Absolutely right!!!! People in my hall and classes that I know have gigs of mp3s have never heard of iTunes for mac and are less likely even to know about the Windows version. Great iPod commercials - now lets see the iTunes versions of those. Napster comes out at the end of October and we know that they will be advertising. Besides, everyone will already be familiar with the Napster name. Apple cannot afford to wait until the superbowl. I could see a lot ot Apple gift certificates as presents this holiday season if old mom and pop know they are available and how easy they work.
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iTunes Windows Sells 1 Million Songs in 3.5 days
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Absolutely right!!!! People in my hall and classes that I know have gigs of mp3s have never heard of iTunes for mac and are less likely even to know about the Windows version. Great iPod commercials - now lets see the iTunes versions of those. Napster comes out at the end of October and we know that they will be advertising. Besides, everyone will already be familiar with the Napster name. Apple cannot afford to wait until the superbowl. I could see a lot ot Apple gift certificates as presents this holiday season if old mom and pop know they are available and how easy they work.
Re: Promotion idea
From the accounting perspective, this wouldn't make sense because there would be little or no profit margin in selling a $1 gift certificate. Credit card transaction costs for selling the certificate would dissuade Apple from doing it.
You might say that they already allow you purchase a single .99 song, but it would be smart of them to move away from incurring transaction expenses on such a small amount ... hence the $10 minimum needed to buy a ceritificate.
From the accounting perspective, this wouldn't make sense because there would be little or no profit margin in selling a $1 gift certificate. Credit card transaction costs for selling the certificate would dissuade Apple from doing it.
You might say that they already allow you purchase a single .99 song, but it would be smart of them to move away from incurring transaction expenses on such a small amount ... hence the $10 minimum needed to buy a ceritificate.
Re: Reporters were given $20
I do not think that the "chunk" would be that substantial. I would guesstimate that there where 1,000 people there ((2*25)/5 * (100-90)2). Assuming that they all spent the entire $20, that is only 20,000 songs (given that they are all individual songs). DIviding by the total (1mil) this gives us 2% of the total sales.
Ok so my first calculation is complete bs, but the rest is logical.
I do not think that the "chunk" would be that substantial. I would guesstimate that there where 1,000 people there ((2*25)/5 * (100-90)2). Assuming that they all spent the entire $20, that is only 20,000 songs (given that they are all individual songs). DIviding by the total (1mil) this gives us 2% of the total sales.
Ok so my first calculation is complete bs, but the rest is logical.
I assumed that it would deduct the .01 from your account and then charge .98 to your cc (assuming you had one). I wondered the same thing when steve was talking about the gift certificates, but just decided that the above made the most sense unless apple jsut wants to cheat people out of a couple of cents.
Almost lost in all of this is the fact that by month's end there will be 400,000 songs available. A massive ad campaign won't begin until the Superbowl. Hopefully, the iPod ads will soon end with "iTunes Music Store for Mac and PC now available" or something like that.
Well, the giveaway doesn't count in the sense that Apple specifically called for "100 Million purchases", which a giveaway isn't. So Apple is expecting to have 100 Million songs purchased, NOT including the 100 million they're giving away.
As, Steve said in his Keynote, "this doesn't count toward our 100 Million goal."
Originally posted by SiliconAddict
I really don't want to be the "glass is half empty" person on this thread but initial sales are all well and fine. Its how well Apple does in the months to come that is key.
Any new product that has as much buzz and hype as iTunes can sell like hotcakes. Its after that buzz cools is when we find out if iTunes for Windows has staying power. With that being said I can say that at least $60 a month is probably going to go to itunes. ($30 per paychek.) I like iTunes and browsing its store is fun
Yes, thats true we (mac users) only bought 1 Million in the first week now were at about 600,000 a week. But Mac users are more aware of updates, windows users however never know.
Re: Re: Promotion idea
To clarify, I wasn't advocating the availability for purchase of $1 gift certificates, but rather a special certificate on Apple (Apple pays for it). My idea was that you could recommend iTunes to a friend by sending the gift certificate to their e-mail. The existing system would work well, just add an option for "Recommend iTunes", or something similar, to the current set of denominations, which gives the recipient $1 (or $.99) at no cost to the sender. The system could limit recommendations to one per email address, and perhaps allow only a few such recommendations to be made by each existing iTunes account. This wouldn't involve any credit card transactions, just a few lump payments from Apple to the record companies while the promotion runs. It seems that this would be relatively easy to implement quickly, and I imagine recieving an invitation to try iTunes and a gift certificate from a friend would convince many Windows users to download and test it. I see this as possibly being a more effective promotional campaign than the Pepsi one and it would probably have a similar cost to Apple.
