Hot Topic: Music Downloads: Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?

Hot Topic

Music Downloads: Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?

Many people believe that “you get what you pay for.” And according to the 2007/8 Rockbridge National Technology Readiness Survey (NTRS), this applies to downloading free content too. Anyone who has downloaded a free audio file knows the quality varies considerably and the ability to play the file on any device is not assured.

But what about when consumers pay for a download, such as on iTunes? As they fill up their virtual shopping carts with music and shell out their hard-earned money, what expectations do they have?

According to the recent NTRS data, four out of five consumers feel that if they pay for a music download, they should be able to play that music file on any device they own. Currently, some online music vendors impose limits on the number and type of devices buyers can burn/transfer their music files to. Additionally, the use of many different digital rights management, or DRM, systems and file types has led to incompatibilities between music files and various audio devices. So even when buyers are legally entitled to play their music files on a given device, they must first make sure the music and the player are compatible.

Four out of five consumers also say they would prefer to own the music they buy forever – as if they were buying a traditional CD – rather than rent it for some period of time. The idea of music files having expiration dates or requiring an active, paid-up account with an online store does not appear to sit well with most consumers.

Over half think that paying to download music ought to entitle them to use it creatively any way they want, and half expect that they ought to be able to share it with friends or family for free.

Online music retailers should be encouraged by the fact that more than half of consumers expect to pay for music they download from the internet. But as the NTRS survey data reveals, consumers have high expectations for user rights once they hand over their payment.

For more information on the 2007/8 National Technology Readiness Survey, contact Joe Bates, Vice President, at 703.757.5213 ext. 14 or jbates@rockresearch.com.