Woochifer
08-09-2011, 08:37 PM
Looks like Walmart has thrown in the towel with their online MP3 store. MP3 sales through Walmart's website will cease at the end of August.
Walmart launched its MP3 store in 2003, the same year that Apple opened the iTunes Music Store. While Apple has gone onto become the world's largest music retailer, with 66% of digital music sales, Walmart garnered only 1% of the digital music market. Even with their discounted pricing of $0.88 per track, Walmart never gained a foothold, despite 40 million daily visitors to their website and them being the #1 music retailer in the world at the time their MP3 store launched.
AppleInsider | Walmart to shutter MP3 store after failing to catch Apple's iTunes (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/08/09/walmart_to_shutter_mp3_store_after_failing_to_catc h_apples_itunes.html)
Shuttering the MP3 market comes at a strange time for Walmart, because they have been quietly ramping up their streaming video options. They acquired Vudu last year, and promptly discontinued the company's set-top boxes. Walmart is now focused on adding the Vudu app to HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles (it's already available on the PS3).
Their latest move now adds PPV streaming movies on the Walmart website. They have 20,000 titles available, which matches Netflix's online offerings. The difference is that Vudu is focused on PPVs and new releases available the same day as the DVD release. No subscription options available just yet.
Wal-Mart Website Gets Online Movie, Video Streaming | Rolling Stone Culture | Gear Up | Entertainment Technology, Gadgets, Product Reviews and Trends (http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/gear-up/wal-mart-website-gets-online-movie-video-streaming-20110729)
Walmart launched its MP3 store in 2003, the same year that Apple opened the iTunes Music Store. While Apple has gone onto become the world's largest music retailer, with 66% of digital music sales, Walmart garnered only 1% of the digital music market. Even with their discounted pricing of $0.88 per track, Walmart never gained a foothold, despite 40 million daily visitors to their website and them being the #1 music retailer in the world at the time their MP3 store launched.
AppleInsider | Walmart to shutter MP3 store after failing to catch Apple's iTunes (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/08/09/walmart_to_shutter_mp3_store_after_failing_to_catc h_apples_itunes.html)
Shuttering the MP3 market comes at a strange time for Walmart, because they have been quietly ramping up their streaming video options. They acquired Vudu last year, and promptly discontinued the company's set-top boxes. Walmart is now focused on adding the Vudu app to HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles (it's already available on the PS3).
Their latest move now adds PPV streaming movies on the Walmart website. They have 20,000 titles available, which matches Netflix's online offerings. The difference is that Vudu is focused on PPVs and new releases available the same day as the DVD release. No subscription options available just yet.
Wal-Mart Website Gets Online Movie, Video Streaming | Rolling Stone Culture | Gear Up | Entertainment Technology, Gadgets, Product Reviews and Trends (http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/gear-up/wal-mart-website-gets-online-movie-video-streaming-20110729)