HMV to stop selling music as WMA files

Unjust treatment of digital customers

The e-mail from HMV notifying customers that the WMA format would no longer be available went out on 31st July, 2009, giving people just 10 days to back up their downloads before the material disappears completely from their accounts. Tesco Digital kept their customers well-informed of their intentions, giving plenty of notice, and converting all WMA files to MP3 for the customer as a matter of courtesy. The point is that HMV advised digital customers to use the WMA format, and stated specifically that the material would always be there for re-download, up to five times, if required. A customer who has relied on those two statements, and who has downloaded a great deal of material, will have a huge problem sorting out what they have backed up and what they have not, with only days left to do it. Anyone on holiday, or otherwise engaged, may read their e-mail too late to do anything about it. This has been an arrogant and uncaring move by HMV, showing no regard for customer loyalty. HMV should extend the deadline by three more months, and publicise this fact widely. It should be remembered that downloading music, storing it on computer, and making your own hard copies is far more prone to problems than buying a CD from a retailer, and playing it on your hi fi. That is why the re-download facility is important, and why the unlimited re-download facility of MP3 is so attractive.

Posted by Bob, 04 Aug 2009