Yet another reason I distrust the Age of Downloads

[ghost of miles]

Got this e-mail from a friend last night:

As I check into the world of Ipods and Itunes, ponder this : the Itunes downloadable version of the 4-cd JSP Bix and Tram set is $39.99. What a rip-off! The CD version, with uncompressed audio, an actual booklet, and disks you can import to I-tunes anytime costs $29.98 at Amazon. What am I missing?

I do not trust the Music Man.

[md655321]

A good reason to mistrust Itunes, not downloadable music in general.

There has always been price differences in the market, I dont see how that fact that it is a download is any different. Remember also, when you download it you get it immediately.

Not that I think downloads are the way to go, I have never spent a penny on itunes. I just think your logic on this is a bit off.

[RDK]

I don't like itunes either - and in fact I hate them at the moment - but this is simply a function of their pricing structure. Do we complain when they have an import-only CD (that might cost $20-30) available for download for $9.99?

Either way, emusic is better and cheaper for downloads.

[ghost of miles]

I meant buying downloads as opposed to buying CDs. And if this is I-tune's pricing structure, forget it. 90-95% of the music I buy is domestically issued, so imports don't matter much. And when I buy something in a store, I get it immediately as well.

I just think we're going to get rooked if/when the industry goes to digital-only distribution. (And it's more a "when," and "when" is already "here" in some respects.)

[Claude]

In case of music sold at budget price on CD and with a high number of short tracks, the iTunes pricing structure produces this effect. But it's an exception.

Edited May 31, 2007 by Claude

[ghost of miles]

In case of music sold at budget price on CD and with a high number of short tracks, the iTunes pricing structure produces this effect. But it's an exception.

Thanks, Claude--that clarifies matters a bit.

[BruceH]

I just think we're going to get rooked if/when the industry goes to digital-only distribution.

That's been my feeling for some time.