To clarify, I wasn't advocating the availability for purchase of $1 gift certificates, but rather a special certificate on Apple (Apple pays for it). My idea was that you could recommend iTunes to a friend by sending the gift certificate to their e-mail. The existing system would work well, just add an option for "Recommend iTunes", or something similar, to the current set of denominations, which gives the recipient $1 (or $.99) at no cost to the sender. The system could limit recommendations to one per email address, and perhaps allow only a few such recommendations to be made by each existing iTunes account. This wouldn't involve any credit card transactions, just a few lump payments from Apple to the record companies while the promotion runs. It seems that this would be relatively easy to implement quickly, and I imagine recieving an invitation to try iTunes and a gift certificate from a friend would convince many Windows users to download and test it. I see this as possibly being a more effective promotional campaign than the Pepsi one and it would probably have a similar cost to Apple.
Wow. I'm glad Apple is successful. Unfortunately, I can't still use the store... Maybe someone can send me a gift certificate so I can show off the store to some potential switchers ;-).
Hey, that might be a good business idea: Someone set up a company that allows non-US citizens to pay them for buying gift certificates for them...
I have to say, though, that as someone who really likes CDs I am sad that they are being replaced by legal and illegal downloads. I can definitely see the effects of illegal downloading on the music stores; the selection of CDs grew worse over the last few years, they became more expensive and the recent ones use copy protection. What a pity... I wish there was an option for me to download an album _and_ get it shipped (non-copy protected) via mail a few days later.
Hey, that might be a good business idea: Someone set up a company that allows non-US citizens to pay them for buying gift certificates for them...
I have to say, though, that as someone who really likes CDs I am sad that they are being replaced by legal and illegal downloads. I can definitely see the effects of illegal downloading on the music stores; the selection of CDs grew worse over the last few years, they became more expensive and the recent ones use copy protection
. What a pity... I wish there was an option for me to download an album _and_ get it shipped (non-copy protected) via mail a few days later.Re: Re: Re: Promotion idea
I think this is an excellent idea. Everybody will jump for something free and once they see how nice it is people are a lot more likely to continue than to just jump from it. Maybe we can recommend this to Apple...I also agree that they don't have much time to dominate the market because Napster is going to pose a serious problem (unless people hate how it works).
I think this is an excellent idea. Everybody will jump for something free and once they see how nice it is people are a lot more likely to continue than to just jump from it. Maybe we can recommend this to Apple...I also agree that they don't have much time to dominate the market because Napster is going to pose a serious problem (unless people hate how it works).
Re: Wishlists
I'd just be happy to be able to purchase some of the items currently in my shopping cart, leaving others for reference.
But hey, write to the iTunes team.
I'd just be happy to be able to purchase some of the items currently in my shopping cart, leaving others for reference.
But hey, write to the iTunes team.
Hmm....
Imagine getting an e-mail from Apple Randomly and you recieved $10 in free music just to try out iTunes. I think that would work. Just send it to random e-mails, not spam per-say, but just a gift.
Imagine getting an e-mail from Apple Randomly and you recieved $10 in free music just to try out iTunes. I think that would work. Just send it to random e-mails, not spam per-say, but just a gift.
My guess (& it's only a guess) is that Apple pays not only the 99 cents but quite a bit of the advertising too. They're not going to be giving away $100M of product. Maybe $10M gets actually cashed in, which costs $7M to Apple. The real expense is the advertising. It's way (way, way, way) more than $7M if they're starting a massive campaign at the Super Bowl.
Ads are ads and if Apple's featured in them, they'll be paying for them too. Just my guess.
ps: Arn, I think I heard Steve explicitly say the 100 Million give-aways did not count toward the 100M sales goal. I'll review the video, but I'm pretty sure I heard that.
You could interpret that as, "The publicity from our 100 million song giveaway will cause people to buy 100 million more songs, and we'll make millions! MILLIONS I SAID!"
That way you have to spend some of your own money in order to totally use up the gift certificate.
By the way, while 1,000,000 songs may have been downloaded, it will have to go *up* from here--1,000,000 songs in 3 days is 100,000,000 songs in 300 days, and we have to get to 100,000,000 by April.
And, 1,000,000 songs or not, it appears that lots of people still want to listen to "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne, as it is still #1. I am willing to take partial responsibility for this.
Ok, but the flaw here is that it's the iTMS that's helping sell the Pepsi, not Pepsi helping to sell the music. Since the music is free, that's what's getting people to buy the Pepsi. It's for that reason that I highly doubt that Apple is paying for all of the songs plus advertising. What, then, would be the benefit of teaming up with Pepsi?
Since the free songs are what's selling the bottles, I'm sure Pepsi is at least paying for the actual advertising.
Just got an e-mail from a colleague (a confirmed WinDoze guy): He said his wife bought him a 30G iPod which he loves (!) for his birthday and having heard about iTunes this weekend, he's looking for an OS for his PC that will use iTunes. This is the window of the future: a guy (or girl) who having enjoyed the iPod is now ready for an Apple software experience. I mean he said he was going to upgrade his OS! This is not a piece of cake in the WinDoze world.
