Response to Musica`s online music download store in its first week of operation has been encouraging, its owners say, despite the site`s limitations.
These include the fact that it can be used only with Internet Explorer.
Commercial music download site www.musica.co.za/digital, which allows customers to buy individual tracks via the Internet, was launched on 13 December. Such services are already hugely popular in the US and Europe, where sites such as Apple`s iTunes have made a great impression.
Musica`s e-commerce manager, Yahya Patel, says that while it is too early yet to release figures on the number of downloads and visitors to the site, there are already plans to expand the service to include product bundles of songs and digital music players and expanded package offerings.
"For the next three months we will be feeling our way along. No one else has done this in this country on such a scale yet and so it is all rather new to us," he says.
The only other music download site in the country is www.samp3.com, which is run by enthusiasts who try and promote local artists who are not part of the established recording industry.
Musica`s download service was developed by UK company OD2, which was founded by Peter Gabriel of music group Genesis, with Charles Grimsdale, who established the interactive software company Division Group. OD2 also supplies downloads for established UK sites such as www.mycokemusic.com and www.ministryofsound.com.
Negotiations about establishing the South African service started in March and most of it centered on the licence negotiations.
"In downloading music and software, the licence is with the individual computer and not with the person itself," Patel says. "That is why the service will not be offered in our stores."
Another limitation of the Musica offering is that of the 100 000 songs available (soon too be expanded to 400 000), none are by local musicians, although Patel is hoping that talks with the record labels may help overcome that problem.
Because the service is geared to people using Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, it currently excludes those using other systems such as Linux and Apple.
However, Patel is adamant the new service offers consumers more value for their money and helps to curb the growing threat of piracy to the music industry.
Musica`s packages range from R9.99 per individual track to R399.99 to download 48 tracks, which equates to R8.33 for each one.
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