Get Everything Digital from a Retailer Down the Street!

I read a tremendous amount of excitement about the ability to buy software published “while you wait” at the new Microsoft retail stores http://bit.ly/MicrosoftPublishing . With a little help, consumers could be a lot closer to this than anyone thinks; we don’t need to wait for a new Microsoft store; and we really don’t have to limit ourselves to desktop software only from Microsoft!  Consumers could get virtually anything that comes on a CD or DVD…with packaging, quality and reliability identical to conventional mass produced copies. Imagine no inventory, no distribution, no floor space… all from a friendly retailer just down the street. While we’re at it, why not publish your own professional demo CDs or business presentations, or just make yourself some personalized CD or DVD blanks that just say you in style!

As I write this, there are already more than 2,000 fully networked, geographically distributed retail stores that burn and full color label CDs and DVDs. Some also offer personal entertainment hardware, computers and peripherals...and many have a wide variety of software for all of it!

The reason you didn’t know about it is because these systems currently masquerade as retail digital photofinishing counters; but with a little help, they could easily add the capability of on demand manufacturing for virtually every kind of digital content imaginable. Today most are in Walmart locations, but the number would approach 10,000 if others like Walgreens, CVS, Ritz and Cord added full color disc printers to address an exciting new market opportunity.  All they really need to fulfill this vision is an innovative digital industry partner that is willing to step in and help them move the data from the store end of the wire to their existing CD/DVD manufacturing and printing equipment!

The photo companies have no reason to invest and nothing to gain. We need somebody smart enough and big enough who cares! Palo Alto how about you? Redmond, remember Itunes? You can’t wrap a download and put it under the Christmas tree! This could change everything!