D2C is the key in 09.

D2C WAS DECLARED THIS YEAR'S 360-degree-style buzz word at Music Week's Making Online Music Pay conference, as the event explored the potential benefits of selling products directly to consumers.

Digital Stores CEO Russel Coultart made the observation during an afternoon session at last Thursday's conference at London's Mayfair Hotel, as he revealed the Queen online store his company operates now has a turnover of "well over seven figures". This makes it the band's fourth-biggest earner behind the We Will Rock You musical, live performances and record sales.

In an earlier session at the event, which across the day examined a multitude of ways the music business can monetise the digital space, artist management company Connected Artists' head of digital Andy Edwards offered a guide to selling directly to consumers, noting, "D2C is about getting to know fans as individuals, knowing what they like to do, how they are involved and how engaged they are."

Coultart, speaking during the later panel What's Working and Making Money added, "Music people aren't really consumers, they are fans. Our job is to link our clients - the bands - to their fans, listen to them and give them what they want."

"Fans want exclusive products, they want pre-sale tickets, they want to be members of fan clubs," Coultart added. "What is important to fans is getting to one store where they can buy everything."

"Everything", ...