This presentation shows the challenges and opportunities for the music industry within electronic marketplaces, statistical data highlight that the online sales in the UK alone will reach £78bn a year by 2010 (Econsultancy, 2009). The marketing endeavours have to be directed to the effective online promotion of music and keep in regard issues of design, security copyright management. Furthermore the Internet interactivity and customizability peculiarities have affected the communication model toward the emission of targeted and personalized contents. In this scenario the music business encourage the proliferation of niche markets based SMEs that focus on the satisfaction of their market segment with a comprehensive service inclusive of music and side products. Through the examination of the business model developed and implemented by the e-commerce music, merchandising and technological equipment website 'www.Trackitdown.net', this research aims to critically evaluate the best practice in the strategic management of the online music business.

2. TIME TO BURN
•1990’s: music players technological shift from vinyl
turntable to CD mix
•The track were still traded on vinyl only
•Dj and dance music producers exchanged their materials
‘burning’ CDs
•Trackitdown adapted the Itunes delivery model to dance
music

3. E-BUSINESS STRATEGY
Fusion of existing approaches to business,
and marketing with information system technologies.
•Digital channel analysis, goals definition, market targeting,
online service development
•e-CRM: tailored value proposition
•Conversion Marketing
•Regulatory compliance: copyrights and IP
(Chaffey, 2009)

4. •Business to business main orientation
•All dance music genres
•Music Player
•Chart
•Artist profile
•News
www.trackitdown.net

5. AFFILIATE PROGRAM
•Allows other websites to present either all the music catalogue
or select a part of it
•Trackitdown runs stores for Mix Max, Kiss Fm, and
Dogsonacid
•Growth of the business
•Commitment: every change in the website affects also the
partners
www.trackitdown.net

6. •Optimization of the product offer
aimed at creating and satisfy customer demand
•Market segmentation: delivery of both the core product
and the additional features that meet users needs
(Chaffey, 2009)
http://www.trackitdown.net

7. •Target: the clubbers: the fans
•DjMag Top 100 sponsorship: 35.000 fans database
•Merchandising is part of the creation of
the branding experience and online reputation
(Razorfish, 2009)
http://www.trackitdown.net

8. ONLINE PROMOTION
•Pull medium
•Online community and customization: one to one
and many to many communication models
•Viral marketing
•Social media
•ROI generated by grassroots

9. FACEBOOK APPLICATION
•10% of the website traffic comes via facebook
•The application is a free effective tool
•Enrich the brand experience
•Diffusion of the company image

10. STRATEGY IMPEMENTATION
Organizational design that combine the best of mass
customization and continuous improvement
(Boynton, 2003)
•In house development team
•Database customers
•Customer survey: Identify strengths and threats via
psychographic segmentations
•Competitions: http://www.trackitdown.net
•Next step: online ticket selling

11. COPYRIGHT
‘If it’s easy and safe to buy costumers are happy’
Nolan Shadbot, Trackitdown Director
•DRM and protection of sharing ineffective in
the trackitdown main market segment
•Flexibility of the formats (Mp3 or Waw)
•Customers’ ROI
•Trackitdown represent the labels and protect
their copyrights online

12. SECURITY
‘Trust and privacy: In every transaction,
both roles of buyer and seller must make
a decision about trusting the other participant.'
www.philosophe.com
Consumers are protected by the same laws applying
to traditional commerce
Trackitdown guarantees:
•Security of transaction
•Data encryption
•Quality and delivery of goods
•Multiple currency and payment options

13. WEB ARCHITECTURE
•Structured information architecture
•Usability: refers to how well users can learn
and use a product to achieve their goals
and how satisfied they are with that process
www.trackitdown.net

14. DESIGN
‘Some people like to shop with us purely because they think
Is a better looking site.'
Nolan Shadbot, Trackitdown Director
•Creation of a balanced viewer experience
•Essential
•Objective
•Rationalize the creative and technical production process
•Consistency of links, colors and design
(Brockmann 1981)
Scope: customer acquisition and retention

15. 'Producers can pick up on consumer
trends, repackage them and sell them back to
paying costumers'
(Bilton, 2007)

16. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field,
New York, N.Y: Princeton Architectural Press.
2002. The Strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Cases 4th ed.,
Harlow: Pearson Education.
Bilton, C., 2007. Management and Creativity:
From Creative Industries to Creative Management, Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Chaffey, D., 2007. E-Business and E-Commerce Management:
Strategy, Implementation and Practice 3rd ed., Harlow: Pearson Education.
Getting to Know Your Audience – philosophe.
Available at: http://philosophe.com/understanding_users/
[Accessed April 28, 2010].
Nielsen, J., 1999. Designing WEB Usability:
The Practice of Simplicity, Indianapolis, Ind: New Riders.
Sisson, D., Trust & Trustworthiness – philosophe.
Available at: http://philosophe.com/ecommerce/trust/
[Accessed April 28, 2010].