Limiting Digital Product Purchase

Shopify Discussion
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1

Hello, I am unable to accomplish what seems to be a simple thing, which is limiting one of my digital products from being purchased in specific countries. I attempted to do this through markets, but testing was unsuccessful since there is no shipping address affiliated with this type of purchase. Shopify support confirmed this is apparently not possible. Is there a work around? Please see below for the breakdown:

  • This is for a digital product

  • We are looking to restrict one of our products due to selling rights, but may have more like this in the future, so wouldn’t want it to be a global store setting

  • We do not want to confuse our customers with asking to enter a shipping address (these are digital products)

  • Ideally restriction would be based on billing address location

  • Restrictions would be defined by countries

  • Markets/shipping zones did not work due to lack of shipping address

  • Currency and tax implication do not matter in this instance

  • If applicable, gateway in this instance is Shopify Payments

Thank you for your input! Feels impossible that we would not be able to do this… Hoping there are some ideas for this!

2

Hi @BRoss1 if this is through the online-sales channel can’t market(region URL) be adapted with the buy-buttons disabled?

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/customizing-themes/store-contextualization

Or advanced coding check the localization object and disable buttons in templates or alternate templates ,etc

https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/os20/theme-structure/templates#create-a-new-template

:world_map: :baby_angel: This assume good-faith customers using the market for their region, IP-based purchase blocking etc is a separate advanced matter.

For multi-channel, or if themes changes aren’t enough:

  • Use apps that use shopify-function with cart validations in the checkout, possibly a hidden cart-attribute that has the market set.
  • Use shopify-flow, etc to reject invalid orders if you can establish the region somehow in the order data, again possibly a hidden cart-attribute.
  • IP blocker apps, access control apps: https://www.locksmith.guide/keys/visitor-location-keys

Test thoroughly to not accidently exclude all purchasers in all other regions.

3

@BRoss1 :waving_hand:t3: Since you aren’t requiring customers to enter a shipping address, the best option would be along the lines of @PaulNewton 's suggestion - disabling the buy buttons, if the customer browses from a restricted market.

We run a digital downloads app - Filemonk - where we process the content to be sent post purchase, so I understand not wanting to collect a shipping address. But doing so eliminates a lot of checkout based solutions like Markets. So any check to block access will have to be pre-purchase.