Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged) - Gizmodo Comments

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

timaeus — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:24:23 EDT

I guess your opinion of Wal-Mart's satus depends on what part of the country you live in. A not -so-recent survey asked women what was their favorite store to shop at and why.
One young woman from Arkansas said that The Dollar Store was her favorite, because you could shop there without having to get all dressed up, "like you do when you go to "Wal-Mart.
One man's Meade is another man's Persian, I guess.

timaeus

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

twreckx — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:35:32 EDT

@Samifumi: You won't know what you've got till it's gone. That bargain bin full of delightful DVD deals? A fleeting memory. Shopping at 2am in the morning for some hot pockets and some milk? A thing of the past. Instead I'm stuck in a town where the English feel that "6pm is quite enough, thank you" and then proceed to firmly place foot to ass (or arse) and kick you out their doors.

Oh yeah about the other thing, when does a monopoly officially become a monopoly in the government's eyes? Not trying to start anything (believe you me, I want to live through today) but it seems the itunes juggernaut is decimating any and every competitor. It's hard to picture any other company being around in a couple of years. Then what?

twreckx

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

utube2007 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:20:40 EDT

How much money did they make from credit/debit card vs paypal vs giftcard sales is what I wanna know, I bet it is because of the holiday season and everybody is just finishing using up all the giftcards they got for the holidays.

What percentage of people in the US buy all their music compared to those who illegally download or illegally download once in a while and still buy music

utube2007

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

aimanchi — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:15:19 EDT

try mp3fiesta, its much cheaper

aimanchi

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

SchruteBuck — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:08:27 EDT

You people obviously haven't enjoyed a crisp Sams cola while cooking a delicious piece of Members Mark beef (what you can find that hasn't been recalled) and watching your Symphonic TV / VCR combo catch on fire. Ah Walmart. You're the Durabrand of big box stores.

SchruteBuck

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

FranklinTurtle — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:36:29 EDT

I'd hate to get an iTunes gift certificate in my stocking. I'd be forced to give it away, as I wouldn't install that crap just to use my giftcard.

Zune giftcard however, is quite welcome.

FranklinTurtle

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Monty — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:24:07 EDT

Didn't Steve Jobs say they basically make no money on music downloads? So how much "no money" are they not making now that they are the number one music retailer? I suspect it is somewhat higher than zero.

In any case, congratulations, Cupertino! We did not need further proof that your concept was brilliant - in fact, some of us were getting a little tired of it. Still, the proof keeps on coming. Good show!

Now, how are those movie sales doing?

Monty

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

scaught78 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:21:13 EDT

I prefer using Amazon.com for my music shopping needs. I am by no means a loyalist when it comes to shopping. I just gravitate to who has the cheaper prices. Amazon usually is the cheapest game around and I often find lots of indie bands that are missing from iTunes.

Wow, I just sounded like a fucking plant with that statement above. I swear I'm not though.....or am I??

scaught78

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Sihanouk-s-Poodle — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:58:39 EDT

@Posavoie: It's more than just a dollar.

For example: Someone buys one music CD every week. The intertubes tell me a CD at Wal-Mart usually costs $10. The same CD at a record store with pretentious clerks costs $16. $6 savings every week for 52 weeks is $312 saved a year.

The same savings can apply to many other products, such as clothes, sundries, even hangers. (And I bought my hangers at Goodwill, so I guess I earn even more indie points than dollar store boy, right?)

Sihanouk-s-Poodle

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Sihanouk-s-Poodle — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:52:53 EDT

@sumocat: @wizardofpants:

Are the employees of Wal-Mart slaves that can't work elsewhere? Are they serfs that are unable to move somewhere else and look for a better job?

People who shop at Wal-Mart may not be sophisticated, I won't argue that. They shop there because the products are cheaper than at competitors' stores. And for the most part it's the same big ticket items, whether it be TVs, or auto parts or whatever.

Personally, I don't like Wal-Mart because I don't like big box stores. But this silly elitism because you think a chain store oppresses the proletariat, well it's silly.

Sihanouk-s-Poodle

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Posavoie — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:43:51 EDT

Wal-Mart the biggest music retailer in the US? That's retarded!

If people are wondering why small stores are a dying breed and why big box stores don't care about customer service, they only need to look at their spending habits... is it really worth the dollar saved? I mean, if you're poor, shop wherever you like but if you can afford the extra few cents, keep some folks employed and shop in a specialized small store. Think the Wal-Mart guy knows his music more than the record store guy?

I admit that I reluctantly go to Wal-Mart about once a year but only when it's too far to drive to go find the specialty store. Not for music!

Posavoie

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

EL_RIEL — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:42:35 EDT

@wizardofpants:

LOL wall

EL_RIEL

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Sleeper_Service — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:38:35 EDT

iTunes was always going to get No 1 eventually. It's how long it'll stay there that's really interesting.

