What licence should I give buyers of my digital product?

Updated

The buyer is buying permission

Give buyers a plain written licence that says what they may do with the file. The usual three levels are personal use, commercial use, and extended or resale rights. You keep the copyright; the buyer is buying permission. Price commercial use higher, and put the wording inside the download.

Saying which uses are allowed, in plain words, prevents almost every argument that follows.

The three usual levels

Personal use: for themselves only. Commercial use: they may use it in work they are paid for. Extended or resale: they may include it in products they sell.

Price them differently. Commercial use is worth a multiple of personal use to a business buyer.

Write it in everyday language

Two short lists: what you may do, what you may not. Nobody reads a page of legal text on a product page.

Put the same wording inside the download so the buyer still has it a year later.

Say what happens with credit

State whether attribution is required. Vagueness leads to buyers guessing, usually in their own favour.

If you do not require credit, say so. It removes a hesitation before purchase.

FAQ

Questions, answered straight.

What is the difference between personal and commercial use?
Personal use means the buyer uses it themselves. Commercial use means they may use it in work they are paid for, such as client projects or their own business.
Do I need a lawyer to write a licence?
Not for a small digital product. A clear plain-English licence beats no licence by a mile. Get proper advice once the money is serious.
Can I change my licence later?
You can change it for new buyers at any time. People who already bought keep the terms that applied on the day they paid.
What should an extended licence cost?
Several times the standard price is common, because the buyer earns from the file repeatedly rather than using it once.
Do buyers own the file they bought?
They own their copy, not the copyright. You still own the work, which is why the licence needs to spell out what they may do with it.

Sell it inside your Whop.

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