HELP! Problem with emailing to "aol" "hotmail" "yahoo" etc. accounts...

[theglasszone]

Hi All~

Well, I sure hope you guys can help me out!!! On my latest tutorial, "Murrini Application Tutorial", it seems I'm having trouble email delivering PDF copies to customers who have "aol" "hotmail" "yahoo" and similar email addresses!

The file itself isn't huge - 293 KB - and I've used every means to "compress" the file itself so I can't really reduce it further without the photos starting to pixilate. I've tried using "delivery" receipt options to ensure they get delivered, but not only do I not get a receipt (nor are my customers receiving them) but they "disappear", sometimes showing up in the emails 7-10 later than when they were sent! I've had occasions when I receive a "bounced" delivery notification stating "email undeliverable for (blank) reason", but these are just *POOF* disappearing into cyberspace!!! :pout:

I'm not really very computer savvy and sure could use any suggestions you might have as to WHY this is happening. I have a couple other Tutorials that haven't had this problem in the past, so I'm really not sure what the problem is.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance...

[squid]

What specific delivery failure message are you getting?

Have you tried having the customer add your email addy to their "safe" list?

All of those services take at least 5 MB, so it's not a size issue.

I have a hotmail account if you want to try testing with me.

[theglasszone]

Hi Girl!

Of all people, I prayed you'd post in my "HELP" thread!!! If you send me your email address, I'll send you a copy of my Tutorial in PDF format so you can give it a look-see and maybe you can tell what the problem-o is! :)

I actually don't receive any type of failure message, I just get a email or Etsy Convo from purchasing customers indicating they've not received it yet :( Duplicate attempts continue to fail, although I have been told by several customers that it magically appears sometimes up to 10-14 days later, so I'm not sure it's a problem with their filters or what?

I have also added myself as a "cc" when sending them; I don't have a problem getting the sent copy, but the original recipient doesn't receive it! I've also sent it to my husband who has a private email through both yahoo and his company's server, and neither of those addresses have a problem receiving it either.

Do you think it would help to call the dreaded "Customer Service" of my provider (I use "altrionet" which a couple years ago became "champion") to see if they can help on my end?

PMing this message to you too...and thanks again for posting! I sure hope I can figure this out soon!

:)
De

[chrissy]

Hi De,

I had the same issue, it is the reason why i ended up uploading the pdf files to a secret location on my websiet and give the customers a link to download directly.

But this was a lot of work for me. So with my latest E-book i moved to a software program that is linked to paypal. After the payment it will automaticly forward you to the download page.

The e-mail addresses you mention all gave big problems for me too, it hink i had some others that gave problems as well.

[theglasszone]

Oh, thanks Chrissy for posting! :) So, do you have a link or can you point me in the right direction to use that PayPal auto-download option? This sounds like it will save me some serious headaches and customer disappointment and frustration, not to mention the most precious thing ever - TIME! ;)

Please let me know as soon as you can so I can check it out...

Thanks again!

[chrissy]

No Problem De, this is the software: http://www.alurian.com/paypal-download-manager/paypal-download-manager/

You can integrate it to your website. It works great, fully automatic :)

[theglasszone]

Thanks so much for the link Chrissy! This looks pretty nifty; it looks like I can have ALL my Tutorials in this format and it will definitely save me time and hassle, not to mention that the customer could download the Tutorial instantly and at their convenience!

I'm going to look into it further, but this might be just what I need!

Appreciate it!

[theglasszone]

Thanks so much to both Squid and Chrissy for their help and suggestions on what's up with my Tutorial! :)

I've really not been able to find anything specific within the Tutorial itself that might be causing the problem. Further, it seems that some of the previously emailed Tutorials have shown up in customer's "spam" and "junk" folders, so this seems to indicate the recipient's filters are tripping up delivery.

With that in mind, I'm seriously considering using the option suggested by Chrissy, that being a third-party "instant download" option. If this is the way I'll go, I will definitely have it all in place before the release of my next Tutorial.

