Digital Download at DVinfo.net

Pete Cofrancesco · April 9th, 2019, 05:18 PM

For theater events I have been offering digital downloads on Vimeo. I send them a link via email. But I’m having this problem where they don’t write their email clearly and then the email goes to a stranger or bounces back as undeliverable. This may only happened to 3 or 4 orders but I’ve had directors complain about being contacted by people who never received their video. In contrast I’ve never had a problem shipping physical media in the mail. I’ve updated my order forms with reminders “please write clearly” but this last job the client wanted to be in charge of taking orders so I let them and now I have a bunch of email problems. Anyone experience this type of issue?

Paul R Johnson · April 10th, 2019, 03:12 AM

How do you get the email data? Somebody scribbles it on a bit of paper at the event, I assume?

What you could do is get some cards printed, like business cards with YOUR email on it - "would you like a DVD of the event", or a digital download? Would this work.

We run a download server - not that expensive for limited sales - I think ours costs maybe £150 a year, something like that. On our website are samples and demos, and then they pay by PayPal and get an obscured 24hr link to het their download. It's a bit of a pain to keep updated, but works well.

Pete Cofrancesco · April 10th, 2019, 06:08 AM

Most of my customers are parents who like the old pen and paper. 1 can look like l and 0 like O, i and j

Boyd Ostroff · April 11th, 2019, 12:17 PM

I don't understand why this would be hard. As Paul suggested, why not just give them a handout with a URL that allows them to access or purchase the video download? If they can't even do something that simple, how will they ever be able to actually download and play the video? ;-)

Here in the US, I have a website with unlimited storage and data transfer that costs $100/year, including domain registration. This site might not be a good choice for live streaming video, but downloads are no problem.

Pete Cofrancesco · April 11th, 2019, 01:56 PM

Every theater client is different. the performance in question the school wanted to be the ones to create and collect the order forms. Often these are distributed month in advance. I think it’s unrealistic that either parents or students are going hold on to a business card with my email and the request a digital download and it being separate from the order form.

Sometimes the parent who isn’t tech savvy is buying the download for the teen.

April 9th, 2019, 05:18 PM	#1
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Digital Download For theater events I have been offering digital downloads on Vimeo. I send them a link via email. But I’m having this problem where they don’t write their email clearly and then the email goes to a stranger or bounces back as undeliverable. This may only happened to 3 or 4 orders but I’ve had directors complain about being contacted by people who never received their video. In contrast I’ve never had a problem shipping physical media in the mail. I’ve updated my order forms with reminders “please write clearly” but this last job the client wanted to be in charge of taking orders so I let them and now I have a bunch of email problems. Anyone experience this type of issue?

April 10th, 2019, 03:12 AM	#2
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	Re: Digital Download How do you get the email data? Somebody scribbles it on a bit of paper at the event, I assume? What you could do is get some cards printed, like business cards with YOUR email on it - "would you like a DVD of the event", or a digital download? Would this work. We run a download server - not that expensive for limited sales - I think ours costs maybe £150 a year, something like that. On our website are samples and demos, and then they pay by PayPal and get an obscured 24hr link to het their download. It's a bit of a pain to keep updated, but works well.

April 10th, 2019, 06:08 AM	#3
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: Digital Download Most of my customers are parents who like the old pen and paper. 1 can look like l and 0 like O, i and j

April 11th, 2019, 12:17 PM	#4
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Re: Digital Download I don't understand why this would be hard. As Paul suggested, why not just give them a handout with a URL that allows them to access or purchase the video download? If they can't even do something that simple, how will they ever be able to actually download and play the video? ;-) Here in the US, I have a website with unlimited storage and data transfer that costs $100/year, including domain registration. This site might not be a good choice for live streaming video, but downloads are no problem.

April 11th, 2019, 01:56 PM	#5
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 3,005	Re: Digital Download Every theater client is different. the performance in question the school wanted to be the ones to create and collect the order forms. Often these are distributed month in advance. I think it’s unrealistic that either parents or students are going hold on to a business card with my email and the request a digital download and it being separate from the order form. Sometimes the parent who isn’t tech savvy is buying the download for the teen.