Delivery methods
You can select the delivery options for specific products when creating a product. Use the Delivery tab in the Web Admin tool or Delivery Details section of the Products Portal in CA. The following delivery methods are available:
License keys
License keys are patterns of numbers and letters provided to licensed users of a software program. There are two ways to manage and distribute license keys:
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Key lists: A series of pre-generated keys that you upload to Commerce Assistant (CA). You generate the list with key generation software and then upload the keys as a spreadsheet or text file. You can set up notifications that alert you when the key list is running low.
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License Key Generator: Cleverbridge tool that allows you to create customized licensing information for customers at the time of purchase. Unlike license key lists, these licenses aren't pre-generated. Rather, when the customer clicks Buy, the Cleverbridge platform calls your license key generator, submits the purchase details, and requests the license information back as a response.
The following table summarized the differences between key lists and key generation:
| Key list | Key generation |
|---|---|
| Is static. | Is dynamic. |
| Keys are pre-generated. | Keys are generated at time of purchase. |
| You manually upload a list of keys. | Keys are automatically generated. |
| Keys can run out. | Keys won't run out. |
| No risk of a server going down, so no errors. | If the server is down, an error is reported. The Error Log is available in the Cleverbridge platform. For more information, see Error logs. |
| Can't include personalized information. | Can include personalized information about the customer, such as their name and email address, to reduce piracy. |
| Can include static delivery text that is the same for every customer. | Can include dynamic, personalized delivery text from the key generator. |
Keys are included in the confirmation page and the confirmation email. You can change your key delivery method at any time. For example, you can start with a key list and later move to key generation.
Before you go live, create a test key list or test the key generator to test the orders.
For information on how you can implement a simple license key generator in PHP, see Implement License Key Generator.
You can also simulate what happens when Cleverbridge calls your web key generator. For more information, see Simulate a License Key Generator Call.
Product downloads
You can provide download links for product files for either trial versions or full versions of your products. You have the flexibility to define how long these links stay active. You upload the files to Commerce Assistant in the Product File portal. You then select a product file for a product in the Delivery Details section of the Products portal, and then select how long the link is active.
Online backup and extended download
An online backup is a service offered to customers so that they can contact Customer Support at any time for a new download link or the original license key. You can sell an online backup as an addition to a regular license. Download links typically expire between 14 to 30 days after customer purchase. With an online backup, you can extend the amount of time a customer has access to the download link.
An online backup is set up as an individual product and then sold as a cross-sell. The online backup product should be configured to be dependent on the original product so that it can't be purchased without the original product (select Yes in the Dependent on original product field in the Products portal).
Your products can be delivered through different channels, for example, by both you and Cleverbridge. You can choose to deliver your product using one delivery method (such as product download) while Cleverbridge delivers it through another method (such as license key).
When setting up delivery methods for one of your products, the same delivery method cannot be selected for both you and Cleverbridge at the same time.
To leverage our expertise and identify the options that best align with your business needs, reach out to Client Experience.