News

Virgin music store allows customers to sample tunes

December 3, 2003

SAN FRANCISCO -- Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Megastore chain, unveiled a redesigned version of his music retail store that is his response to the threat of online music and declining album sales.

According to a story in theSan Francisco Chronicle, the strategy includes adding technology that allows customers to sample music as they walk through the store.

One gadget allows customers to roam among the shelves, zap the bar code label on any compact disc and immediately listen to a 30-second sample of every song on that disc through headphones.

In addition, Virgin will now allow customers to bring flash media cards to the store and download 30 of Virgin's "favorite" songs. Customers will also be able to browse film trailers and music samples from the 1960s from a kiosk, according to the article. Shoppers will be able to buy compact discs and DVD's from outdoor vending machines just outside the store.

Branson is clearly hoping that diversification will cushion any decline in compact disc sales. "Unless you invest and evolve, you die," he said in the article.