Prepaid downloads

In Turkey, online music store MuziPlay has forged itself a larger market by selling prepaid music cards. Much like prepaid telephone cards, ‘MuziKarts’ are available from newspaper stands and small shops. After activating a code on the card, customers can download and play mp3s using the company’s proprietary MuziPlayer. Cards are available in denominations of YTL 3, 5 and 10 (EUR 1.50, 2.50, 5.00/USD 1.95, 3.25, 6.50). Sounds like a winner for countries where the growth of broadband internet is outpacing adoption of credit cards. The sachet marketing approach to selling songs should also appeal to children. Although Apple sells prepaid iTunes Music Store gift cards through Target stores in the US and a select number of retailers worldwide, distribution through convenience stores and newsstands makes more sense for modestly priced cards. One to copy and fast-forward to other markets? Related concepts: prepaid privacy and prepaid computing.