Filed under: iTS, Rumors, iTunes
Apple to sell ads on the iTunes Store?
Wow, more Google and Apple rumors! Valleywag, a Silicon Valley gossip blog, is suggesting that Apple will soon be running Google ads on many of its properties, most notably the iTunes Store. As with most of Valleywag's scoops this is unsubstantiated, but many people have been betting that Apple would put ads in the iTunes Store sooner or later.Will it come to pass? Who knows. What I want to know is, how would you feel about ads in the iTunes Store?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Timmy said 2:05PM on 9-18-2006
If they were well targeted, for example iPod accessories and speakers, I think they would be ok. However, if you're looking at a Huey Lewis album, and there's an ad for Pfizer, that would be dumb.
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Travis Bell said 2:10PM on 9-18-2006
This would NOT be a very good idea. The Apple iTunes Store is a retail storfront that we all pay for. Ads don't have much of a place in that type of environment. Oddly enough, I just finished blogging about how nice it was to see the iTunes Store without any ads on my blog...
http://consumeroo.com/articles/2006/09/15/apples-itunes-video-strategy
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Collin Ruffenach said 2:12PM on 9-18-2006
I really like it when Apple makes money. When Apple makes money they make more products and I definitly like more products. If there were ads in the store I'm sure they would be ultra stylish or at least ultra discreet.
Is anyone really going to pretend that they look at the iTunes Store as their salvation from ads online. I barley notice them anymore, and I don't think I'm alone.
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Uncle Jerry said 2:13PM on 9-18-2006
Don't want it!
If i'm paying for something say a song, movie, or video, then I don't want to see an ad for anything. But if your giving songs, movies or videos away for free, then plaster the ads all over the place.
Or give me the option to turn the ads off...
But I don't see Apple doing any of this.
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RamJaw said 2:13PM on 9-18-2006
It will never happen. Apple is and always has been, under Jobsian rule, against ads. Perhaps placing ads in TV shows, to create a revenue stream from customers who would not otherwise buy a television show, but even that is highly doubtful.
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Alasdair Allan said 2:16PM on 9-18-2006
The entire iTunes store is an ad, it's an ad to make you buy more music and video. Every piece of cover art in there is an advert. What difference will adding a few (relevant) Goole AdSense ads in there make? I'm confused as to why people are making a fuss?
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Terry Bain said 2:19PM on 9-18-2006
Ads on the iTunes store?
Say it ain't so! Next thing they'll be doing there is trying to sell me music! Or videos! Or (gasp!) movies!
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loki capret said 2:22PM on 9-18-2006
I think they should have a section where you can download TV commercials for free!! That would make a lot of companies strive a little harder for better quality to drive people's interest in the product!
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Julien Collot said 2:24PM on 9-18-2006
I personnally wish that Apple does not make this kind of mistake. It can seem appealing short term, but this is one of the few mistakes that would ultimately endanger the very existence of the iTunes store.
So much as I like to see Apple succeed long term, I do not believe such short sighting could bring the company anywhere near to the success it deserves.
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Anthony Ball said 2:32PM on 9-18-2006
No.
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Matt said 2:37PM on 9-18-2006
Wait... aren't there already ads? You know, those rotating banners telling you what music & shows to check out.
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Splashman said 2:41PM on 9-18-2006
Is it possible? Sure. And monkeys just might fly out my butt.
This rumor was predictable, as was TUAW's mindless repetition of same. "Google exec on Apple's board = adsense on iTS!" Yep, makes perfect sense to me. Whoa - my butt is twitching.
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Jeffrey Davis said 2:59PM on 9-18-2006
Ads wouldn't be a deal breaker for me but it makes no sense. Google ads on a site that is supported by nothing other than ads makes sense but iTunes is self-sustaining without the ads ... why clutter that up?
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Scott said 3:00PM on 9-18-2006
I've been considering scrapping my cable and buying the shows i want to watch from iTunes. If they do this, I wouldn't expect to pay for those shows, or pay less.
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Michael May said 3:05PM on 9-18-2006
Selling ads? That's like a marketing wet dream. *shudders*
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Brian Stuckey said 3:06PM on 9-18-2006
ITMS is a store. They sell products to consumers store space to companies. Go to your local BB/Target/whatever and look at all of end caps or freestanding displays. All of them are paid for by someone…
I’m not saying that I want more ads in ITMS, but it is a logical progression.
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David Chartier said 3:06PM on 9-18-2006
I sure hope 'their properties' doesn't include apple.com. I don't need to see Google Ads for a MacBook/iMac when I'm at the very site I'm going to buy them from.
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TydalForce said 3:08PM on 9-18-2006
If I go to any retail storefront (electronic or otherwise) - a place that is going to take my money in exchange for a product or service - then I fully expect them to advertise *their own products and services*
Apple can use the iTunes store to advertise music, videos, iPods, and maybe even anything else from store.apple.com.
They are a storefront, and they are trying to take my money. That's fine, that's what they do.
The moment they introduce adverts for *anything else*, they've lost my business. I'm not just saying that for Apple. Pick any store or e-store. You're trying to sell me something, don't load me down with ads. That's not cool.
On the other hand, any website that provides me with a product or service for FREE, has every right to put ads all over (hopefully not popups or other intrusive ads)
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Catt said 3:12PM on 9-18-2006
NO ADDS PLEASE... I'm sick of ads everywhere tired of the ones on TUAW too... they are just plain annoying...
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kg said 3:13PM on 9-18-2006
This doesn't make any sense for two reasons. First, this is a store which makes money already. There is no reason to further monetize it. Second, Apple would lose control of the look and feel. Google ads are probably the least offensive I've encountered online, but they can be damn ugly too. The store window is already oversized as it is. There's no room for junk tacked onto the edges.
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