Woolworths have announced that as from August their stores will no longer sell CD singles, but at the same time launched a digital download site for mobile phones. Woolworths new website that uses their sister company EUK’s digital delivery platform is to offer mobile phone users Java based games, wallpapers, and ringtones for mobiles. Customers will also be able to download music, films, TV content and games to their computer.
Apparently mobile content will be priced at £1.50, the top ten music tracks will cost just 59 pence the first week the new site goes live, and any other song tracks costing 77 pence. Woolworths says its new website has been designed to appeal to their customers who may not be experience in downloading, and customers who are used to downloading but may be in search of an easier alternative option.
Jim Batchelor, Woolworth’s commercial director said: “Digital downloading is now the true customer choice for listening and purchasing single music tracks. CDs are alive and well for album sales, but unfortunately the physical singles market is in terminal decline.”
The new Woolworths download store is a re-launched revamped version of their previous site, and is built by Woolworths’ Entertainment UK on a RealNetworks platform. The virtual store will have on offer in excess of 1.2 million tracks, over a thousand films and TV shows, and will give the customer discounted purchases on launch.
Woolworths hasn’t fully dropped the CD as it will continue to stock one-off event single CDs like the X-Factor winner which is a big money draw.
Source — mobiletoday