online release...

[//\/\/]

...suppose it makes good ££££ sense, doesn't it? no manufacturing, distribution, or shops taking their cuts...

[King of Snake]

I'd like to see a figure at some point of how many people are actually buying it...
Is it gonna be mostly the hard core fans or will they be able to sway the casual listeners with it as well? time will tel...

[stimpee]

There are of course, hosting costs, bandwidth costs and less exposure as negative aspects. The reliance of your customer having internet access and finding out that there is a new UW release too, but yes lots of costs cut in the process.

[Ally]

For me the important aspect is the elimination of a bunch of bodies who contribute nothing artistically. All we need are the facilities to make a high quality hard copy with the download we've paid for - ie a proprietary image format for the disc and a cheap printer capable of printing to disc surfaces, a device which would surely pay for itself over time.

[Hoevenen Lion]

I can't buy it because I don't have a visa card.

[gambit]

I wouldn't be surprised if 10-15 years down the line more albums/singles are released for purchase for online download. Right now, you definitely have to worry about lack of exposure and your customers having internet connections.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by gambit

I wouldn't be surprised if 10-15 years down the line more albums/singles are released for purchase for online download. Right now, you definitely have to worry about lack of exposure and your customers having internet connections.

And visa cards apparently.

I'm still old-school. I like the whole package with the booklet and the artwork and the disc and the information that I can hold in my hand and feel and look at. Although all those discs do make my wife wonder where the hell we can keep them that's not taking up a whole wall in the house.

[gambit]

Originally Posted by Sean

And visa cards apparently.

I'm still old-school. I like the whole package with the booklet and the artwork and the disc and the information that I can hold in my hand and feel and look at. Although all those discs do make my wife wonder where the hell we can keep them that's not taking up a whole wall in the house.

I keep the inserts and the discs in a big ole CD case and dump the rest. Saves me a lot of clutter.

[Ally]

Originally Posted by Sean

I'm still old-school. I like the whole package with the booklet and the artwork and the disc and the information that I can hold in my hand and feel and look at.

Which is why the missing link is the ability to create high quality versions of these yourself. I'll be the first to buy a proper "CD Surface Printer" and "CD Booklet Printer" - devices which should be cheap and will certainly pay for themselves over time as a function of how often you buy music.

[froopy seal]

Originally Posted by stimpee

[...] and less exposure as negative aspects. The reliance of your customer having internet access and finding out that there is a new UW release too, but yes lots of costs cut in the process.

In my opinion, this is the biggest problem regarding the money-making part of online sales. I myself often come out a store having bought cds I hadn't heard of before and found by luck while listening through the recently released stuff. Guess this happens to quite many people (am I wrong here?).

Especially those who aren't either fans or really into the electronic music scene will have trouble finding out about web-only releases. And, what's more important, they won't be hit by the (often unnerving, yet nonetheless effective) merchandising machinery.

Of course, all this might change in the future when new ways of distribution will have been established by routine. But I feel that might take a while ...