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djfoxyfox
Janitor
Joined: Feb 05, 2003 Posts: 3211 Location: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA
Audio files: 5
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:22 am Post subject:
Selling Your Music Online |
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I wasn't sure which forum would be the most appropriate for this but Online Music seemed the best fit. I read the following on the music-bar list:
I thought that anyone interested in selling their own wares on their website would be interested in this. It looks cool and gives power to the people. With some user feedback, I think that this software can be outstanding.
[Editor's note: Sorry to disagree, but this isn't Online Music, it's more of a How To, so I've moved it to the more appropriate topic. -- mosc]
[Reply to Editor's note: No problem, Howard. I was just guessing where to put it anyway. Thanks for putting this in the proper spot. -- Bill] _________________ Bill Fox------------------|\-------------
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-----------()----soundscapes.us/bill Last edited by djfoxyfox on Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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elektro80
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003 Posts: 21959 Location: Norway
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 5:43 pm Post subject:
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The software is probably cool and the price is great. PHP webshops with file downloads can be had for free too. This thing about virtual links.. the customer gets a personal URL to the files is an old idea which has been used for years. There are even free open source products which can do the same and you can code this yourself. I did make several similar weapps using WEBDNA/webcatalog back in the late 90s. The actual philosophy behind that product was that everything was parsed together by a database cgi before the html was sent off to the client browser. Making a shop using such tools is not hard.. you can even use Filemaker Pro 6 - Webedition.. but buying something which does the same for such a low price is excellent. The marketing hype is a bit ... hmm.. well..
but what it actually does is what most people would need. There is not anything new about this though. I suspect that there will be many sites out there running shops like this one.. and none have any customers. The main problem about selling music is not addressed by this product. _________________ A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 9:21 pm Post subject:
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I'm working to make downloads sellable at the electro-music.com store. I'm going to use the same system that we use to sell CDs. When you order the download and pay for it, you get access via your account login at the store to download the file for the next N days. Everything works, but there are problems with the shipping modules which I'm working on.
The question arrises, why sell downloads here when you can sell them on your own site? Answer:
You support electro-music.com helping build the critical mass
More customers see your product as a result
You don't have to bother with software |
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paul e.
Joined: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 1567 Location: toronto, canada
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:02 pm Post subject:
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mosc wrote: |
The question arrises, why sell downloads here when you can sell them on your own site? Answer:
You support electro-music.com helping build the critical mass
More customers see your product as a result
You don't have to bother with software |
this makes good sense... _________________ Spiral Recordings |
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Cyxeris
Joined: Oct 30, 2003 Posts: 1125 Location: Louisville, KY
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:01 am Post subject:
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Yes. All pretenses aside, by working through this site, not only are you supporting Howard and e-m.com, but we are also supporting each other. We are supporting the scene, the group/community, and the principles. It can be the hub for what we're all doing, rather than all fending for ourselves in a disparate context. Of course, there is only so much one man can do, really, or so much that one can do without decimating the rest of their life. _________________ ∆ Cyx ∆
"Yeah right, who's the only one here who knows secret illegal ninja moves from the government?"
-Napoleon Dynamite Last edited by Cyxeris on Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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djfoxyfox
Janitor
Joined: Feb 05, 2003 Posts: 3211 Location: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA
Audio files: 5
G2 patch files: 1
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 6:31 am Post subject:
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Cyxeris wrote: | ...by working through this site, not only are you supporting Howard and e-m.com, but we are also supporting each other. We are supporting the scene, the group/community, and the principles. It can be the hub for what we're all doing, rather than all fending for ourselves... | This is exactly why I sent this privately to Howard before posting it the group. However, I didn't want to deny anyone the choice of having downloads on electromusic and their own website.
