iTunes Album Credit for Singles

MacRumors · Nov 13, 2006, 08:08 AM

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A CNet blog claims that Apple is working with labels to provide more incentive for customers to purchase full albums -- or at least not penalize them for buying singles ahead of time.

At present, if you purchase an iTunes single ($.99), and then later purchase the full album ($9.99), you are double paying for that single ($10.98). According to their sources, CNet states that in the future iTunes customers may get credit for any singles previously purchased when buying a full album.

Quote:

"In the interest of more consumer-friendly transactions, that makes some sense," McGuire said. "In the end that's dependent on whether I see value in those other eight songs."

Warbrain · Nov 13, 2006, 08:09 AM

I read this over the weekend and I can't wait for it to happen. It'll be great. So many times have I bought the single and then the album.

SpaceMagic · Nov 13, 2006, 08:09 AM

I've often thought this and eventually just ended up downloading each of the album's songs individually. Sometimes however this means you don't get the Album only tracks!

paddy · Nov 13, 2006, 08:11 AM

What, record companies doing something nice for consumers?!?!

Belly-laughs · Nov 13, 2006, 08:19 AM

Looks like Apple have tons of negotiation muscle despite of MS´ attempt of bribing the music biz. Must have something to do with market share…

Squonk · Nov 13, 2006, 08:25 AM

Great idea!!! That would make me more likely to purchase songs online!

fixyourthinking · Nov 13, 2006, 08:26 AM

I hope they also get rid of ANY album only purchases. The only way to get a song off of the Chicken Little soundtrack was to buy the whole album through iTunes.

It was a great cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "All I Know" by Five For Fighting - I paid the $9.99 for it because I happened to have won a few iTunes gift cards.

DTphonehome · 08:51 AM

This is already being done if you "pre-order" certain whole albums (such as Tenacious D "Pick of Destiny")...you get the single now, and the rest of the album when it's released.

EDIT: Oh, now I see the difference...in this new scheme you won't actually have to buy the whole album to get the single...you can just get the single now for 99 cents, then the rest of the album for the remainder if you want it at a later time. Cool.

boringName · Nov 13, 2006, 08:34 AM

This will make me far less hesitant to buy singles, and more likely to buy the full album (which I admit to not doing just to be spitefull).

So, the record companies make more money, and I require less therapy

spicyapple · Nov 13, 2006, 08:38 AM

Perhaps now they can do away with Album-only pricing, considering it was a measure against people only buying one song but instead prevented people from buying any song at all!

~Shard~ · Nov 13, 2006, 08:39 AM

This makes sense and it is also good customer service. I'm surprised Apple hasn't implemented a policy like this already, so here's hoping they do so in the very near future.

CallmeKenneth · Nov 13, 2006, 08:42 AM

Makes sense to me. There's gotta be a catch, though. Seems too altruisitic a move by big corporate companies..

_________________
Alternative Mac History Mactimewarp

reallynotnick · Nov 13, 2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spicyapple

Perhaps now they can do away with Album-only pricing, considering it was a measure against people only buying one song but instead prevented people from buying any song at all!

Do you mean album-only songs? Not pricing.

Even if they do do this I don't think album only songs will go away. I do hope this happens though even if I may not use it very much or at all.

Rojo · Nov 13, 2006, 08:48 AM

I have done this so many times, it's sad.
If they could retroactively offer back-credit for customers who have bought singles and then full albums, I'd probably get $40-50 worth of credit.

I was very happy when they started to not penalize singles-buyers if they pre-bought the whole album. But then again, sometimes I'm not sure if I WANT the whole album before sampling it, so this new method will be a LOT cooler.

The Monkey · Nov 13, 2006, 08:55 AM

Sounds like a way to ward off some potential antitrust problems to me.

spicyapple · Nov 13, 2006, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey

Sounds like a way to ward off some potential antitrust problems to me.

Can't see it as such since the consumer isn't strong-armed into buying singles or full albums. Apple probably got a lot of input from customers and saw that it probably made more sense to offer album pricing minus single song purchases.

dobbin · Nov 13, 2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CallmeKenneth

Makes sense to me. There's gotta be a catch, though. Seems too altruisitic a move by big corporate companies..

