Amazon.com Tuesday joined Santa Monica, Calif.-based Launch Media Inc. as an
e-commerce provider of CDs, cassettes and music videos.
As part of the non-exclusive arrangement, an Amazon.com music link will be
laced all over Launch.com wherever users have the
opportunity to make a purchase. Launch will receive a share of any revenue
generated from the sale of music, games and merchandise purchased through
those links.
An estimated 5.7 million users will be able to enter Amazon.com from a link
to Launch, which offers users streaming audio, including a huge music video
collection, available streamed on-demand or in pre-programmed channel
formats.
Launch.com, which counts MTV.com, ArtistDirect.com and EMusic among its rivals,
first dipped into e-tailing in January 2000 when it inked a deal with
CheckOut.com and its new Wherehouse Online Stores. Under that agreement,
Launch.com agreed to sell CDs, cassettes, videos and games through the
Wherehouse.
Launch’s entry into e-commerce was another example of a Web site looking to
incur revenues from different sources to remain commercially viable.
Recently, Launch joined arms with Ticketmaster in an exclusive online ticket
promotion that will allow fans the opportunity to purchase discount tickets
for this summer’s Vans Warped Tour ’01, which it bought the rights to in
September 2000.
On March 23, it made different attempts to drive traffic to its site when it
inked a deal with Palm Inc. that allows MyPalm mobile portal users access to
Launch.com music content. LAUNCH.com provides music news, concert
information, album reviews and artist features for delivery to the MyPalm
portal.
Tuesday’s deal with Launch is yet another example of how Amazon.com
increases its massive e-commerce presence on the Web. Last week, it showed its
virtual might by taking over the inventory and fulfillment duties of the online version of
chief bookselling rival Borders Group. That came a year after taking over
the online operations of toyseller Toys “R” Us.