If Rah

[Lx_Nen]

There's a 4 track promo CD with it on ebay for silly money.

Yet again I have to wonder why people who want music on CD are being made to give large amounts of money to random ebay sellers.

Current business model: Band pays for CD, gives it to random person. Random person puts it on ebay for 40 quid. Fan buys it.
Result: Band out of pocket having paid for manufacture of CD. Ebay makes approx 2x normal CD single cost in fees, random person makes a lot more, fan pays ridiculous money.

Rational model: Band pays for CD, Fan gives them money for it. Band makes more, fan spends less, everybody apart from Ebay and random person is better off.

If exclusivity is the problem, just delay posting the CD until after the promotional exclusive period is over. If price is the problem, charge more - the market will obviously bear high costs. If post and packing is the problem, sell subscriptions - 'all 6 promo CD singles for this album, to be posted once the last one is done, 50 quid', done deal.