Thursday, October 23, 2008
Why iTunes Sucks
Thanks to Frodo for sending me this article from his hometown newspaper about an independent music store that, no longer able to compete with iTunes and the big box stores, is closing its doors after 17 years in business. This is what happens when people stop shopping local: they limit their future shopping options. Though picking up a few CDs at Walmart instead of at your local record store may not seem like a big deal to you, it adds up, and eventually it drives local merchants out of business. Once that happens, you no longer have the choice of investing your music budget in the local economy. Those dollars instead migrate to Silicon Valley (iTunes), Seattle (Amazon), Bentonville (Walmart) or a kajillion other places that you don't call home.
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3 comments:
I have to take issue with your argument this time. I think this is more about technological progress than chain stores (though some would argue that chain stores are a form of technology unto themselves). To me getting mad about iTunes is like getting mad about television overtaking radio. Times change, technology becomes obsolete, and people just have to adjust.
You have a good point. It is partially a technology issue, and one that isn't easily confronted by brick and mortar merchants. But it's also, I think, an experiential issue. There's something attractive about the tactile and communal aspects of browsing and buying music alongside other music lovers, something that online retailers cannot replicate. Of course, the internet brings people together in its own ways, but (at the risk of sounding profoundly, decrepitly old), it just ain't the same.
I propose itunes is the aggregate of both Josh and Abby's ideas, but I perhaps side more with Abby on this. I understand Josh's point, however, TV overtook radio with the same (if not more) local attributes (i.e. local news anchor personalities, local news, local advertising, and local access channels). While itunes represents a major technological shift from CD format to mp3 format, I would argue that it is still an 'electronic' big box store because it controls such a share of the market. Furthermore, it does not even make use of local employment that at least Target and Walmart or NBC and ABC do.
I make use of mp3's and love their convenience, but I still purchase CD's and burn them to mp3 which I place on my non-ipod mp3 player (sorry, purchased at Best Buy). I am happy to say my latest CD purchases have been at the Electric Fetus, however, I am no saint when it comes to supporting local stores in other areas of my shopping.
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