Complete My Album Is For Singles

Filed in archive Apple , Commentary , Major Labels , Marketing on March 31, 2007

This post is part of a series that analyzes Apple's Complete My Album offering.

1. Apple Pimps The Single
2. Complete My Album Is Incomplete
3. Complete My Album Is For Singles
4. Complete My Album's False Promise
5. Albums & Fries

Complete My Album affects consumer behavior beyond the obvious benefits.

1. If I haven't bought the single yet, my first decision is whether to buy the single or the album. One factor in that decision is financial. Buying the album is a better choice if I'm concerned about paying for the music twice. I don't have to choose with Complete My Album. I can buy the singles first and upgrade later at no additional price.

2. Another part of the single vs. album buying decision is risk. Part of the role of the single is to serve as a proxy for my enjoyment of the full album. If I first buy one or a few singles, I can make a more informed decision on buying the album. Buying singles as a proxy is not an attractive choice if I have to pay extra for them. Complete My Album says don't worry about that. We'll cover that risk for you. I can buy an inexpensive single or two, enjoy them at my leisure, and then make my decision and upgrade later without any penalty.

3. Albums are not priced or packaged attractively compared to songs. With the removal of financial disincentive and risk, there is little impetus to buy the album first. Album purchase is reduced to a matter of convenience, leaving plenty of room for customers to choose instead to cherry-pick individual tracks.

Ironically Complete My Album incents customers to buy singles (at least initially), not albums!