Sleeper_Service

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

lastpulse — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:31:28 EDT

I HATE WALMART. I haven't been to one in a long time. I just remember it being like a zoo in there. There are so many people in there it is just ridiculous. It is the most horrible shopping experience I can recall. And it surely isn't worth saving a couple bucks.

lastpulse

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

delithic — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:31:10 EDT

@legacye: The problem with Walmart is that they have one of everything. Just one. And its usually something very low quality that will need replacing.

For example: In college I bought everything at walmart and I thought I was saving money. I would buy those packs of 13 plastic hangers for 88 cents. I would probably break the hook off of one or two every time I did laundry cause they were cheap plastic. After a while of this I finally bought hangers at the dollar store for 5 for a dollar. I still have all of them 5 years later.

delithic

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

brownboyinbc — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:23:45 EDT

This is all bogus....Apple's iTunes is not #1. Check out NPD, for the true story. This was just a spike.

brownboyinbc

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

chrisaroz — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:15:50 EDT

I love seeing fanboys defend each other. Good job to Apple for doing so well, but it's funny how you defend Apple by updating your stories about them.

chrisaroz

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

wizardofpants — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:03:31 EDT

@sumocat: don't forget that average tax payers end up paying for wally-world employee health care cause they give only shitty coverage, plus when they descend on said small towns, most other businesses go broke...mom and pop outfits that had been in business for decades.

wallmart = the lame
people who shop at wallmart = douchebags

wizardofpants

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

DeepFriar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:46:35 EDT

where's my damn Beatles?! That is why Paul divorced the peg-legged chick, no?

DeepFriar

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

sumocat — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:36:18 EDT

@legacye: Let's see, they disallow their workers from unionizing, they descend on struggling towns with the promise of new jobs but ultimately pull more money out of the community than they add (not unique to Wal-Mart, just an element of a big national retailer), and they sell a lot of cheap crap (not just good crap at low prices). Just my opinion.

sumocat

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Digo — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:20:22 EDT

This speaks more of the fall of the music industry than the rise of iTumes.

Digo

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

legacye — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:19:44 EDT

I don't understand why so many Americans hate Wal-mart. It's my favorite store whenever I go there - you literally have the option of buying a little of everything, music included.

Whilst I probably wouldn't personally drive all the way up to buy a new album on CD, I wouldn't mind ordering it off them online or from another retailer. In my mind, if you're going to pay for music, you may as well go for the cheaper option that includes a hard-copy and printed art-work for about the same price.

Pity most iTunes users seem sufficed with their digital artwork instead.

legacye

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:17:34 EDT

I just got off the phone with my lawyer. Apparently birthday suits cannot be described as any type of apparel.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

klaybc — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:15:19 EDT

I call BS on the BS calling calling out.

klaybc

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

92BuickLeSabre — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:11:03 EDT

@Kaiser-Machead: ...and that stupid definition of "clothing" that doesn't cover "just a thong and toe-socks."

92BuickLeSabre

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:05:55 EDT

@Darkest Daze: Stupid puritan courts and their rules against mesh clothing.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Darkest Daze — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:00:02 EDT

@Kaiser-Machead:
Just because you sleep in your underwear, doesn't make them pajamas.

Darkest Daze

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Joseph — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:59:08 EDT

@Kaiser-Machead: First rule about Wal*Mart's here in VA. DON'T GO TO WAL*MART'S IN VA.

Joseph

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:56:08 EDT

@92BuickLeSabre: I can't go out in my pajamas, because teh courtz sez I can't.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

pcdsim — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:55:20 EDT

pfft Walmart? I go to Targét!

pcdsim

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

92BuickLeSabre — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:53:40 EDT

@Samifumi: Ironically, I shop iTunes in the same pajamas. But sometimes you just want to go outside in your pajamas....and really where else are you going to go?

92BuickLeSabre

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:45:17 EDT

@Kaiser-Machead: Not I, but thanks anyway, and keep 'em coming!

Wilson Rothman

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:43:46 EDT

@Samifumi: lol. Agreed. During my stay in Va, we stopped by a Super Wal*Mart, only to be swarmed by SUV-tugging, soda-chugging flannel-breasted shopper cows getting their regular fix.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Way — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:43:14 EDT

It's not the point of the article, but it still makes me a bit sad to hear that WalMart is typically the #1 retailer of music.

Way

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Samifumi — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:35:26 EDT

Not to be elitist, but who really likes to walk into a Wal-Mart these days? I'd rather avoid the pajama-shopping crowd plodding through Wal-Mart.

Samifumi

Ars: iTunes #1 Music Retailer in January (Debunkers Be Hanged)

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:34:18 EDT

Did someone get my tip? :D

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!