I'm sure it is designed to sell more singles and albums rather than just to be altruistic!

This is aimed at getting people who do not currently buy singles and albums to do so, rather than to give a discount to people who already buy both.

I have often bought 1 or 2 songs from an album, but I rarely buy a whole album (and if I do, I often go out and buy the CD). If I could get £2-3 discount off the album download price, then I might be temtped I suppose.

The Monkey · Nov 13, 2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spicyapple

Can't see it as such since the consumer isn't strong-armed into buying singles or full albums. Apple probably got a lot of input from customers and saw that it probably made more sense to offer album pricing minus single song purchases.

Probably right, but it arguably is a tying problem and best avoided.

ASP272 · Nov 13, 2006, 09:14 AM

I bought the Evanescence single for "Call Me When You're Sober" a few days before I pre-ordered the album. When I pre-ordered the album the charge for the single came off (I was never charged for it). Plus, maybe a glitch, they allowed me to download the single AGAIN as part of the pre-order of the album. So in the end I got the single for "Call Me . . ." and the album and another copy of "Call Me . . ." (the album version) again all for $9.99. This being a new album I think they are already setting this in place. That's my 2 cents.

Ashapalan · Nov 13, 2006, 09:15 AM

Thanks to buying singles and then going on to buy the album, i have lost around £5. That's almost another full album. So this news is music to my ears.

iSee · Nov 13, 2006, 09:30 AM

I hope this is really true.
I also hope they do the same thing for TV shows.

I do think this will help overall sales. I would already have bought the Lost season pass but I couldn't stomach paying again for four episodes I already bought.

Parky · Nov 13, 2006, 09:47 AM

I made this suggestion to Apple over a year ago directly to a friend who works in the iTunes Store development team.

He said they had been trying to get this sorted for a while, even back then.

So it could be 100% true, I hope it is.

Ian

settledown · Nov 13, 2006, 09:53 AM

That just sounds fair. I'm sure Apple needs to tweak the buying protocols of the iTunes Store, but I bet they can do it.

Wonder if it will be retroactive.

dernhelm · Nov 13, 2006, 10:07 AM

'Bout time! Wonder if this applies to past-purchased songs, or only future purchased songs...

twoodcc · Nov 13, 2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddy

What, record companies doing something nice for consumers?!?!

yeah i know, it's unbelievable

Nov 13, 2006, 08:09 AM	#2
Warbrain macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago, IL	I read this over the weekend and I can't wait for it to happen. It'll be great. So many times have I bought the single and then the album. __________________ WARBRAIN Twitter \| Blog MacBook, 2.1 GHz C2D, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD iPhone 3G 8 GB

Nov 13, 2006, 08:09 AM	#3
SpaceMagic macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Munich, Germany	I've often thought this and eventually just ended up downloading each of the album's songs individually. Sometimes however this means you don't get the Album only tracks! __________________ MacBook 2Ghz Core2Duo, 320GB HD, 3.3GB RAM + 24" LG LCD

Nov 13, 2006, 08:11 AM	#4
paddy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: I measc mo dhaoine	What, record companies doing something nice for consumers?!?! __________________ The meek may inherit the earth but they won't keep it for very long.

Nov 13, 2006, 08:25 AM	#6
Squonk macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2005	Great idea!!! That would make me more likely to purchase songs online! __________________ iSwitched in 1988 MP quad 2.8 (4GB/1.5TB/ATI 2600), iPhone, iPods

Nov 13, 2006, 08:26 AM	#7
fixyourthinking macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Greenville SC	I hope they also get rid of ANY album only purchases. The only way to get a song off of the Chicken Little soundtrack was to buy the whole album through iTunes. It was a great cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "All I Know" by Five For Fighting - I paid the $9.99 for it because I happened to have won a few iTunes gift cards. __________________ WWW.FIXYOURTHINKING.COM

Nov 13, 2006, 08:19 AM	#5
Belly-laughs macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2003	Looks like Apple have tons of negotiation muscle despite of MS´ attempt of bribing the music biz. Must have something to do with market share…

Nov 13, 2006, 08:32 AM	#8
DTphonehome macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NYC	This is already being done if you "pre-order" certain whole albums (such as Tenacious D "Pick of Destiny")...you get the single now, and the rest of the album when it's released. EDIT: Oh, now I see the difference...in this new scheme you won't actually have to buy the whole album to get the single...you can just get the single now for 99 cents, then the rest of the album for the remainder if you want it at a later time. Cool. Last edited by DTphonehome : Nov 13, 2006 at 08:51 AM. Reason: I was ensmartenated.

