Comments on: Same-Same but Different http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/ Go-Beyond Branding Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:30:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Mike http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Mike Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:53:31 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-116 Zune is not the only subscription-based service available. I'm speaking to that whole type of license model. Again, my preference is overwhelmingly Amazon and the Pandora free service. I have Pandora running with a few channel selections that I like. When I find a group of 10 songs, I'll pop over to Amazon and buy the MP3s. They are much more portable, and it is a one-time cost. Very rarely will I buy a whole album because it is uncommon that the whole thing is good. What you are describing is using the subscription-based service to browse your music out. That may not be an efficient way of finding new stuff. Let's also refocus on my other point. Hypothetically, let's say you lose your job and all of a sudden fifteen dollars is a lot of money. If you cut off the subscription, you lose access to this music correct? This is where Zune and Rapsody have gone wrong in their business model. I have a whole separate set of issues with iTunes, but that can wait for another post. Zune is not the only subscription-based service available. I’m speaking to that whole type of license model. Again, my preference is overwhelmingly Amazon and the Pandora free service. I have Pandora running with a few channel selections that I like. When I find a group of 10 songs, I’ll pop over to Amazon and buy the MP3s. They are much more portable, and it is a one-time cost. Very rarely will I buy a whole album because it is uncommon that the whole thing is good. What you are describing is using the subscription-based service to browse your music out. That may not be an efficient way of finding new stuff.

Let’s also refocus on my other point. Hypothetically, let’s say you lose your job and all of a sudden fifteen dollars is a lot of money. If you cut off the subscription, you lose access to this music correct? This is where Zune and Rapsody have gone wrong in their business model. I have a whole separate set of issues with iTunes, but that can wait for another post.

]]> By: Nick http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Nick Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:26:32 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-114 You forgot a lot of the value of Zune now is it's $15 for subscription + 10 songs a month. The biggest problem I see as a user is overcoming disappointment when that 1 artist isn't on it, or that 1 song isn't available. I've downloaded over 1100 artists from Zune and so many albums, I appreciate the value I'm given. I do agree with your assessment of the economic impact, and I just got done giving feedback to a resume builder how ridiculous their pricing model was. That being said I think if you look at Netflix and other subscriptions a lot of the time you can cut out another expenditure like cable. When I have people come over to my house and we roll through my playlists and artists its a very easy sale on the value. The problem right now is the focus on hardware in advertising. They need to focus in on the service as thats the differentiator. You forgot a lot of the value of Zune now is it’s $15 for subscription + 10 songs a month.

The biggest problem I see as a user is overcoming disappointment when that 1 artist isn’t on it, or that 1 song isn’t available. I’ve downloaded over 1100 artists from Zune and so many albums, I appreciate the value I’m given.

I do agree with your assessment of the economic impact, and I just got done giving feedback to a resume builder how ridiculous their pricing model was. That being said I think if you look at Netflix and other subscriptions a lot of the time you can cut out another expenditure like cable.

When I have people come over to my house and we roll through my playlists and artists its a very easy sale on the value. The problem right now is the focus on hardware in advertising. They need to focus in on the service as thats the differentiator.

]]> By: Mike http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Mike Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:51:42 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-113 And please don't just focus on iTunes. They may be the biggest player in that market, but there are others selling per-song downloads. In fact, I actually prefer Amazon because they distribute in MP3 format instead of MP4 secure. This makes it very easy to move the music around from device to device (home server, iPod, laptop, netbook, no-name MP3 player) without the hassle of the iTunes software. And please don’t just focus on iTunes. They may be the biggest player in that market, but there are others selling per-song downloads. In fact, I actually prefer Amazon because they distribute in MP3 format instead of MP4 secure. This makes it very easy to move the music around from device to device (home server, iPod, laptop, netbook, no-name MP3 player) without the hassle of the iTunes software.

]]> By: Mike http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-112 Mike Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:49:37 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-112 I would really enjoy Sean's first two suggestions, especially the Zune one. Give up a buck and enjoy the song forever or give someone fifteen bucks every month to continue keeping the lights on. Especially in this time when people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet, the subscription model seems completely wrong. The same could be said for Netflix. In a world where you have free music streaming such as Pandora, does this type of a model even make sense? I would really enjoy Sean’s first two suggestions, especially the Zune one. Give up a buck and enjoy the song forever or give someone fifteen bucks every month to continue keeping the lights on. Especially in this time when people are out of work and struggling to make ends meet, the subscription model seems completely wrong. The same could be said for Netflix. In a world where you have free music streaming such as Pandora, does this type of a model even make sense?

]]> By: LenovoMike http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-110 LenovoMike Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:34:31 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-110 Ok Nick, what about user content mailed to you for posting? You could still maintain control over the content (censorship). I couldn't resist... Ok Nick, what about user content mailed to you for posting? You could still maintain control over the content (censorship).

I couldn’t resist…

]]> By: Sean http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Sean Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:45:10 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-107 Good post. I would like to see you expand on this further with more case studies. There are a lot of successful businesses that have taken a proven business model and then applied it to a new medium or changed the pricing and/or distribution strategy: netflix mail distribution vs brick and mortar rentals Zune marketplace unlimited subscription vs. iTunes pay per song Craigslist free classifieds vs Newspaper pay per letter Good post. I would like to see you expand on this further with more case studies.

There are a lot of successful businesses that have taken a proven business model and then applied it to a new medium or changed the pricing and/or distribution strategy:

netflix mail distribution vs brick and mortar rentals
Zune marketplace unlimited subscription vs. iTunes pay per song
Craigslist free classifieds vs Newspaper pay per letter

]]> By: Nick http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Nick Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:15:15 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-105 I would be interested in opening it up, but at this point I'm just trying to stay on top of things while I'm growing readership and continuing my career. As for blue ocean strategies. I posted about this back in August but I definitely agree there is room to keep touching on it, as its a premise I firmly am behind. http://mgmtnow.com/blue-ocean-strategies/ I'd encourage you to study it, while the underpinning principles may be found in other texts; their use of real world examples was stellar. While I was at Microsoft it was considered one of the must reads for marketing folks. I would be interested in opening it up, but at this point I’m just trying to stay on top of things while I’m growing readership and continuing my career.

As for blue ocean strategies.

I posted about this back in August but I definitely agree there is room to keep touching on it, as its a premise I firmly am behind.

http://mgmtnow.com/blue-ocean-strategies/

I’d encourage you to study it, while the underpinning principles may be found in other texts; their use of real world examples was stellar. While I was at Microsoft it was considered one of the must reads for marketing folks.

]]> By: Mike http://mgmtnow.com/same-same-but-different/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Mike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:41:53 +0000 http://mgmtnow.com/?p=543#comment-104 Have you ever considered opening up content so blog readers could post their own articles as well? I know this is off topic, but would you have any interest or observations on the blue ocean strategy. http://www.blueoceanstrategy.com We have a new project interest that touched on it. I'm trying to decide if it is worth study, or if it is simply a set of guys trying to make $40 bucks off a book. Have you ever considered opening up content so blog readers could post their own articles as well? I know this is off topic, but would you have any interest or observations on the blue ocean strategy.

http://www.blueoceanstrategy.com

We have a new project interest that touched on it. I’m trying to decide if it is worth study, or if it is simply a set of guys trying to make $40 bucks off a book.

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