I read yesterday an annoucenment by Woolworths who are the UK’s biggest music retailer, that they will stop selling CD singles. Eight million CD singles were sold in Britain last year, compared to 72.6 million music downloads.
Woolworths currently sells one in three of all audio CDs in the UK, but said it believes competition from downloads means the CD single format is in “terminal decline”. From August 2008 Woolworths will only sell single tracks via its download website.
I find this story amazing as I’d always assumed that it was kids and teens that purchased the majority of CD singles with their pocket money, so I thought that retailers like Woolworths who cater strongly to these markets would be relatively immune to the decline in CD single sales.
I wonder how long it will be until they withdraw CDs althogether? I haven’t purchased a CD in the UK for a number of years now, and I only buy CDs when I’m on holiday if I spot a bargain.
I not that surprised that this has happened – I haven’t bought a CD for at least 5 years and have often wondered given all the floor space dedicated to those CDs, quite how many were actually sold.
Read Zath’s latest blog post….Viigo – Mobile News Reader>>>
I not that surprised that this has happened – I haven’t bought a CD for at least 5 years and have often wondered given all the floor space dedicated to those CDs, quite how many were actually sold.
Read Zath’s latest blog post….Viigo – Mobile News Reader>>>
Well said Zath this is exactly true. CD’s are outdated technology, remained good for a while but as all good things should come to an end.
Mark
Well said Zath this is exactly true. CD’s are outdated technology, remained good for a while but as all good things should come to an end.
Mark
10 years ago if anyone would say that music stores wont be selling music we would have all say never. Technology and the growth of the Internet is continuously changing, we will definitely be in for some interesting changes in the years to come. On-line sales cost less and there is no need to keep stock, its a better business model.
10 years ago if anyone would say that music stores wont be selling music we would have all say never. Technology and the growth of the Internet is continuously changing, we will definitely be in for some interesting changes in the years to come. On-line sales cost less and there is no need to keep stock, its a better business model.
This was inevitable. Like some people posted previously, why would people want to buy a CD with 12 tracks, when the only liked 2 of the songs, this is not a problem with downloads.
This was inevitable. Like some people posted previously, why would people want to buy a CD with 12 tracks, when the only liked 2 of the songs, this is not a problem with downloads.