I think his previous mp3 player was an Archos jukebox...
I think his previous mp3 player was an Archos jukebox...
Benefit to Apple: more iTMS customers. Free song gets them hooked for life, even if that song is "Stacy's Mom".
Just a very quick off-topic thought (though it isn't really as it concerns the downloads aspect) - how will windows owners be kept up to date with new versions of iTunes? If a new version comes out, we get it via Software update. Does anyone know if there's a version checker built into the software to alert windows users when there's a new version?
Could be yet another "ease of use" trojan, especially if the update doesn't require a restart. I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the initial install required a restart on Windows, though to be fair that's probably Win's fault and not Apple's, and to be practical it didn't bother my flatmate who was actually DOING the installing... and who subsequently downloaded and installed it on all his PCs at work, and has proclaimed it an astounding music player.
This was also the guy who was tentatively saying about a month ago that WMA's sound quality "Actually isn't that bad these days". Words were eaten
MOST importantly, though, he's not only converted to iTunes but also to Pink Floyd! Ah the wonders of playlist sharing.
I've just realised what a great sales drive that's going to be. If you're in a Uni dorm network, let's say you start listening to a random album on someone else's machine. It's really good and you're really getting into it, but the other user decides to hit the hay and switch off his machine. You're in for an allnighter, and REALLY need to hear the rest of the album. Did anyone say Music Store?
Beautiful. Now all they have to do is release it internationally. If these figures don't speed up the process, I don't know what will!
To paraphrase from Glengarry Glen Ross...
"These people are out there, waiting to give you their money! Are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it?"
Could be yet another "ease of use" trojan, especially if the update doesn't require a restart. I was a bit disappointed in the fact that the initial install required a restart on Windows, though to be fair that's probably Win's fault and not Apple's, and to be practical it didn't bother my flatmate who was actually DOING the installing... and who subsequently downloaded and installed it on all his PCs at work, and has proclaimed it an astounding music player.
This was also the guy who was tentatively saying about a month ago that WMA's sound quality "Actually isn't that bad these days". Words were eaten
MOST importantly, though, he's not only converted to iTunes but also to Pink Floyd! Ah the wonders of playlist sharing.
I've just realised what a great sales drive that's going to be. If you're in a Uni dorm network, let's say you start listening to a random album on someone else's machine. It's really good and you're really getting into it, but the other user decides to hit the hay and switch off his machine. You're in for an allnighter, and REALLY need to hear the rest of the album. Did anyone say Music Store?
Beautiful. Now all they have to do is release it internationally. If these figures don't speed up the process, I don't know what will!
To paraphrase from Glengarry Glen Ross...
"These people are out there, waiting to give you their money! Are you going to take it? Are you man enough to take it?"
Re: Wait...
Testify my brother!
I've always tried to convert my co-workers but it's hard if you can only tell them of the Mac experience. I got a new 15GB iPod loaded up with 1,400 tunes that I started bringing to work last week. Everyone is in awe of it and word travels fast.
I showed many of them iTunes f/W which I d/l'd onto my Win2K PC and even purhcased a few tracks to show them how easy it was. Even my boss, a notorious gadget hater was picking my brain as to how he could use an iPod.
A few even visited the Apple Store with me and were aksing which Mac would be best for them. I bet one guy orders the 17" iMac tomorrow.
Testify my brother!
I've always tried to convert my co-workers but it's hard if you can only tell them of the Mac experience. I got a new 15GB iPod loaded up with 1,400 tunes that I started bringing to work last week. Everyone is in awe of it and word travels fast.
I showed many of them iTunes f/W which I d/l'd onto my Win2K PC and even purhcased a few tracks to show them how easy it was. Even my boss, a notorious gadget hater was picking my brain as to how he could use an iPod.
A few even visited the Apple Store with me and were aksing which Mac would be best for them. I bet one guy orders the 17" iMac tomorrow.
Go, Troll.
Apple is able to track the number of DLs from a WINDOWS computer of the WINDOWS software. If over ONE MILLION copies of the WINDOWS software has been downloaded, then it is QUITE LOGICAL that a million people might want to try the store out. Sure, some of the number is going to be Mac people but it is no coincidence that a huge amount of software was downloaded and then a huge number of songs were bought. It is common sense.
Troll another board.
Well, you would be wrong.
Apple is able to track the number of DLs from a WINDOWS computer of the WINDOWS software. If over ONE MILLION copies of the WINDOWS software has been downloaded, then it is QUITE LOGICAL that a million people might want to try the store out. Sure, some of the number is going to be Mac people but it is no coincidence that a huge amount of software was downloaded and then a huge number of songs were bought. It is common sense.
Troll another board.
He's not trolling, he has a valid point: not all PC users have heard of iTunes yet, so it very well might rise.