You already purchased this product... [Support Thread]

[CaroleAs]

LINK TO PLUGIN: https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2147

I sell digital products and many of my customers purchase a LOT of them (i have over 500). One customer emailed me today saying that it was annoying when she ends up buying one product a second time, because she didn't remember she had already purchased it, or she didn't check her list of products on her computer, properly. She suggested I added a message when she shops that would say something like "You already purchased this product".

I was looking through the available plugins and can't find anything like that. Would anyone know if there is such a plugin (that i missed) or if someone would see the usefullness in such a plugin?

[lat9]

Sounds like a useful plugin for sites that distribute downloads! What is your store's policy on downloads, i.e. what are the limitations that you place on the downloads for number of times and/or time-window?

[CaroleAs]

I have a default 7-day time window for downloads, but i will reset the download for anyone who asks for it (it is very occasional).
I don't mind if they download it a second time if they lost one copy, but there is really no need to purchase it a second time if they already have.

[lat9]

Thanks @CaroleAs; let's use this thread as a requirements-gathering one for the to-be-created plugin.

For the commercial plugins that I offer, I provide unlimited downloads for 365 days (so that the purchasing customers can receive updates for the year after-purchase), so the plugin will need to account for differing "situations".

Anyone else want to chime in with their requirements?

[CaroleAs]

Just out of curiosity, what difference would the download limitations make with a message saying that the customer already purchased the product?

[Website Rob]

Thanks @CaroleAs; let's use this thread as a requirements-gathering one for the to-be-created plugin.

For the commercial plugins that I offer, I provide unlimited downloads for 365 days (so that the purchasing customers can receive updates for the year after-purchase), so the plugin will need to account for differing "situations".

Anyone else want to chime in with their requirements?

This would be for a Community module available for free download in the Plugin section and apply only to Virtual Downloads--correct?

Have its own configuration page starting with version number and listing features available.

Each feature, when coded in, to have its own switch for On/Off and other settings.

Possible feature could be when displaying a msg. such as "You've already purchased this Product" to also provide a button saying "Download Again?".

[CaroleAs]

Possible feature could be when displaying a msg. such as "You've already purchased this Product" to also provide a button saying "Download Again?".

I like that!

[mc12345678]

Just out of curiosity, what difference would the download limitations make with a message saying that the customer already purchased the product?

If a store's policy were to require repurchase of a download/product after a period of time, then it wouldn't make much sense after that time had lapsed to tell them that they had already purchased the product... to tell them it's time to renew/repurchase, sure, but that's different (and would be another feature).

Swguy had previously published a sort of version upgrade related plugin. Been a while since I've looked at it but there may be features in it to include.

[CaroleAs]

If a store's policy were to require repurchase of a download/product after a period of time, then it wouldn't make much sense after that time had lapsed to tell them that they had already purchased the product... to tell them it's time to renew/repurchase, sure, but that's different (and would be another feature).

Makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

[swguy]

Swguy had previously published a sort of version upgrade related plugin. Been a while since I've looked at it but there may be features in it to include.

Mine does the opposite of what's being discussed here - it charges for an upgrade. http://www.thatsoftwareguy.com/zenca...t_upgrade.html

If you truly want to provide unlimited downloads for an unlimited time, just go to admin->configuration->attribute settings, and set
Download Expiration (Number of Days) to 0 and Number of Downloads Allowed - Per Product to a very large number.