasible to track down the culprit, in the event of 'serial refund theft' and request that they do the honourable thing and pay for it, or else, proof is on the table for further action.

So, the problem is outlined...,now you have to ask yourself a question:-

(a) Do I take a chance that I won't get ripped off by the serial refunders or hackers? or,

(b) Do I invest currently well under a $1.00/day to protect ALL my digital downloads (All, not just 1 or 2), for ever?

As Mike Filsaime puts it so beautifully, installing 'state of the art' digital product security is a 'no brainer'.