Nov 13, 2006, 08:34 AM	#9
boringName macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2005	Everybody wins This will make me far less hesitant to buy singles, and more likely to buy the full album (which I admit to not doing just to be spitefull). So, the record companies make more money, and I require less therapy

Nov 13, 2006, 08:38 AM	#10
spicyapple macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2006	Perhaps now they can do away with Album-only pricing, considering it was a measure against people only buying one song but instead prevented people from buying any song at all!

Nov 13, 2006, 08:39 AM	#11
~Shard~ macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: 1123.6536.5321	This makes sense and it is also good customer service. I'm surprised Apple hasn't implemented a policy like this already, so here's hoping they do so in the very near future. __________________ My riches consist not in the extent of my possessions, but in the fewness of my wants. - J. Brotherton

Nov 13, 2006, 08:42 AM	#12
CallmeKenneth macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Mega-City 1, Sector 41	A great idea Makes sense to me. There's gotta be a catch, though. Seems too altruisitic a move by big corporate companies.. _________________ Alternative Mac History Mactimewarp

Nov 13, 2006, 08:48 AM	#14
Rojo macrumors 65816 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New York City	I have done this so many times, it's sad. If they could retroactively offer back-credit for customers who have bought singles and then full albums, I'd probably get $40-50 worth of credit. I was very happy when they started to not penalize singles-buyers if they pre-bought the whole album. But then again, sometimes I'm not sure if I WANT the whole album before sampling it, so this new method will be a LOT cooler.

Nov 13, 2006, 08:55 AM	#15
The Monkey macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2006	Sounds like a way to ward off some potential antitrust problems to me.

Nov 13, 2006, 09:14 AM	#19
ASP272 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nashville, TN	This is already happening I bought the Evanescence single for "Call Me When You're Sober" a few days before I pre-ordered the album. When I pre-ordered the album the charge for the single came off (I was never charged for it). Plus, maybe a glitch, they allowed me to download the single AGAIN as part of the pre-order of the album. So in the end I got the single for "Call Me . . ." and the album and another copy of "Call Me . . ." (the album version) again all for $9.99. This being a new album I think they are already setting this in place. That's my 2 cents. __________________ "It was a bug, Dave."

Nov 13, 2006, 09:15 AM	#20
Ashapalan macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: England	Thanks to buying singles and then going on to buy the album, i have lost around £5. That's almost another full album. So this news is music to my ears. __________________ Mac Mini iPhone

Nov 13, 2006, 09:30 AM	#21
iSee macrumors 65816 Join Date: Oct 2004	I hope this is really true. I also hope they do the same thing for TV shows. I do think this will help overall sales. I would already have bought the Lost season pass but I couldn't stomach paying again for four episodes I already bought.

Nov 13, 2006, 09:47 AM	#22
Parky macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2006	I made this suggestion to Apple over a year ago directly to a friend who works in the iTunes Store development team. He said they had been trying to get this sorted for a while, even back then. So it could be 100% true, I hope it is. Ian

Nov 13, 2006, 09:53 AM	#23
settledown macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: pittsburgh	I'm Down. That just sounds fair. I'm sure Apple needs to tweak the buying protocols of the iTunes Store, but I bet they can do it. Wonder if it will be retroactive. __________________ sig.'s waste time and brain bandwidth

Nov 13, 2006, 10:07 AM	#24
dernhelm macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2002 Location: middle earth	'Bout time! Wonder if this applies to past-purchased songs, or only future purchased songs... __________________ Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind. --Terry Pratchett

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