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Which do you prefer: ZIP file or just PDF?

by Tinkerbell
37 replies
For those of you who are selling products, which is your preferred method of delivery for written content?

Is it quicker, easier, and all around less hassle for both you and your customer to just link your buyers up to the PDF file, or is it better to put them into a ZIP folder?

If you ZIP, why do you feel this is the better choice? If not, why not? What are the benefits of PDF'ing but not ZIPping?

For those of you who purchase, which is your preferred method for receiving products you've purchased?

Would you rather click a link, have the PDF open and "choose" whether or not to save a copy, or do you want to download and then unzip the zipped up PDF file?

Statements of preference on both sides of the equation (buyer and seller) are appreciated.

Thanks much,

Tina
#file #pdf #prefer #zip
  • Profile picture of the author DianaHeuser
    Hey Tink

    I prefer a zip file. That way I can download it and look at it in my own time. Otherwise you have to remember the website name and go back on line to view it.

    I know that you can save the pdf to your hard drive, but from a seller's perspective I save on bandwidth on my site if they just download.

    Di
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  • Profile picture of the author SasaIlic
    When the product is good, ZIP of PDF this is the smallest concern, but if you really want to pick one i would go with ZIP.

    Regards.
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  • Profile picture of the author UMS
    From a buyer and seller perspective, I much prefer PDF. It means there is one less step for people to get confused by.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    From a buyers AND vendors standpoint, I would always go with ZIP.

    First of all it means your customers are saving the file to their computer right away so they won't be coming back and wasting your bandwidth by downloading and viewing the same file over and over.

    Secondly as a customer, I would much rather have the file saved straight to my computer right away rather than having to remember to save it myself. There have been numerous times I have read a PDF, closed it thinking I was viewing a saved PDF, and then realizing I was viewing it online so I then have to go back, login, and find the file again.
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  • Profile picture of the author ErikNilsson
    Zip file is good.You can view it whenever you have a free time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nikolas
    PDF is more instant. As for the download problem you can always use a delivery script that forces the browser to download the file instead of open it.
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    • Profile picture of the author WillR
      Originally Posted by Nikolas View Post

      PDF is more instant. As for the download problem you can always use a delivery script that forces the browser to download the file instead of open it.
      Yes, you can actually change the content disposition header of the file so it forces the download however most people do not know how to do it.

      Besides, one other advantage of using zip files, and maybe one of the most important and I forgot to mention it above, is the ability to include other documents in that zip file. You could include a document of recommended resources or recommended products, whatever.
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  • Profile picture of the author supershoesclub
    I do prefer Zip files.coz it is easy to remember and look in any time once i download it into my computer.But unless i think it is trustworthy website with authorized certificate.and it is my own habit to use the zip format to put my files.
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  • Profile picture of the author igrowyourbiz
    .rar is actually most reliable, strongest compression and fastest...but many freak out if they see it.
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    • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
      Originally Posted by igrowyourbiz View Post

      .rar is actually most reliable, strongest compression and fastest...but many freak out if they see it.
      And as a very general rule, inaccessible to PC users as Windows doesn't handle .rar archives natively.

      I agree with Will above - a ZIP file has the added advantage of being able to act as a container for other files, rather than having multiple download links.
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      • Profile picture of the author bretski
        I think that zipping a file also reduces the possibility of your pdf being indexed and showing up in search engine results. I don't know how many times I've been doing keyword research on a product name and found the pdf right there in the open.

        I like Will's comment too. I had never thought of throwing a few unadvertised bonus's in there. Good point!
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        • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
          I use zip only to bind 2 or more files since some digital delivery systems only allow for a single file.

          As for downloading others' products I'd still prefer the PDF. A simple right click gets it saved to disk.
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        • Profile picture of the author James-Robson
          Originally Posted by bretski View Post

          I think that zipping a file also reduces the possibility of your pdf being indexed and showing up in search engine results. I don't know how many times I've been doing keyword research on a product name and found the pdf right there in the open.
          Wow, I hadn't considered that before!

          As a buyer, I often prefer clicking on a link which opens a pdf straight up if it is just a single small file (although I have been caught out by forgetting to save the file later on). If you've got a large file or multiple files, then zip is definately the way forward.
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        • Profile picture of the author keyon
          Originally Posted by bretski View Post

          I think that zipping a file also reduces the possibility of your pdf being indexed and showing up in search engine results.
          PDFs that you don't want indexed by search engines can simply be put in a password-protected directory. That solves that problem.
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    • Profile picture of the author rrm
      Originally Posted by igrowyourbiz View Post

      .rar is actually most reliable, strongest compression and fastest...but many freak out if they see it.
      Which is one reason why I like to offer straight up PDF files when applicable, especially if there is only one file to offer.

      So many people, particularly those not used to zipping/unzipping folders (most of the casual public), get hung up on how to unzip a folder. I remember a time when it bugged me as well, before I understood what a zipped folder even was. And, depending on what format it's in, it can be an issue. Plus, one often has to dig several layers deep just to get to the goodie, once the files are extracted.

      Ron
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  • Profile picture of the author memme
    would vote for pdf

    easy to handle
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  • Profile picture of the author Mate
    Just keep it as simple as possible
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  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    ZIP - for the reasons so well explained by WillR:

    - you can include more files;
    - the download starts automatically (most users will forget to download it and most sellers don't know how to force the automatic download of pdf);

    As a seller less complaints of the type "where is my download?"
    As a buyer I can save it quickly in my preferred location on my HD instead of waiting long while the browser almost gets frozen trying to open the pdf file.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Zip ... I prefer smaller downloads
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  • Profile picture of the author Teravel
    From a buyers view, I prefer to download Zip files. This skips the step of the PDF loading in my browser.

