“While Beyonce’s new fast-selling self-titled album is sure to be on many Christmas wish lists, there’s at least one major retailer that’s opting not to sell the album: Target,” Keith Caulfield reports for Billboard.
“‘At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections,’ Target spokesperson Erica Julkowski tells Billboard,” Caulfield reports. “She continues, ‘While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats. At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce’s new self-titled album ‘Beyonce.””
“Columbia Records released ‘Beyonce’ at 12 AM EST on the morning of Friday, Dec. 13, exclusively via iTunes without any pre-release announcement. They are the exclusive seller of the album through at least Dec. 18,” Caulfield reports. “Billboard estimates that iTunes is the largest seller of music in the U.S., with about a 41% share of the market in 2012. Walmart had 10%, while Amazon (9%) and Target (5%) were the third and fourth-largest sellers, respectively.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Sour grapes make for awful Christmas whine, Target.
Thankfully, no one bet us our Macs that we’d have four Beyoncé articles this year, much less in the last four days.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Sarah” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Beyoncé shatters iTunes Store records with 828,773 albums sold in just three days – December 16, 2013
Surprise Beyoncé album tops Apple’s iTunes Store charts – December 16, 2013
Beyoncé releases surprise ‘visual album’ exclusively on Apple’s iTunes Store – December 13, 2013
Overhyped crappy ‘singer’. Singer? Screecher.
Beginning with Whitney Huston I believe this “genre” falls into the category of caterwauling. JMO.
On the money. Screeching, caterwauling describe it well.
Who really cares? Let idiot Target leave money on the table. If they don’t want the business of people who prefer physical media its their loss.
Let the dumbasses stick their heads in the sand. While they are at it, go ahead and kick out the iPods, iPads, and all the associated accessories.
Again, their loss.
They should be happy some breadcrumbs were left on the table for them.
You might be surprised at the number of people who are Apple users but who prefer to wait for the superior audio quality of a CD (or DVD-A, or SACD, or even a vinyl record on its first spin).
It is completely tasteless to disparage any company that chooses to continue to sell physical media. For all the good that the iTunes store did in curbing most thievery, it did nothing to improve the garbage file quality that Napster et al were peddling. The 30-year-old CD format still offers noticably better quality.
… what should be more embarrassing to Apple is how much time and effort the company spent developing ALAC, but then refuse to use it as the premier audio distribution format.
Uhhh, wouldn’t it be “completely tasteless to disparage any company that chooses to continue to sell” – digital media ???
You gotta I work at framing out your argument so that you don’t stab yourself with your own pen.
CDs are both physical AND digital. Statement is correct as written.
“You might be surprised at the number of people who are Apple users but who prefer to wait for the superior audio quality of a CD.”
That should be “perceived superior audio quality”. The reality is that very few can distinguish between a 256kbps AAC and a CD from the same source. Double-blind A, B, C testing has consistently failed to show significant numbers able to accurately discern which was the source, the CD, and the AAC.
Of the golden-eared audiophiles, how many shop at Target (or Walmart)?
“For all the good that the iTunes store did in curbing most thievery, it did nothing to improve the garbage file quality that Napster et al were peddling”
Yes it did. First, they used AAC which at 128kbps was a big improvement over MP3, and then went to 256kbps without DRM. You lose all credibility when you say that 256kps AAC did nothing to improve on garbage file quality.
“what should be more embarrassing to Apple is how much time and effort the company spent developing ALAC, but then refuse to use it as the premier audio distribution format.”
It’s probably not even up to Apple as they have to negotiate licensing.
Just how many audiophiles buy Beyoncé albums to play on their esoteric systems ?
Actually, I was trying to disparage Target for refusing to offer the CD. I’m not a huge fan of “all cloud, all the time. Not everyone (meaning me) has good connectivity all the time.
I love the block out Mike and other trolls button. Thanks MDN!!!
Boycott target!
Erica Julkowski is saying something that doesn’t make sense or I don’t understand:
“‘At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections,’”
Is she saying physical CDs are available only if demand and sales projections are not impacted? How does that meet wide assortment?
This makes sense though:
“we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats.”
She sucks anyway. Who is Beyondsay?
She has nice legs.
“we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats.”
So… the Walmart CD store has a “focus”… er, ok. Got it, Ms. Sour Grapes. Besides, why would any Walmart shopper want to purchase an album that has so much buzz surrounding it? Let them eat cake at the iTunes store.
You mean target?
Who buys a music CD at Target anymore?
Who buys music CDs period?
I do. I burn my CDs to iTunes.
Way better sound quality than all the mainstream download stores. On decent home speakers, I can tell the difference. On garbage headphones, most people would not. YMMV
what’s a CD?
What’s Target?
While Target is a step up from Walmart, they make some stupid business decisions. About 4 years ago Target decided not to play up the holiday season (Xmas etc) and there sales were a all time low. They learned the hard way.
Wow. What a bunch of babies!
Dear MacDailyNews YOU have not had 4 Beyonce articles in the past four days. You do not produce articles. What you have done is linked to other people’s work. Please don’t misunderstand what you do with something that is valuable or useful. You are thieves.
Cheers.
MDN is an aggregator. It is no more a “thief” than any other aggregator of information, such as cable news or a newspaper, for that matter.
That is an extremely weak attempt at stirring up controversy.
Nope is a dope!
Target is trying to use me as a pawn by limiting what they offer me?
They just got crossed off my Christmas shopping list.
Recall Targets sold tons of iPads on Black Friday. I don’t really blame Target for wanting to have all formats available at the same time. They’re just asking for a level playing field. In the past the music moguls held off digital distribution until well after physical media availability. The movie moguls are still doing it.
Apple’s fault? If it was a Beyonce’s choice/strategy? Freedom.
Where did anyone say it was Apple’s fault?
We all need to decide if we want our Brick and Mortar stores to disappear. Apple’s not killing them but Amazon is. Let’s give them a fair chance at the consumer dollar.
Nah… Target just saying to Beyonce´, ‘Take that Mitch!’ http://www.gossipcop.com/beyonce-take-that-mitches-mitt-romney-message-pic-photo-barack-obama-win/