10% of Amazon MP3 customers are from iTMS users

[clevin]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...tores-gains-not-coming-at-itunes-expense.html

I need hard data to make any judgment. Which NPD didn't give out so far.

 

[zap2]

Doesn't sound to good, I mean, I doubt Amazon cars why people come from, just as long as the come. But Apple is happy.



I don't think its all about DRM free media, because CD were that a long time ago. People want that seemlessness of iTunes+iPod, Zune+ZuneMarket Place, its nice a quick that way. Personally I love DRM free stuff, but iTunes Plus is decent for me.....I used Amazon a little, and it was pretty easy, but there was that extra step(not a big deal for me, but some users might not like it)



Plus Amazon's video doesn't play on the iPod or Zune...soo that type of media people will need to look else where.

 

[John.B]

I didn't see how they determined the number. The market research group actually polled users? Amazon is tracking who is using the auto-import into iTunes? The only two people I know who now buy Amazon's (DRM-free) mp3s that haven't bought from the iTMS are Zune owners. (Its true, I know both Zune owners. LOL!)

 

[LizKat]

The more I listen to iTunes Plus tracks in that higher quality AAC format, the less I like mp3s. I am probably not alone among people who appreciate the aural differences in the compression. I did go to Amazon once or twice --like plenty of other iTunes customers-- to see what it was like to buy their mp3s from a Mac. But now I'm back to only going there if I want to buy a CD from them.

 

[clevin]

The more I listen to iTunes Plus tracks in that higher quality AAC format, the less I like mp3s.

Im not sure if its placebo effects. amazon MP3 is encoded at 256kbps, I really don't know if you can tell any difference at all.

 

[question fear]

Meh, that's a relatively small number. Could be that people were browsing Amazon and already there. Or they had Amazon gift certs. I haven't purchased music from Amazon, but that's more lack of interest in music in general. I tend to swap between iTunes and emusic depending on pricing and what's available. I have a ton of amazon gift certs (they're the most worthwhile option on my credit card points) so I tend to gravitate towards Amazon for random purchases.

 

[akm3]

My workflow is:

Check ITMS for DRM free. If not, check Amazon for MP3 (drm free), if they don't have it, go back to ITMS for AAC version. If THEY don't have it....back to Amazon to order the CD.

Yes, it's a pain, if Apple could just go all DRM free, I would never go to Amazon unless they didn't have it at iTunes.

HOWEVER, I only go through that trouble because I own Apple stock, if I didn't, I would always start at AmazonMP3 store, and only use iTunes if Amazon didn't have it. Likely I would skip that step and just buy the CD if Amazon didn't have it.

Apple needs to go DRM free quickly in my opinion.