I got a Ebay Exec to curse!

[CDS]

Was showing a preview of RZ at a VIP party at PayPal/Ebay's Chicago DevCon and after my demo the exec looked at me and said "Wow, this is F'kin Awsome!"

I think we nailed it :) Digital distribution changes forever August 2008!

[Dopamine]

what's RZ?

[De chromium cob]

Originally Posted by Dopamine

what's RZ?

Retail Zip SPAM perhaps?

[sonicdefault]

Please... Do tell.




-SD

[CDS]

Originally Posted by De chromium cob

Retail Zip SPAM perhaps?

SPAM? no, not from me. Thanks for posting our pre-release site which I did not do, nor is there a link anywhere in my signature. We are not even Google crawled yet because this service has not launched yet.

With 117 posts under my avatar, would I have lasted here this long if I SPAMMED?

[CDS]

Originally Posted by Dopamine

what's RZ?

RZ is short for Retail Zip.

I already received the "OK" from the moderator here to list demo examples when we officially launch and post our announcement in the "New Product" section here at GS.

I feel good about the reaction I was able to get out of the exec so I posted it here in the good news section.

[CDS]

Originally Posted by sonicdefault

Please... Do tell.




-SD

So I sit down with one of the VP of dev, and he is rigid as a stone. The venue of the VIP party didn't have WiFi (could you believe it!). Mr. high power pull out a satellite card and the demo is on!

After a minute for it to hit him what he just witnessed, he shocked me with the comment above. It made my night and week (it was a week ago)!

A lot of people work hard on songs, a mix, or in my case a development and even though you are confident when its only you looking at it alone, its a new ball game when its time to start showing others.

[peeder]

Lukstamee that it's a way of encrypting files that you can distribute freely and then use this company's extractor to pay the copyright holder for them (via this company which will take a cut) and get your paws on them that way. As opposed to having to have obscured download points behind paywalls.

Unfortunately, there is basically no point to this at all...once extracted the files will be in the clear and pirateable. Unless you are also restricted to using their viewer/player, which would suck rocks.

The only advantage would be that you don't have to set up a paywall, but the supreme disadvantage would be that your users will have to download and install some odd extractor application they've never heard of that takes their money rather than paying it directly to the copyright holder or a retailer. Or use a self-extracting file, which will be a .EXE and that will be hard to get hosted and through firewalls as everyone will think it will be a virus...and it would be so easy to make it a virus and lie to people that it was actually this extractor.

The ebay "exec" (perhaps a line manager in marketing?) will convene later with his Indians and be disabused of any notion that this lets ebay into the digital content business. They will advise him to setup an ebay paywall system instead if they want to play there, putting a bitter end to "RZ".

[CDS]

Originally Posted by peeder

Lukstamee that it's a way of encrypting files that you can distribute freely and then use this company's extractor to pay the copyright holder for them (via this company which will take a cut) and get your paws on them that way. As opposed to having to have obscured download points behind paywalls.

Unfortunately, there is basically no point to this at all...once extracted the files will be in the clear and pirateable. Unless you are also restricted to using their viewer/player, which would suck rocks.

The only advantage would be that you don't have to set up a paywall, but the supreme disadvantage would be that your users will have to download and install some odd extractor application they've never heard of that takes their money rather than paying it directly to the copyright holder or a retailer. Or use a self-extracting file, which will be a .EXE and that will be hard to get hosted and through firewalls as everyone will think it will be a virus...and it would be so easy to make it a virus and lie to people that it was actually this extractor.

The ebay "exec" (perhaps a line manager in marketing?) will convene later with his Indians and be disabused of any notion that this lets ebay into the digital content business. They will advise him to setup an ebay paywall system instead if they want to play there, putting a bitter end to "RZ".

This is 100% not even close to what we are offering.

What is a "paywall"?

[peeder]

Originally Posted by CDS

This is 100% not even close to what we are offering.

What is a "paywall"?

Well I see you are also doing the hosting. Which is stupid. Along with not knowing what a "paywall" is when you are basically offering a turnkey paywall system.