Presentses? _________________ Bill Fox------------------|\-------------
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:37 am Post subject:
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Cyxeris wrote: | Yes. All presentses aside, by working through this site, not only are you supporting Howard and e-m.com, but we are also supporting each other. We are supporting the scene, the group/community, and the principles. It can be the hub for what we're all doing, rather than all fending for ourselves in a disparate context. Of course, there is only so much one man can do, really, or so much that one can do without decimating the rest of their life. |
Wow! (Howard cries real tears of joy) |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:39 am Post subject:
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djfoxyfox wrote: | I didn't want to deny anyone the choice of having downloads on electromusic and their own website. |
I never thought you did. |
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jkn
Joined: Mar 14, 2004 Posts: 469 Location: La Porte, IN, USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:35 am Post subject:
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The whole key is finding an audience - and a 'central hub' type of place for listeners to find the music is huge. Everyone knew mp3.com existed - heck - literally everyone. There hasn't been a replacement for that (no matter how annoying mp3.com ended up being - nothing's remotely touched it's saturation to listeners since). Not that I'm a big fan of mp3.com - it was almost too diverse - you could get lost easy. You had to really want to find something - and chances are you'd run across 20 bad things before a good one.
So I'm a big fan of smaller, more targeted communities. Unfortunately, at least within the types of music I really care about - all of those communities are filled with people almost exactly like me - musicians that deal primarily in electronic, usually instrumental music. (which isn't really a bad thing...who better to chat with than people that share similar interests?) But as far as sales go... that's a bit tougher. I'm more likely to do a series of trades than a bunch of sales when amidst a group of musicians.
I guess the other thing to remember (I'm more reminding myself) - is that a site that has a store and a forum are sort of two things. Some people will come to the site for the store and the reviews - others will hang out for the people in the forum. Yes - there's a bit of cross polenization.
Anyway - I'm rambling and not sure it's making sense. Sites like electro-music make sense to me. Especially when they start getting a bit of longevity and have evolved through a series of regular users. Every forum or list has a bit of a different vibe - so it's good to have various ones - I'd just like to see all the various factions come together for some things - like the store and promotion and event calendars and things. Hopefully that will naturally evolve out of somewhere - I don't see why it can't be here. |
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opg
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 954 Location: Berkeley, CA, US
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:13 pm Post subject:
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meh...I still want to sell a lot of music - either individual mp3s or CDs. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is effective promotion. And also I've heard complaints about PayPal..... |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 3:09 pm Post subject:
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PayPal is just a way to take credit cards. What complaints have you heard? |
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opg
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 954 Location: Berkeley, CA, US
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zynthetix
Joined: Jun 12, 2003 Posts: 838 Location: nyc
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:41 pm Post subject:
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"Paypalsucks.com" seems pretty biased (well, thats obvious from the domain name)... I don't see how some of these problems are avoidable though. I think the ones that are most at risk are sellers, although buyers have some risk as well. Overall, I think it is important for both buyers and sellers to know WHO they are making transactions with (on an individual basis and a market basis) to avoid complications. Buyers should be attentive to fine print on commercial sites, and sellers should detail their terms of service. Besides, what is the alternative? Sending a credit card number through e-mail is far more interceptable and insecure, and "Snail Mail" has its title for a reason.
This is getting a bit off topic, but does anyone know of any online alternatives to PayPal, or is this kind of service monopolized by PayPal? If there are others, any ideas of how they could be utilized to sell music online |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:22 am Post subject:
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I read the paypalsucks site. These kinds of sites have been running for years. IBMsucks.com, GEsucks.com, etc. The idea is you set up a site based on a big business's name and trash them. You hope that they buy you out for a big fee to shut you up.
Most of these stories concern PayPal accounts. You don't have to have a PayPal account to buy a CD at the electro-music.com store with a credit card. PayPal accounts are intended for vendors and people who buy on EBay.
Considering the huge number of customers PayPal has the number of complaints seem to be withing reasonable limits. You can't do millions of transactions a day and not have any complaints.
My experience with PayPal has been excellent. No complaints. |
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opg
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 954 Location: Berkeley, CA, US
Audio files: 3
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Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 12:29 pm Post subject:
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Well, that settles it. My brother is using Mixonic to sell his CDs. They make the copies and use PayPal. Seems like the way to go. |
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