HMV and Virgin take digital to next phase.

High-street retailers improve their download sites

by Ben Cardew

Retail giants HMV and Virgin are relaunching their digital music stores, in a renewed bid to challenge iTunes Music Store's dominance of the UK download market.

The second phase of HMV's digital store, which was rolled out last Thursday, offers a new site, www.hmvdigital.com, allowing customers to buy downloads without any new software. Other new features include audio clips of available tracks, differential pricing and artist playlists.

Virgin Retail, which this summer launched download starter packs to tie in with its digital service, also plans to make changes to its download store in the coming months, to emphasise ease of use.

"The current site is doing well but we have had a change in strategy at Richard Branson's request, in order to come more in line with Virgin values," says Virgin Retail head of digital Rudy Tambala.

"We have been given the directive of demystifying the solution, removing the confusion surrounding the whole digital thing for the people on the street. We are evolving the service to an easy-to-use, easy-access web-based platform, with new features, design, usability, accessibility and so on. This will be available in quarter four."