Delete Digital Products or Variants with Linked Files in Filemonk

When you need to delete digital products or variants that have files linked to them, Filemonk provides deletion options that permanently remove the product configuration and revoke customer access to associated digital content. This process affects existing orders and cannot be undone.

Delete Digital Products and Variants

Filemonk offers different deletion options depending on whether you want to remove an entire product or just specific variants. Each deletion type has specific steps and consequences for customer access.

Deleting an Entire Product

1. Open your Filemonk app from the Shopify admin dashboard
2. Click on Digital products in the main navigation menu
3. You'll see a list of all your configured digital products with their linked variants and file counts
4. From the Digital products list, click on the product you want to delete
5. This opens the product configuration page where you can manage files and settings
6. Look for the More button in the top-right area of the product details section
7. Select Delete product from the dropdown menu

• A confirmation dialog will appear with the warning: "Are you sure you want to delete this product and all its variants? If customers purchased it, they will not be able to access the content linked anymore. This cannot be undone."
• Click Confirm to proceed with the deletion
• The system will remove all product variants and their associated file collections
• You'll be redirected back to the Digital products list

Deleting a Specific Variant

1. Navigate to the product configuration page
2. If the product has multiple variants, locate the specific variant section
3. Click the More button next to the variant you want to delete
4. Select Delete variant from the dropdown menu
5. Confirm the deletion when prompted with a similar warning about customer access loss
6. The variant and its linked files will be removed while other variants remain intact

Impact on Customer Orders

Understanding how deleting digital products affects existing customer orders is crucial for managing your digital product lifecycle. The deletion process immediately impacts customer access and order functionality.

Immediate Access Revocation

• When you delete a product or variant, customers who previously purchased it immediately lose access to the associated digital files
• Download links in existing order emails become invalid
• Customer account pages will no longer display the deleted product's digital content

Order History Preservation

• The order records themselves remain in both Shopify and Filemonk
• Customer purchase history and payment information stay intact
• Only the digital file delivery capability is removed

No Automatic Refunds

• Deleting digital products does not trigger automatic refunds
• You must manually process refunds through Shopify if desired
• Consider customer communication before deletion to manage expectations

Asset Preservation

• The actual digital files (assets) remain in your Filemonk library
• Files can be reused for other products or variants
• Only the linking relationships are removed, not the files themselves

Known Limitations

There are several constraints to be aware of when deleting digital products or variants. These limitations help protect data integrity but may affect your workflow.

• Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone through the Filemonk interface
• Bulk deletion of multiple products is not available - each product must be deleted individually
• Deleted products cannot be restored from backups.
• Customer notification about access revocation is not automatic - you must communicate changes manually

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions when deleting digital products or variants. These problems typically occur due to system state or configuration conflicts.

FAQs

Common questions about deleting digital products and variants in Filemonk. These answers address the most frequent concerns merchants have about the deletion process.

Q: Can I recover a deleted digital product?

A: No, deletion is permanent. The product configuration and customer access cannot be restored through Filemonk. You would need to recreate the product and re-link files manually.

Q: What happens to customers who try to download after deletion?

A: Customers will receive an error message indicating the content is no longer available. Their download links will no longer function.

Q: Should I refund customers before deleting products?

A: This depends on your store policy. Filemonk does not automatically process refunds - you must handle this through Shopify's refund system if desired.

Q: Can I delete just the files without removing the product?

A: Yes, you can remove individual files from a product's collection without deleting the entire product. Use the file management options within the product configuration.

Q: Will deleting a variant affect other variants of the same product?

A: No, deleting a specific variant only affects that variant's digital file associations. Other variants and their linked files remain unaffected.

Q: How do I notify customers about deleted products?

A: Filemonk does not send automatic notifications. You should communicate with affected customers through your normal customer service channels before deletion.

Q: Can I temporarily disable access instead of permanent deletion?

A: Yes, you can revoke access to orders individually without deleting the product configuration. This allows you to restore access later if needed.

Q: What happens to analytics data for deleted products?

A: Historical analytics and download logs are preserved for reporting purposes, but new activity cannot be tracked for deleted products.

Updated on: 26/07/2025