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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Jaimie Vernon" <bullseyecanada@hotmail.com> |
| Subject | Re: Little Bit o' History |
| Date | Thu, 07 Jul 2005 13:19:08 -0400 |
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At Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 12:51:01 Gary wrote:
>See, that's similar to the logic the labels were following in the early
>60s. And here's how it's flawed, IMHO:
>
>Most people aren't going to purchase the song they have already
>downloaded. But many more people (many TIMES more, not just a percentage
>increase) are going to download it if they can get it for free than if
>they have to pay for it. Yes, some of them will be happy with this one
>song and listen to it forever without making a purchase. (Of course, the
>poor schlub at an internet cafe in Afghanistan could never afford a copy
>of the CD anyway, so you're not losing anything.) BUT, some quantity of
>the people who now have this song are going to love it and want more, so
>they are going to spring for the whole CD. Some of them will even buy
>other CDs by the same artist. And some of them, once they're in the shop
>(online or b&m), will pick up other CDs. Yes, you're sacrificing the
>initial songs downloaded for free, but look what you get.
>
>And don't forget the not insignificant group of people who will download
>an entire CD for free and later buy it anyway, for whatever reason. The
>free downloads are reaching so many more people that this otherwise small
>group can become substantial.
>
>Today's free download (authorized or otherwise) is, for all intents and
>purposes, an even more effective promotional tool than radio was in its
>heyday, because payola and other limitations are finally eliminated.
>Plus, it's insanely cheap. (Goodbye indie promotion budget!!)
See my follow-up email. I actually agree with what you're saying....but was
disputing the P2P argument as an effective promotional tool.
There's also ANOTHER sell-through feature that no one talks about but is
statistically high:
Regardless of who is getting their music downloaded illegally or
legitimately, you're never going to have these people burning a CD and
giving it to someone as a birthday or Xmas present (unless the recipient has
as little class or taste as the gift giver). There will always be a need to
have the pre-manufactured store-bought CD available for customers cause who
the hell wants a home-burned CDR with cousin Joe's magic marker scribblings
on the label as a 40th birthday present? :-)
Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
"Not Suing Our Customers Since 1985!!"
http://www.bullseyecanada.com
Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/
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