Third Party
Amazon S3 Setup for Large Downloadable Products
Amazon S3 is storage built for the web — scalable, secure, fast, and inexpensive, running on the same infrastructure Amazon uses for its own sites. Connect it to WP EasyCart and your biggest downloadable files stream straight from AWS, taking the load completely off your own web server.
Part I — Create Your User, Group & Access Key
Before EasyCart can talk to S3, AWS needs a locked-down user and a key just for this connection.
Create Your AWS Account
Sign up at the Amazon Web Services site, or log in here if you already have one: aws.amazon.com.
Open Your Security Credentials
From the AWS dashboard, click your name in the top right and choose Security Credentials.
AWS — Security Credentials Menu
Select Users
From the left menu of the AWS dashboard, click Users.
AWS — Users Panel
Click Add User
Top left of the Users panel.
AWS — Add User Button
Click Create Group
We want a group so your key’s permissions stay as tight as possible — this prevents unauthorized access elsewhere in your AWS account.
AWS — Create Group
Name the Group & Grant Read-Only Access
Enter any group name, search for “amazons3”, and select ONLY AmazonS3ReadOnlyAccess from the policy list. Click Create group.
AWS — Group Permissions
Select Your New Group
Click Next: Review.
AWS — Review the New Group
Click Create User
This completes the user setup.
Open the User’s Security Credentials Tab
Click your new user to open its properties, then click the Security Credentials tab — this is where you’ll make an Access Key ID and Secret for this user.
AWS — User Security Credentials Tab
Create an Access Key
Scroll down to the Access Key section and click Create Access Key.
AWS — Create Access Key
Choose Third-Party Service
Select Third-Party Service as the type of key. Click next — you may be asked for an optional description, add one or skip it — then click Create Access key.
AWS — Third-Party Service Key Type
Save Your Access Key ID & Secret
Copy both somewhere safe — you’ll need them again once you connect EasyCart to your bucket.
AWS — Access Key ID & Secret
Part II — Create Your AWS Bucket
Your key needs somewhere to store files — that’s the bucket.
Return to the S3 Management Page
From the top-left Services menu, under Storage.
Create a New Bucket
Click ‘Create bucket’.
AWS S3 — Create Bucket
Name Your Bucket
Any name works. Click next.
AWS S3 — Name Your Bucket
Accept the Default Properties
Nothing needed here unless a specific property helps your setup — click next in most cases.
Keep Permissions Locked Down & Create
The default permissions are correct — make sure ‘Block All Public Access’ stays on so the bucket is secure. The security you set up in Part I still lets the cart access and deliver the file to anyone who purchases your download. Click Create Bucket to finish.
Connect the Bucket to EasyCart
Back in WordPress, add your Key, Secret, Bucket, and Bucket Region under WP EasyCart › Settings › Third Party.
WP EasyCart — Amazon S3 Settings
Part III — Add a File to AWS
Bucket’s ready. Now upload the file your customers will download.
Navigate to Your Bucket
Click the bucket name in your list of buckets — if you just created it, you’re already there.
Click Upload
Do not create a folder for WP EasyCart files — that can cause issues on the product setup side in EasyCart.
AWS S3 — Upload Files
Add Your Files & Leave Permissions Default
Click Add Files, or drag and drop them into the upload area. Nothing to change on permissions — the owner (your user and API key) has access, and public access stays blocked by default.
Click Upload — You’re Done
Your file now lives in the bucket, ready to attach to a product back in EasyCart.
Premium Feature
Attach the Download to Your Product
Create or edit any product and open the Download Options section. Choose Download Product, set the Download Location to Amazon S3, then pick any file from the S3 File box pulled straight from your bucket. A setup error here means something’s misconfigured upstream — fix it and the error clears. From then on, customers who buy this product download it securely from their account — and the file streams from Amazon S3, not your web host. It’s a great way to off-load the heavy burden of large downloads from your main server, distributing that load efficiently. Get the full rundown on setting up a downloadable product here.
💡 Plan required: All digital download features are part of the WP EasyCart PRO or Premium plan. View pricing here.
WP EasyCart — Download Options with Amazon S3
Ready to Offload Your Biggest Files?
Amazon S3 keeps large downloads off your server and in customers’ hands fast. If any step above isn’t lining up, our support team can help you troubleshoot the connection.