I actually thought you were doing something more interesting. In fact you ought to look into my misinterpretation...it would allow people to monetize torrents etc.

Good luck!

[CDS]

Originally Posted by peeder

Well I see you are also doing the hosting. Which is stupid. Along with not knowing what a "paywall" is when you are basically offering a turnkey paywall system.

I actually thought you were doing something more interesting. In fact you ought to look into my misinterpretation...it would allow people to monetize torrents etc.

Good luck!

:) Our hosting partner is Amazon.

I think we are good.

[Rufuss Sewell]

Let's place bets on how soon after release this is hacked!

I'll put $5 on 3 days.

The bottom line is if it can be turned into numbers, it will be freely distributed on-line. Humans need to understand that and move forward with business ideas that embrace that fact.

[zboy2854]

Well, I admit I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just dense. How is this something innovative, or more specifically, how is this something that anyone needs given the current options available? I mean, it's not as if iTunes and the other digital content services don't do what they do just fine already as far as artists are concerned.

For me as an artist, why would I want to use a different service just for distribution and delivery that doesn't offer the exposure and aggregate eyeballs that using a distribution and delivery service such as iTunes gives me? I get lots of ancillary sales from iTunes just from people seeing my link from similar artists' pages in the iTunes store. That's a valuable perk. And as far as payment, I already get between $.60 and $.80 of the selling price of each track, and the extra 20-30 cents I give up is well worth it for the perks of being on iTunes.

In other words, it seems to me this zip service is simply another distribution and delivery method. But distribution and delivery has already long since been solved in the digital music age. So again, what am I missing here?

[peeder]

Originally Posted by Rufuss Sewell

Let's place bets on how soon after release this is hacked!

I'll put $5 on 3 days.

The bottom line is if it can be turned into numbers, it will be freely distributed on-line. Humans need to understand that and move forward with business ideas that embrace that fact.

Well actually the model has been that it's just too much of a bitch to use limewire or whatever and it's easier to just buy the thing (via a paywall system).

But this thing for some odd reason makes you download an installer, effectively, rather than the content itself. To me that actually makes it just as hard as piracy and snips off the nose to spite the bass.

[Spookym15]

I think it is a good idea. Especially when you are working for people you never meet. Do a mix put it in Retail zip, send it off and when they get it they pay you. I am curious to see how it turns out.

PS dont let some people on here get you down some lack people skills.

[zboy2854]

Originally Posted by Spookym15

I think it is a good idea. Especially when you are working for people you never meet. Do a mix put it in Retail zip, send it off and when they get it they pay you. I am curious to see how it turns out.

But how does this protect you any differently than if you simply get them to pay you before say, you send them an MP3 of the mix? Isn't it pretty much the same end result, i.e. they have to pay you before they can have the mix?

PS dont let some people on here get you down some lack people skills.

Why? Because some people choose to question the viability or efficacy of a proposed product or service? Does this mean anyone who doesn't instantly say "that's a great idea, I love it!" lacks "people skills"?

Any time a product or service is put out there into the public for consumption it should be expected that it will be held up to scrutiny. If it can't withstand that scrutiny, then it's not a viable product or service to begin with.

As I said, maybe I just don't get it, but I don't see where this service offers anything novel or necessary beyond the methods of delivery and distribution that already exist. If I'm missing something, by all means someone please point it out to me.

[Spookym15]

It seem like it would be easier for someone like me. I have a few clients that I dont ever see, but they send me work. I also worked for a company which did a lot of recording for voice systems, again this would be perfect. I have met people that do not like the idea of paying for something before the have access to it. This would basically say when you want it you pay me. Again for what I do it would be great. For the typical mixer or engineer in a town it would not be very usefull. I feel that products should be held up to scrutiny. Have you ever had someone paypal you and the money never cleared?

