# Why are mp3s more expensive than hardcopies?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I don't think I've started or seen one like this here, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knows why on earth mp3s are more expensive than the physical cds? It isn't usually much more, but I mean, you cut the costs, but make the price higher? Wouldnt you make just as much by flipping it, or more in some cases? I saw some cd set that was 10$ as a physical cd, but 30$ as an mp3 set, it makes no sense at all to me.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Manok said:


> I don't think I've started or seen one like this here, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knows why on earth mp3s are more expensive than the physical cds? It isn't usually much more, but I mean, you cut the costs, but make the price higher? Wouldnt you make just as much by flipping it, or more in some cases? I saw some cd set that was 10$ as a physical cd, but 30$ as an mp3 set, it makes no sense at all to me.


Where on earth are you shopping? Usually I see MP3s as being about 10-20$ less than the physical CD copy.


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Been using amazon and iTunes mostly


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Manok said:


> Been using amazon and iTunes mostly


Hmm interesting. It seems like the trend is for box set mp3s to be more expensive than box set audio cds and mp3 single cds to be cheaper than single audio cds as far as I can tell.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Instant gratification. With CDs, you have to wait for them to ship and, in most cases, you have to rip them to your hard drive, usually to mp3 format.

Or, at least, that's what they expect and that's the reason why they decided to raise the price. It's not about supply so much as it is about demand.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

I agree with violadude, and I almost always shop at Amazon and itunes and yet find this very surprising. I have sometimes bought cds because they are cheaper, but really only very rarely. Which is cheapest (Amazon cd, Amazon mp3 download, or itunes download) seems purely arbitrary, although single/double cds are usually cheaper to download as mp3s. Also you can buy 'used' cds which I sometimes do too.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Manok said:


> I don't think I've started or seen one like this here, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knows why on earth mp3s are more expensive than the physical cds? It isn't usually much more, but I mean, you cut the costs, but make the price higher? Wouldnt you make just as much by flipping it, or more in some cases? I saw some cd set that was 10$ as a physical cd, but 30$ as an mp3 set, it makes no sense at all to me.


They are expensive enough as it is, and unfortunately Amazon's MP3 pricing policy varies.

Some of the MP3s do sell ludicrously expensive, but if you switch to a different server, like from the .com to .uk you will usually find a cheaper offer and without postage, it's not a problem, unless the seller forbids distribution outside of the country.

I can't stand MP3s unless they are upsampled. The FLAC quality is much better to my ears but seems to take forever to download. If you use a mobile dongle, you'll realise quickly that buying digital downloads is false economy: all of the money wasted on powering the computer and internet isn't factored into the cost.

The price for convenience :/


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

At Presto Classical MP3s are usually cheaper (and there is no shipping) - although this is not always the case with Box sets on special as they have a set price per disc.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

mp3 are for suckers. Get a disk, make a FLAC.


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## Hayze (Jul 4, 2012)

They probably want to sell those hard copies so they make them cheaper than the MP3s (and not the other way around).


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

Basic economics in a capitalist market
They can make more money, if the market will stand the price of the commodity


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Manok said:


> I don't think I've started or seen one like this here, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knows why on earth mp3s are more expensive than the physical cds? It isn't usually much more, but I mean, you cut the costs, but make the price higher? Wouldnt you make just as much by flipping it, or more in some cases? I saw some cd set that was 10$ as a physical cd, but 30$ as an mp3 set, it makes no sense at all to me.


What bit-rate are they? Do you care?


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## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

As long as the bit rate is cd quality I could care less 128 seems about average. Anything less sounds like it was recorded underwater. You can't mess up an mp3


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

In my experience, commercially available MP3s are either 256K VBR (Amazon's standard) or 320K CBR (some other vendors). Some are starting to offer FLACs as well, often for a dollar more per album.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Manok said:


> As long as the bit rate is cd quality I could care less 128 seems about average. Anything less sounds like it was recorded underwater. You can't mess up an mp3












Oh no!

Don't let those digital listeners ever find out!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

For listening to Russian music:


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Oh my goodness.

Sell the house. I want those!


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

KenOC said:


> For listening to Russian music:


O MY GOSH I HAVE TO GET THOSE!

:tiphat:


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## Cnote11 (Jul 17, 2010)

Yes, count me in!


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