Retail vs. E-tail Music Sales
A coworker recently asked me what (physical) CD I had purchased most recently. I had to think for a full five minutes before I could answer her with any confidence. I do buy CDs you know, I just had to think. Even after thinking about it, I couldn't tell which of several CDs I purchased last. Was it a Latin collection from Big Lots? Peter Gabriel's "Up"? No, that was a gift from my wife from Amazon.com. During a recent trip on the West Coast, I purchased a number of CDs including a collection of klezmer tunes and a CD from Cambodia from a specialty shop in Portland.

I recently went to a new Barnes & Nobles store looking at physical CDs to purchase. I overheard one person say to her friend, "Every song on this album sounds awesome, I have to get this." She had just come from one of the many CD preview stations throughout the store. The stations include a red laser barcode scanner, volume and track buttons and a pair of headphones. A sign says that you can listen to any track on any CD. I found this to be only partially true. The device had no problem accurately and quickly pulling up the CDs I tested, but I could not listen to every track. On a Sheila Chandra CD, I could sample the first few tracks, but from track 7 forward there was no audio.

My main reason for going to a Barnes & Nobles or Borders is to see what the fates offer me in selection. Most of the time I see the same old stuff, but occasionally there are some gems - potential purchases that I may not otherwise decide to make. That doesn't mean I will buy right there. If I find a rare CD that I have been unable to find online, then a purchase is eminent. Music distributors like Borders and Barnes & Noble will often mark down music to ridiculously low prices, just to move product. For example, I recently found a really neat CD of Eastern European music for $1, right along side some local CDs that were marked down to $1. These CDs originally retailed for between $12 and $15 dollars. Finds like that explain my overflowing CD collection which is threatening to take over one of the walls in my studio.

Many times, however, my findings get filed away mentally (usually after consulting my memory on recent CD reviews, which I read constantly). When I get home I update my Amazon.com Wishlist. That way, when I'm ready to purchase, I avoid the tax and, in most cases, the shipping is free anyway.

My experiences with on-line retailers (e-tailers) have been positive. I primarily use Amazon.com, and enjoy their selection, fast service, web site features and pricing. The Wishlist feature has streamlined gift-giving and holidays significantly. My family does much more of our shopping on-line because we are tired of the crazy crowds during the holiday season. The weather in our area often prohibits travel (or makes it miserable), so online is a nice option.

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