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Amazon’s MP3 Music Store has been around since January 2008. It was the first store to go DRM free across all music, as Apple made the move a year later. It has provided an alternative to Apple’s iTunes for purchasing music online.

Apple still provides the easiest and fastest way to purchase music. Their one click to download and be done process is as easy as it can get. For Apple users, does Amazon provide a good alternative to the iTunes music purchasing experience?

The major hurdle for iTunes users is getting past the purchase process. Amazon requires more steps the get their music into iTunes than Apple. The process includes the following steps:

1. Select the music to purchase.
2. Click to purchase and go through the checkout process, unless the customer has the one click option enabled.
3. If the download application is not installed, Amazon will require the user to download and install a music download application. This process does not take long but requires the usual download, launch, and install process.
4. Once the download application is installed, Amazon automatically downloads a small file that the download application uses to download the music file.
5. When this file is opened, the download application will begin downloading the main music file. Amazon’s downloader stores its files next to the iTunes folder in the Music folder.
6. After the music file is downloaded, the open file is automatically opened in iTunes and added to the iTunes library.

Once the users learns the download process, it is easy to download and add Amazon music to the iTunes library. Amazon has only one compelling reason to purchase music through Amazon instead of iTunes and that is price. Individual song prices range from $0.69 to $.1.29, with many top songs being $.69. Albums range from $1.99 to $12.99. They also have a list of 100 albums for $5, which include many popular choices. The last week in May, Amazon offered Lady Gaga’s new Album for $.99 as a promotion to bring awareness to their MP3 Store. Amazon also has an on-going “Free Song of the Day” promotion to keep customers returning everyday. Price is the only way to really compete with the ease of use iTunes provides. Time will tell if these promotional products will help increase sales for Amazon’s MP3 store.

While there are many other small online music stores, Amazon has become the alternative to purchasing music from iTunes. Combine Amazon’s brand recognition with cheaper music prices and Amazon has a compelling music store and can compete with iTunes. Between Amazon and Apple, it will be hard for anyone else create a successful online music store.

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