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Napster Pre-Paid Cards

Posted by michael on from the collector-items dept.

G4Outcast writes "According to this CNN Money article, Napster will be offering pre-paid cards costing $14.85 at several retail locations. I guess the iTunes gift certificate and allowance idea is catching on."

5 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. The beginning of the end. by Masque · · Score: 5, Funny

    How long will it be until we see Howie Long and Hulk Hogan singing a duet about an online music service?

    "A dollar! Why, you can get a song up to 20 minutes long for just NINETY-NINE cents! Just dial 10-10-NAP-STER!"

    *bangs head on desk*

  2. Correct me if I'm wrong... by Undaar · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...but shouldn't a gift certificate to steal things be free? :)

    --
    ~ "When I'm of that age I'm just going to live up a tree."
  3. Prepaid card show who the market is by Squeebee · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Look at MMORPGS like Everquest. They offer pre-paid cards to tap into a very lucrative market: teens. These kids make money at part-time jobs (or receive it in allowances) and have no expenses, resulting in high levels of disposable income. Problem is teens usually lack credit cards. Without prepaid cards a lot of online services cannot tap into this market because if they can't pay cash they can't pay.

    I think what we'll see next is a prepaid card that a lot of online retailers choose to accept. Oh wait, that's a check-card. Well, expect to see more teens with more check-cards in the future.

  4. Requirements by big_groo · · Score: 5, Interesting
    System Requirements PC only, Windows XP/2000, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or higher, Windows Media Player 7.1 or higher, Internet connectivity

    And check this out from the Privacy Policy:

    AUTOMATIC DATA COLLECTION

    Napster Client. After you register for the Napster service, you will be prompted to download our Napster Client software application. In order to make sure the Napster Client is functioning at its best, from time to time we may send the Napster Client automatic fixes, support files, etc. Napster employs software that is used to protect the copyrights associated with the tracks you listen to or obtain. In order to make sure that artists and copyright owners receive applicable royalties, this software identifies and counts the songs you have obtained and/or accessed. At the aggregate level (i.e., not tied to the personally identifying information of any user), we use this data to report and pay royalties, for internal analysis and we share this data with certain Partners for their own analysis. We do not share your personally identifying usage data with any third parties. We may use your personally identifying usage data for a variety of service-related purposes.

    From time to time, the security on the Napster Client software may be upgraded by our supplier, which is currently Microsoft. Microsoft advises us that for security upgrades, your player will connect to an Internet site operated by Microsoft and will be sent a security file, along with a unique identifier, which does not contain any personal information about you and is not used to personally identify you or track your activities. Microsoft uses this information to prevent security breaches that could affect you. For more information, please feel free to read Microsoft's privacy policy at http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windowsmedia/soft ware/v7/privacy.asp#_Security_Upgrade_(Individuali zation).

    Further, when you access the service through a Partner and download the Napster Client, we will add certain of your registration information (such as your member name and, if applicable, the Partner or promotion through which you registered) to the registry settings on your computer's hard drive, so that we can recognize which of our Partners or other sign-in pages to send to you when you log on to the service.

    Microsoft?? No wonder they were less than enthusiastic about iTunes for Windows.

  5. Interesting Marketing by Goyuix · · Score: 5, Insightful

    iTunes is lacking in a brick-and-mortar placement. It might show up on a magazine cover or something, but by Napster having these cards at the checkout of a grocery store line, it opens up marketing potential (people just seeing it helps it be regonized) and also people tend to throw additional things in their cart while they wait to check out. Why do you think they have both sides of the checkout isle lined with various "convenience" items. It isn't uncommon to grab a pack of gum, candy bar, lighter - whatever.

    Granted we are talking about ~1 dollar instead of ~15, but still this could definitely be a good business move for Napster.