Thanks again everyone...

[Moth]

DeAnne, I've used the auto download option and loved it. The only reason I don't use it now is because you can't get it to work with your etsy shop- only website sales, which I have very few of anymore. At least the service I used wouldn't link up with etsy.

If the one you're looking at does---yeehaw! I want in on that. LOL

[theglasszone]

Here I go again! :rolleyes:

I really appreciate all the help everyone's given me (hey, Squid - you're the BOMB and thank you so much for trying to help me figure this out!) and the suggestion/link Chrissy gave me is looking better and better.

I'm in the final stages of having my "Grinch Bead Tutorial" ready for sale. But..............

In sending out 3 "DRAFT" copies to my "proof-readers" (first as "Word" documents as attachments then converting it to PDF and compressing it with 1.3 MB final file size) I've had at least 1 person not received it (her email provider is "bellsouth.net") in either the "Word" or "PDF attachment" format, and sheesh, I just can't figure out the problem! :sad:

I've checked the "PayPal Download Manager" via the link Chrissy sent; it looks like a perfect option for non-savvy computer peeps such as myself, but the cost (yes, it's on sale! But it's STILL about $60!) would mean I either EAT IT or raise the price of my Tutorial by a couple bucks from the $15 I intended to charge to $18 which would help off-set this cost.

I'm about at the end of my rope with this and just needed to spout off a bit while I mull this over and decide how to proceed.

Frankly, it looks like if I invest that $60 and set things up for this Grinch Bead Tutorial (and Tutorials for the future!), I'm done with the headaches and should just probably eat the cost and hope this helps sell more of 'em!

With the Holiday so near, it seems like NOW is the time to get this out there and I should quit fiddling with it and just SUCK IT UP!

Right? ](*,)

I'd sure appreciate you guys opinions on this before I take "the plunge"! I'm still hoping to launch this for purchase on Saturday, so I best make a decision right-quick here!

Thanks everyone!
De

ETA: After having my proofers modify their email options to accept my private email address as a "friend" or "safe" sender, seems the Tutorial comes through a-ok! :) Now should I mention in my Etsy Listing that potential customers need to do this in advance of purchasing it? I guess that would mean I have to POST my email address right in the listing...and what kinda can of worms does THAT open me up to? Ack...I need some aspirin! #-o

HELP!!!!!! :lol:

[bluffroadglass]

De,

I use e-junkie.com to deliver all my tutorials via instant download, and it works great. I pay $10 a month for the service and it's SO worth it. It's linked to Paypal and once you set up your tutorials on e-junkie, you'll receive shopping cart code for your website. When someone orders a tutorial from your site and their payment is received by Paypal, the customer is automatically sent the download link for the tutorial.

VERY easy and intuitive to set up and customize by following the instructions on their site. You might want to check it out.

[AKDesigns]

ETA: After having my proofers modify their email options to accept my private email address as a "friend" or "safe" sender, seems the Tutorial comes through a-ok! :) Now should I mention in my Etsy Listing that potential customers need to do this in advance of purchasing it? I guess that would mean I have to POST my email address right in the listing...and what kinda can of worms does THAT open me up to? Ack...I need some aspirin! #-o

HELP!!!!!! :lol:

I actually did that in my Etsy listing. In the description I have a sentence about pre-approving my email address. Remember that Etsy changes the "@" in an email address so it's not active and I've not had any issues in doing that and it's been over a year.

You could open up a Blogger site and use it just for tutorial sales. It's free and easy to set up and then you could use an e-junkie account for instant downloads. It's only $5 a month flat fee for up to five files...they take no percentage out at all. What you save in Etsy fees would be well worth it. Once you've done that, just change the link in your sig line to feed to your Blogger page for tutorial purchases...but still keep them on Etsy too so you don't miss any customers searching for tutorials on Etsy.

[theglasszone]

Oh, Amy....thank you so much! That gives me another option for sure!

