14 DAY TRIAL // A few years ago, online retailers invented Cyber Monday to counter, in a way, the Black Friday deals that brick-and-mortar sellers run in the US. It's gotten pretty popular since, to the point where stores that don't really have an "inventory" problem are running promotions as well.
Google is using Cyber Monday to prop up its recently launched Google Music store. It's entering into an entrenched market, Apple dominates and Amazon gets all of the other sales, so Google needs all the help it can get.
The Google Music store is now selling plenty of popular music albums at only $1.99, €1.50 per album, less than it would cost to buy just a couple of songs from that album.
It's not back-catalog stuff either, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Rihana are getting the treatment, their latest albums are being offered at a discounted price for today only.
There seem to be some glitches, for example, the Google Music homepage boasts that Rihana's latest album is available for $1.99, but the thumbnail links to the deluxe version of the album which costs $12.99, €9.81. Still, the 'non-deluxe' but explicit version of the album is available at the discounted price.
Pop music isn't the only thing on sale, classics such as Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon but also Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas II You are also available at the discounted price.
It's a good deal, no argument there. But it remains to be seen if this strategy, which Google intends on pursuing into the future, of offering music at a discounted price will entice users enough.
After all, Amazon's been doing the same thing for years now and it's still far behind Apple in terms of market share. Amazon is also running special deals for Cyber Monday, but the cheapest seem to be at around $4.99, €3.76 for an MP3 album.
