Online music e-tailer ChaosMusic has
announced plans to enhance its online presence by acquiring one of
Australia’s most comprehensive music retailers Melbourne-based Gaslight Music.
Under the partnership which will create a synergy between the world of
online music and the traditional music retail business, ChaosMusic’s
catalogue of 400,000 music and video titles will immediately be augmented
to over 700,000 and Gaslight Music will provide local fulfillment in
Australian and imported products for Chaos.
ChaosMusic CEO and founder Rob Appel, said “With this deal, we’re combining
a rapidly growing e-tailing business with a historically hip and successful
music retailer.”
“Gaslight provides Chaos with an instant solution to local fulfillment
while ChaosMusic provides the existing successful and highly trafficked
Gaslight Web site with a fully functional e-commerce backend. This is all
about delivering a better service to both ChaosMusic and Gaslight customers
online and on the street,” Appel said.
Jeff Harrison, owner of Gaslight and chairman of the Australian Music
Retailers Association (AMRA), will assume the role of chief operating
officer and a position on the ChaosMusic board.
Harrison will bring 30 years of knowledge and experience in retail to the
partnership. Gaslight Music recently embraced the Internet with their own
site allowing customers to peruse their catalogue and place orders online.
The Melbourne shop front will remain a cultural venue for Australian and
overseas artists’ live performances and instore appearances, according to
Gaslight.
“It is a natural progression for Gaslight to establish this dynamic
alliance,” Harrison said. “ChaosMusic have proven themselves, time and
again, to be the leading Australian online music e-tailer. I’m proud to be
associated with that kind of reputation and strength. This will prove to
be an exciting new musical millenium!”
This venture follows the recent formation of a new board of directors for
ChoasMusic, which includes Rob Appel and Victoria Doidge of ChaosMusic,
Lucy Turnbull of FTR Holdings, David Spence of OzEmail Internet, and David
Coe of the SEL Group.
