Numbers tracker
The few numbers that show whether a digital product is working, with pre-sale and 30-day decision points.
The numbers
| Number | Where to find it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Conversations held | Your interview sheet | Whether you're talking to buyers before building |
| Pre-orders or written commitments | Your checkout or notes | The strongest early demand signal |
| Product page visits | Your checkout platform's analytics | Reach |
| Sales | Checkout platform | The result |
| Conversion rate (sales รท visits) | Calculated | Whether the page and offer persuade |
| Refund requests | Checkout platform | Whether the product matches the page |
| Hours spent | Your own log | Whether it's sustainable |
Weekly tracker
| Week | Conversations | Pre-orders | Page visits | Sales | Conversion | Refunds | Revenue after fees | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 |
Decision points
These defaults are our suggestions, not sourced benchmarks. Write your own before week 1.
- Pre-sale point (end of week 3): at least 5 pre-orders or written commitments from people outside your friends and family. If you miss it, change the offer once and try for one more week. If you miss it again, stop or pick a different problem.
- 30 days after launch: continue if sales come from people you didn't speak to directly, and refunds are rare. Change one thing (page, price or channel) if visits are fine but conversion is low. Stop if there are almost no visits and no sales despite the weekly rhythm.
Tip: The median Gumroad seller makes about US$72 a month, according to the third-party estimate cited in the breakdown. A first product earning a little, while teaching you who buys and why, is a reasonable outcome.