Disney’s remarkable 1st week iTunes movies sales should have studios clambering aboard Apple train

“At a Goldman Sachs investor conference yesterday, Disney CEO Robert Iger reported that Disney sold 125,000 movie downloads through Apple’s iTunes Store in less than a week, accounting for more than a million dollars in revenue. He further noted that he expects this trend to continue with Disney capturing more than $50 million in revenue from movie downloads in the first year,” Principal Analyst Carl Howe writes for Blackfriars’ Marketing.

“This result is nothing short of remarkable. Remember, that the iTunes Store launched movies with fewer than 75 titles from Disney properties. No loss leaders were offered; every single one of these movies was paid for at prices ranging from $9.99 to $14.99. And while Disney and Apple will share those revenues in some undisclosed split, because this is digital distribution, Disney’s share of that $50 million will largely show up as profit on its income statement,” Howe writes.

What does this mean for movie studios? It means they should:

• Sign with Apple soon or miss out on the movie downloading profit stream
• Stop holding out for variable pricing of movies

“What does this mean for Apple’s competitors? It means that just as in music, Apple is demonstrating that a working system, a compelling store, and a simple business model is a far more powerful business proposition than promises of software, untried stores, and perfect profit optimization,” Howe writes. “If the first week is any indication, Apple may see similar success — and dominance — with movies.”

Full article here.

Related article:
Disney sells 125,000 movie downloads via Apple’s iTunes Store in first week – September 19, 2006

48 Comments

  1. It’s a no brainer decision for the movie studios. Get in on the deal, or lose out. The sooner the better, because soon there will be thousands of titles available instead of several dozen.

    Currently, Apple’s competion is Amazon. Once iTV is released, the only competition left will be DVD rental and sales companies.

  2. So they got a few curious people to download a movie out of curiosity. The second and third week will be more telling, and I suspect the other labels will be watching these numbers. Heck, it may take some time before an established pattern emerges.

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  5. Disney’s remarkable 1st week iTunes movies sales should have studios clambering aboard Apple train

    Should, but most likely won’t.

    You see Steve Jobs isn’t as neutral with the movie studios as he was with the record labels, being the largest shareholder of Disney doesn’t help.

    Also the record labels were pretty desperate when Steve approached them with iTunes, they thought Steve and his -3% market share of Mac’s would be a interesting experiment. Little did they know Steve would jump platforms and take over 75% of the market.

    You see the Labels don’t like it when any one company gets too powerful, they certainly don’t like Walmart lowbaling them and now Steve Jobs denying them free reign for song purchase prices.

    So as all this drama was going on, the movie industry just stood by and watched.

    Amazon.com got the studio’s onboard with the promise it won’t affect the DVD download buisness, Steve Jobs got Disney only because he’s the majority shareholder.

    Netflix beats iTMS and Amazon for movies everyday.

  6. Clambering aboard?

    clam‧ber‧ing
    –adjective Botany
    of or pertaining to plants that creep or climb like vines, but without benefit of tendrils.

    or
    v. clam·ored, clam·or·ing, clam·ors
    v. intr.
    To make a loud sustained noise or outcry.
    To make insistent demands or complaints: clamored for tax reform

    or perhaps, climbing
    v. climbed, climb·ing, climbs
    v. tr.
    To move upward on or mount, especially by using the hands and feet or the feet alone; ascend: climb a mountain; climbed the stairs.
    To grow in an upward direction on or over: ivy climbing the walls.

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