    From a sellers view, I prefer to use Zip files. They allow me to organize the material for my clients, as well as allowing me to add bonuses and a Thank-You when I want to.

    Post #10
    .rar is actually most reliable, strongest compression and fastest...but many freak out if they see it.
    The problem with .rar isn't that people freak out when they see it. The problem comes when you have clients with any Windows operating system before Windows Vista, as they cannot open .rar without installing other software. Also, if you have Mac or Linux clients, they cannot open .rar files without other software no matter what version of OS they have. This, in my eyes, is a serious downfall to .rar
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  • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
    On your download page you could allow your customers the choice of downloading the file as a PDF or as a zip archive.
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  • Profile picture of the author kfm24
    I prefer a zip file its diverse and it can take much more files
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  • Profile picture of the author DanielMilstein
    I would go for .zip or .rar. It's more convenient for me. It is very much easier to just download and save it where it want to. The way PDFs get frozen on the browser at times is definitely a pain.
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  • Profile picture of the author JeanneLynn
    I like PDF better.
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  • Profile picture of the author TopKat22
    I prefer pdf. Too many people don't know how to open zip files.
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    • Profile picture of the author Manie Amari
      Originally Posted by TopKat22 View Post

      I prefer pdf. Too many people don't know how to open zip files.
      Despite this being true I still prefer Zip files. The pro's outweigh the cons.
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      • Profile picture of the author Hils
        From a buyer's point of view, I prefer to download PDF files. Simple, no hassle.

        However I've got to admit that from a seller's POV, I prefer to use Zip files. But then, I stuff a load into a folder than just one PDF.
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        • Profile picture of the author Teravel
          Originally Posted by rrm View Post

          So many people, particularly those not used to zipping/unzipping folders (most of the casual public), get hung up on how to unzip a folder. I remember a time when it bugged me as well, before I understood what a zipped folder even was. And, depending on what format it's in, it can be an issue. Plus, one often has to dig several layers deep just to get to the goodie, once the files are extracted.
          Originally Posted by TopKat22 View Post

          I prefer pdf. Too many people don't know how to open zip files.
          Windows Operating Systems after 2000 can natively open .zip files, as can Mac and Linux. It's not difficult to unzip a file, you simply double click the file icon. Also, there isn't much in the ways of 'Hunting for Files' as the file opens a new window revealing the files inside.

          So, unless you have a buyer living in the dark ages of technology... It shouldn't be hard for them to figure out. If the buy can navigate to your site, purchase the product, and download it... Double clicking the file shouldn't be difficult.

          The benefits of adding a Thank-You, Bonuses, and even Upsells easily outweighs the very rare person that uses old technology AND doesn't know how to unzip a file.
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          • Profile picture of the author Bluestar1
            It's funny that I ran into this thread...

            I did a test for this exact question last winter.

            I found more unsubscribes from my PDF download then from my Zip.

            I try to use only ZIP at this time.

            The fact that I can bundle more surprise freebies in the ZIP keeps my list happy.

            Ernie
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          • Profile picture of the author keyon
            Originally Posted by Teravel View Post

            unless you have a buyer living in the dark ages of technology... It shouldn't be hard for them to figure out...easily outweighs the very rare person that uses old technology AND doesn't know how to unzip a file.
            Whoa...I'd watch out for that kind of thinking -- that unless you specifically know the skill level of your targeted customers. I'm always surprised to discover just how little people know about the technology behind what they buy. What's more, they don't really care to know what's behind it.

            Originally Posted by Teravel View Post

            The benefits of adding a Thank-You, Bonuses, and even Upsells...
            I can't really think of any bonuses or upsells that couldn't be in PDF format -- you can embed just about anything in a PDF.
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  • Profile picture of the author paul_1
    If sending 2 or more files, I could rely on .zip. But I still prefer pdf.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben Gordon
    From a buyer's perspective, definitely PDF. It is much easier to access and read in my opinion without actually saving anything to my desktop.

    From a vendor's perspective, definitely ZIP - actually I use RAR. Your bandwidth won't get drained due to people continually downloading the ebook. Also, the RAR file compresses it to make bandwidth usage even smaller.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Tinkerbell View Post

    What are the benefits of PDF'ing but not ZIPping?
    Most users don't know how to unzip on Android and Windows Mobile devices, and an iPhone cannot unzip at all.

    I have a lot of customers who buy and read reports on their mobile devices. If they have a link to the main PDF all by itself, they can download and read it immediately (provided the font is big enough, which is another matter). They usually do the full-blown download on their computer later, but some of them also want streaming links to the videos to watch on their mobile device as well.

    I've got enough mobile freaks in my audience that this matters. I don't understand it, myself, but I am not my audience. And I'm pretty sure that mobile-freak audience is growing across most demographics.
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  • Profile picture of the author billyme
    I know this is for sellers - but as a buyer, I can tell you I only buy in PDF format. It seems to be accepted and the norm in my opinion; either way, I like the ease of PDF files even if I know how to unzip files. It also gives a feeling of security. This is a buyer standpoint.. there may be selling advantages to zip files (like to prevent sharing the file perhaps).
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  • Profile picture of the author thekaver
    Hi,

    I always use PDF!

    Reason being the so small anyway that they no need to use .zip files.

    However if I have a product that has more than 1 file then I will then use a .zip file

    Thanks

    TheKaver
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  • Profile picture of the author Tinkerbell
    Thanks, everyone, for your replies.

    A few of you touched on my concerns -- such as the PDF being indexed by search engines, but not ZIPs. In my case, even though I'm planning to "give" stuff away, I'd prefer people to visit the site to get it. In that respect, ZIP seems the better way to go.

    To answer my own question (in case anyone was wondering) as a customer, I prefer ZIP files, even if the ZIP only contains a single PDF file inside.

    Thanks again,

    Tina
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