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Growing retail force HMV’s grand plans to become a ‘superbrand’ in the entertainment sector have taken a big step forward today with the launch of a brand new digital music service, hmvdigital.com.
The new portal is the first concrete development to emerge from the acquisition of digital delivery service 7Digital last year.
Compatible with PC and Mac, the service includes a Download Manager which automates synchronisation with a user’s iTunes library or with Windows Media Player.
Consumers will be able to pre-order digital tracks, gift purchases to friends and will have the ability to re-download previous purchases at no additional cost – a feature sorely missing from Apple’s iTunes.
We are delighted tolaunch a world class download store that reflects bothHMV’smusic retailingheritage and our strategyto bea broad-based entertainment brand,” HMV’s head of online and digital Sarah Hughes stated.
Our partners at 7digital have built for us a significantly improved new site that looks great and has never been easier to use. With so many innovative and wonderful features, it offers a truly intuitive and engaging customer experience that I very much hope will lead to HMV becoming a bigger player in the burgeoning digital market.”
HMVdigital will launch with a number of special offers on select tracks, chief amongst them being five free downloads to a select number of early adopters. Limited time offers include a special 40p price on all Top 40 chart tracks (the normal cost will be between 79p-99p) and Chart albums for just 4.99. There will be ongoing discounts to a number of classic albums and the Artist of the Month, who in August will be Eminem.
