New and used MP3s for sale
p2pnet news view Music:- Could a new site buying and selling “used” mp3s possibly be a honeypot set up by the RIAA?
That’s what j.sanchez1, who picks the news up from Web Pro News, wonders on Slashdot.
The site is called Bopaboo — Where do they get these names? From two-year-old kids? 
— and, “I checked the domain registration and it is all private,”says the post, adding, “Is this really something that someone is going to try and pull off … How would they be sure you did or didn’t keep a copy for yourself after selling to them?”
“Can we provide consumers a legal method and marketplace to Buy and Sell digital music?” – asks the site. “Can we assist recording labels in the quest to decrease interest in peer-to-peer file sharing? And in doing so, can we build a profitable company that enables us to continue to create value for all consumers?”
Says its privacy statement:
“bopaboo, LLC operates the bopaboo service and the bopaboo.com website. The bopaboo service allows you to view and learn about items of digital media, including digital copies of music, videos, movies, games and other materials (each of which is an Item), allows you to purchase Items from their original manufacturers, allows you to purchased previously-used Items and allows you to sell your previously-used Items. bopaboo may also allow users to interact in chat rooms and other online collaboration areas.”
But WebProNews isn’t impressed, posting »»»
For one, how do you know the mp3s being sold were not illegally downloaded? For two, how can you sell a file for a fraction of the cost that record companies are requiring retailers like iTunes and Amazon to sell it for? There is the argument that people sell CDs when they could have easily shoplifted them or burned themselves a copy, so when you look at it that way, it’s not much different. Except that the record companies have been far more concerned with illegal downloading than they have with shoplifted CDs. And you know this is an industry that will not hesitate to put up a fight whether justified or not.
It adds, “I don’t see this one panning out too well for the owners of Boparoo. It’s an interesting concept, but how often do you see anything Internet-music related get by without a struggle with the recording industry? Good luck with that one.”
Stay tuned?
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Slashdot – Buying and Selling “Used” mp3s?, December 4, 2008
Web Pro News – Site Tries to Cash in On “Used” MP3s, December 4, 2008
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December 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
this is by far the smartest/stupidest idea ever. its like selling sand to arabs
December 4th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I think if you read the “Terms of Service” or whatever boilerplate Amazon and most other sellers of MP3s make you agree to, you will find that MP3s are licensed, not sold. Theoretically you don’t own any MP3s, so you cannot sell them, even if they were legally obtained, just like iTunes song-files.
“…record companies have been far more concerned with illegal downloading than they have with shoplifted CDs.”
Once a CD is on a store shelf the record companies have already been paid. If a disc is shoplifted the retailer takes the hit.
December 4th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
O_o errrr….. how… does one define ‘used mp3′? a file thats been opened? This almost sounds like a joke. If it’s a copy of something ‘used’ wouldn’t that be new? Its like a zen riddle.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
i think that whatever it is that makes it ‘used’ gets copied into the new one. its like scrunching up a piece of paper and putting it through a photocopier. the creases get copied.
December 5th, 2008 at 12:31 am
FOR SALE: thousands upon thousands of slightly used word .doc’s, all stock must go, so comon down to devious used doc mart! Best prices around town, get your holiday gifts here at the best bargain spot on the net!
December 5th, 2008 at 11:06 am
” Once a CD is on a store shelf the record companies have already been paid. If a disc is shoplifted the retailer takes the hit. ”
There is not, ever was, or ever will be any proof that a person that downloaded a file would have
ever bought the song in the first place. No proof that the sharing of files causes any loss to the
RIAA members.
There are , however , two easily locatable studies that show the effect of p2p on sales to be ZERO.
The current top selling albums are also the current favorite downloads.
Those albums are STILL top sellers.
This shows that people who download listen, then, only if they LIKE IT, buy it.
The only effect p2p is having on the RIAA members is it removes their ability to sell junk.
No, file sharing is not stealing in any sense of the word.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am
” Once a CD is on a store shelf the record companies have already been paid. If a disc is shoplifted the retailer takes the hit. ”
actually, thats something I hadn’t thought of.
How can the RIAA members be losing any money at all if the retailers have already paid the riaa
member label for their crap ?
December 6th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Can I just take any file and rename the type .mp3? I could sell those as exclusive UNIQUE self-composed tunes. And once they sold, and the buyer complained they didn’t work, I’d just advise them they have the wrong codecs.