[Sydney, AUSTRALIA] The Australian Music Retailers Association (AMRA) has moved to
embrace online retailers with the inclusion of ChaosMusic on the board of the organization.
The e-tailer’s founder and chief executive officer, Rob Appel, was
invited to sit on the AMRA board after the company purchased Melbourne’s
niche music store Gaslight Records last year.
AMRA has traditionally been the representative of bricks and mortar
music retailers and other interested allied organizations. This shift
signals an expansion in the organization’s approach to the definition of
music retailers, with an open invitation to all online vendors.
AMRA chairman Gavin Ward said it was necessary for the retailers’
body to include online membership to be truly representative. “Rob’s
experience in new technologies and e-tailing will be valuable as the
AMRA looks to be broadly representative of all music retailers,” he said.
Appel has accepted the invitation to represent the interests of
online retailers of CDs, digital downloads and other music formats.
“Online retailers share similar concerns as their bricks and mortar
counterparts,” he said. “AMRA serves as a vital and vigorous crusader
for the rights of retailers as well as helping with issues of supply,
market awareness and increasing the value of music as a lifestyle product.”
Appel said that when Chaos acquired street retailer Gaslight Music,
the company became “even more aware” of the relationship between
traditional retailers, pure e-tailers and clicks and mortar companies.
“As more traditional retailers embrace the Internet for e-commerce or
as a promotional adjunct to their physical stores, the landscape of
Australian music retail is evolving rapidly,” he said.
