Seize the day

BusinessWeek trae un interesante artículo sobre la evolución de una tienda de discos raros en New York. Ante el inevitable avance de internet, el dueño de la disquería salió a pelearla con las mismas armas y aparentemente le está encontrando la vuelta al business. Destaco algunos párrafos que ejemplifican esta adaptación a un nuevo ecosistema:

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Last year, Other Music launched a digital download store that now accounts for nearly a quarter of the company's sales. Labels and artists that aren't featured on iTunes and other digital stores turn up on Other Music Digital first. The company also sells vinyl rarities on eBay and mail-order albums through its Web site.

The company's first online venture began nearly a decade ago with an e-mail newsletter reviewing new releases. The update now reaches 25,000 subscribers, and Madell calls the blurbs his staff writes crucial to the store's role as a tastemaker in the music world. "The people who work at the independent record shops tend to be the specialists and really know what they're talking about, and that's a real advantage when it comes to being online," says Andrew Dubber, a music industry consultant in Britain and author of the blog New Music Strategies. Dubber says stores should try to capitalize on that expertise by helping consumers find what they like amid the near-boundless choice of the Internet (iTunes boasts 6 million songs).

While Other Music expands its online presence, it is also trying to keep its brick-and-mortar operation relevant. The store sells tickets to local concerts and hosts free in-store shows. Both get customers in the door and build the Other Music brand as a place for aficionados. The in-store shows are recorded and archived on the store's Web site, along with artist interviews, which can boost sales online. Madell hopes to have sponsors underwrite the video series soon.