In WooCommerce, “virtual” and “downloadable” describe two different properties. The first concerns shipping, the second access to a file. A product can have either or both. Choose settings based on what customers actually receive and check the complete ordering journey with a representative test product.
Start with the delivery you sell
An advice session requires no physical shipping, but that does not make it a download. A printed book with a digital worksheet may need both shipping and file access. An entirely digital document can combine both properties. The official WooCommerce explanation describes this distinction and the associated product fields.
First write a functional description: what does the customer receive, when and through which route? Technical checkboxes must support that delivery. Do not use them solely to remove unwanted checkout fields; doing so can unintentionally change the product's meaning.
Give the file a clear place in the offer
In a fictional store, someone buys a printed planning binder with an additional digital template. The product page must explain that the template comes with the purchase and how customers can find it. Adding a file only in an inconspicuous technical field does not make the delivery clear.
Check filename, visible title and contents together. An internal filename with a revision code can confuse. Use a recognisable name and record who maintains the content. When a new version is offered, clarify how it relates to earlier purchases. First agree this as a product decision, then have the setup checked.
WooCommerce offers file, download limit and expiry settings for downloadable products. Appropriate values follow from the access and service sold. The documentation mentioned explains the technical possibilities; it does not choose your store's policy.
Test more than a successful payment
Place a test order using a suitable test payment method. Then check what customers see in the confirmation, email and any account environment. Can they recognise and open the right file? Also examine an order containing both physical and digital items. Its mixed contents must remain clear to customers and employees.
For online store development delivery after ordering deserves as much attention as the product page. A clear checkout is not the endpoint if customers still need access afterwards. Ask an employee to assess the customer journey without a technical explanation.
Make support and management workable
Prepare for likely questions: a file will not open, the customer needs to find access again or the wrong version was clicked. Record which data an employee may use to assess the purchase and delivery. Handle personal order information through the agreed route.
A connection with customer service can provide relevant context, but the meaning of the delivery must be clear in advance. Do not add extra steps without employees understanding why they are needed.
Record the chosen product model, person responsible for the file and main test scenarios. Check them again when the product format changes. The distinction between virtual and downloadable then remains a deliberate description of the offer, and the online store can clearly support both sales and actual delivery.