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CDNOW Sets New Records for Visitor Growth and Engagement

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

In December 1999, CDNOW, a leading online music destination, witnessed a remarkable 11.9% surge in visitors, surpassing the growth experienced by other e-commerce sites, including Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. This increase propelled CDNOW's reach to 7.1%, matching its historical peak set in June 1999. The visitors spent an average of 7.7 minutes and 5.6 pages per daily visit, both of which were record highs for the year. CDNOW's CEO, Mike Krupit, attributed the success to the company's ability to provide a seamless online music experience, which attracted a record-breaking 1,000,000 visitors on two separate days.

Key Takeaways:

  • CDNOW's visitor growth rate reached 11.9% from November 1999 to December 1999, surpassing the growth of other e-commerce sites.
  • The company's reach expanded to 7.1%, equaling its historical peak set in June 1999.
  • Visitors spent an average of 7.7 minutes and 5.6 pages per daily visit, both of which were record highs for 1999.
  • CDNOW averaged around 800,000 visitors per day, with site availability exceeding 99.9% during the 1999 holiday season.
  • The company employed Sun Microsystems' enterprise-class servers to maintain high performance and availability, ensuring 24/7 readiness of business- and mission-critical applications.
  • CDNOW's offerings consist of over 500,000 music and entertainment-related items, including CDs, DVDs, videos, cassettes, and music downloads.
  • The company entered into a definitive agreement with Sony Corporation of America and Time Warner Inc. to merge with Columbia House, creating a new public company.

Statistics:

  • 11.9% jump in visitor growth rate for CDNOW from November 1999 to December 1999.
  • 7.1% reach for CDNOW in December 1999, matching its historical peak set in June 1999.
  • Average visitor spend time of 7.7 minutes per daily visit in December 1999.
  • Average visitor pages viewed of 5.6 per daily visit in December 1999.
  • 800,000 visitors per day for CDNOW on average.
  • 99.9% site availability rate for CDNOW during the 1999 holiday season.
  • CDNOW's offerings consist of over 500,000 music and entertainment-related items.
  • Two days with over 1,000,000 visits during the holiday season.

Sources:

  • December Media Metrix Monthly Web Report
  • PRNewswire
  • CDNOW's official website
  • Sun Microsystems' official website
  • Media Metrix, Inc.
  • Sun Microsystems, Inc.

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