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iTunes and Online Music Buying

iTunes is fantastic.  It’s also a total rip-off.  Last night it all became obvious to me when I, for the first time, made a rather innocent, typical consumer goof.  I accidentally bought something I didn’t want.

Now really, it’s my mistake.  I wanted ELP’s Brain Salad Surgery, which iTunes doesn’t have.  Instead, they have something called "Then and Now".  After sampling a track or two they sounded like the original tracks.  After purchase, I discovered that they really are a collection of live performances that are (to me at least) far inferior to the original recorded performances.  So much so, that I will probably never listen to them.

iTunes refund policy?  All sales final.

Now, If I had bought this at my local record store, I could do the following:

1. I could take it back and my local record store would give me my money back, especially if I had my original receipt and the disc was in like-new condition.
2. I could hold onto it until somebody I know turned up and I said: "Hey, do you want this ELP album?"  They would smile and say "thanks!" and greater friendship may result.
3. I could give it as a gift.
4. I could take it to a used record store and trade it.

At iTunes, I paid just about as much as I would have for a real CD.  Maybe more even.  And…

1. I cannot return it.  In fact, Apple’s customer service policy front-line with respect to refunds is practically "We do not offer customer service.  Fuck you."
2. I cannot give it to anybody else.  The DRM’d files play only on my computer, and unless I authorized somebody else to play ALL my music, I cannot allow anybody who is not a family member access to the ELP album I just bought.
3. I cannot give it as a gift in any way possible.
4. There is no way I can trade it for something.

So, the score?  My record store gets four points.  iTunes zero.

By the way, I also use eMusic.  Because eMusic uses a trust model and ships MP3’s, I at least have the ability to give my purchases as a gift.  Of course, the emusic selection isn’t as good.  But, as an online music vendor, they clearly provide more value, and at a better price.

Now really, I love the online music buying experience.  But, Apple is really selling us crap and charging us a premium.  Ten years from now, when everyone looks hard at their iTunes DRM files, it will be more obvious.  For now, Apple wins.  Customers lose.

Back from Hawaii

Though nobody online knew it, I was away with Grace, Phil Tripp and Lisa Treen in Hawaii scuba diving for three weeks and got back at the beginning of July.  If you’ve been waiting for part three of my "Microsoft Series" articles, the  next one will be along in a few days.  I expected to have them finshed before going, but they turned into more of a project than I expected.

Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.