The thing I'm kinda liking best about the "Alurian" option (http://www.alurian.com/paypal-download-manager/paypal-download-manager/) is that it's a one-time, $59 fee and you're set! No monthly fees, no limits, and it looks like it's very easy to use in it's "set up for Dummies" format, how-to walk through and customer service hotline (which I should probably put on speed dial for a while at least! :lol:)

Now to get my hubby over here to the computer and give me "approval" :roll: since he'd totally blow an "O" ring if I did something like this without him giving it a full review first. :shtf: Oy!

[AKDesigns]

That looks very similar to e-junkie. You'd still need a site to put it on and if you don't have a website already, I'd just use a free Blogger site. Have you ever added up the unnecessary money you've given Etsy for tutorials? Any way to keep some of that yourself is well worth an hour or two of work setting up an instant download somewhere. I think Hayley uses her Blogger site for that instead of a website.

[theglasszone]

Hi again Amy and thank you for your guidance.

I DO actually have a website, but admit it's kinda DEAD at the moment since I've not spent much time messing with it and have had a few burps-hickups with the way that PappaShop can't seem to help me get the Gallery arranged the way I'd like (with all photos lined up in order instead of hither-tither! :roll:) www.theglasszoneonline.com

I think this would work for putting the instant download link onto and it would (FINALLY!) be "problem solved"!!! Further, it may ultimately increase traffic to my site and motivate me to get it set up a little better, too! :biggrin:

[loco]

DeAnne, I've never had a problem getting my tutorials through. Why don't you open a gmail account and send the tutorials from there instead of your altrionet account?

[theglasszone]

Oh, Loco! Thanks for the suggestion! :)

I've opened a gmail account and sent a tester to 'ya! Holler if you don't get it, ok?

:)

[theglasszone]

Ah ha!

I cc'd my private email on the "test" I just sent 'ya Loco and no problems coming through; hope you got it too! If so, this is the way I'm gonna go!

Hugs to you...fingers crossed!
De

[Pia Kaven]

If I remember right (and forget me not reading the whole thread in case this has come up already, but need to get going to work here in a few...) I had problems of receiving your tutorial on my hotmail, but that was not your fault, hotmails mailbox holds ridiculously small files only, and I only was able to receive it once you sent it to my gmail. Gmail is able to receive huge files. Maybe there is a way for you to get your file size smaller, and that way it wouldnt give you so much headache... or just for purchasers send the link to your tutorial online. This can be a major pain in the butt... I hope you can resolve it fast, I know how upset you must be.

[loco]

De, I got it just fine! I hope this works to solve your issue. :)

[theglasszone]

Aw, Pia and Loco! Thanks you two so very much! Looks like problem solved! Yay!!!

(Wait til I see you my Miss Loco, you're gonna get it! A HUGE hug, that is! :lol:)

:)

[Pat]

Hi Dee, the tutorial came thru to me perfectly. I only skimmed over it because I didn't purchase it only trying to test the waters. It looks like a wonderful tut. Great pics and very well explained. It should sell very well. I was thinking if you stopped at the first eye dots it could be a frog too. heehee.

[theglasszone]

Aw, thanks so much Pat and I'm glad it came through ok; I'm so gonna get Loco (:lol:) for being such a wonderful person and helping me with this! Of course, I mean that in a GOOD way! :)

And YES, (on your "frog" suggestion) this simple "facial" sculptural technique can give you all kinds of ideas, can't it? I mean while I was making the Tutorial, my daughter kept commenting "Hey, you could change that into a...!!!" We talked about how using various colors and not pulling the eye into the "evil" style (or even adding antennae, ears, etc.) could change this into a Monkey, a Frog, a Honey Bee, etc., so I sincerely appreciate you bringing that up (WINK!).

Please, those of you who have bought it so far, I'd love to hear how you do with it! Remember, if you have any questions or need assistance, I'm HERE! :)

[Mr. Meker]

You could always burn it on a CD/DVD and mail them a hard copy. I think this would be a lot cheaper than paying a website.