As for my comment. It seems that when someone has to them what is good news, a question, or just a thought there are people on here that rip into them because they dont see things that way. I see this almost every time I jump on here. Dont get me wrong I love gearslutz. But if I was to post in the good news forum, saying that I got a killer deal on an old PM700 console and I love it there will be a few people that will tell me that the board has no direct outs, it is only 12 channles, there are no inserts, and it is old so it all sucks. I did get a deal on this console and I am looking for a second to make a Frankenconsole. I will eventually mod the thing out, but it makes a great summing system and my mixes sound better.

Just seems like some days there is too much negativity and too much "i need to prove how smart I am." People are entitled for their opinon, now you may rip into me if you want telling me I am wrong.

[zboy2854]

Originally Posted by Spookym15

Have you ever had someone paypal you and the money never cleared?

No, because with paypal the payment is instant. The only time you need to wait for payment to clear with paypal is if the buyer uses an e-check. In those cases, I don't deliver the product or service until payment has cleared. Easy, breezy.

Just seems like some days there is too much negativity and too much "i need to prove how smart I am." People are entitled for their opinon, now you may rip into me if you want telling me I am wrong.

You're not wrong, if you find that the service would be useful to you. But what you're calling negativity on this thread is really just critical scrutiny of the proposed service. Personally, as a business person myself, I find the criticisms of business plans or proposals to be far more valuable than the people just saying yeah, it's great, because it helps to point out holes or flaws that I might not have recognized. I'm all for the entrepreneurial spirit, but let's face it, the business world and marketplace is a rough place. Better to face scrutiny and assess viability now than to spend even more amounts of money and time to find out the same thing IMO.

As far as Gearslutz negativity, yeah, there's some here. But then again on a site that often has hundreds, if not thousands of posters at any given time, you're going to have a certain number of contrary or negative responses to just about anything.

[sevendaysoff]

Originally Posted by peeder

Lukstamee that it's a way of encrypting files that you can distribute freely and then use this company's extractor to pay the copyright holder for them (via this company which will take a cut) and get your paws on them that way. As opposed to having to have obscured download points behind paywalls.

Unfortunately, there is basically no point to this at all...once extracted the files will be in the clear and pirateable. Unless you are also restricted to using their viewer/player, which would suck rocks.

The only advantage would be that you don't have to set up a paywall, but the supreme disadvantage would be that your users will have to download and install some odd extractor application they've never heard of that takes their money rather than paying it directly to the copyright holder or a retailer. Or use a self-extracting file, which will be a .EXE and that will be hard to get hosted and through firewalls as everyone will think it will be a virus...and it would be so easy to make it a virus and lie to people that it was actually this extractor.

The ebay "exec" (perhaps a line manager in marketing?) will convene later with his Indians and be disabused of any notion that this lets ebay into the digital content business. They will advise him to setup an ebay paywall system instead if they want to play there, putting a bitter end to "RZ".

im sorry i had to post. can somebody please get rid of this guy and his know it all shitbird attitude?

this guy always post a bunch of nonsense about things he knows nothing about (refer to arsenal audio thread, or thread where he wants to do a mix off with ken lewis? ROFL!)

dude, your over it, way over it.. carry on.

congrats on your acomplishment btw CDS!

[esaias]

hah, I was already thinking that "hey didn't that LambCast try this out about a year ago?" and, HA!, it is the Lambcast, it has just gotten a new name and fur :P

This might work with content which you need to deliver once and which has no real public interest. in my opinion of course...

-Tomi

[Spookym15]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

No, because with paypal the payment is instant. The only time you need to wait for payment to clear with paypal is if the buyer uses an e-check. In those cases, I don't deliver the product or service until payment has cleared. Easy, breezy.



You're not wrong, if you find that the service would be useful to you. But what you're calling negativity on this thread is really just critical scrutiny of the proposed service. Personally, as a business person myself, I find the criticisms of business plans or proposals to be far more valuable than the people just saying yeah, it's great, because it helps to point out holes or flaws that I might not have recognized. I'm all for the entrepreneurial spirit, but let's face it, the business world and marketplace is a rough place. Better to face scrutiny and assess viability now than to spend even more amounts of money and time to find out the same thing IMO.

As far as Gearslutz negativity, yeah, there's some here. But then again on a site that often has hundreds, if not thousands of posters at any given time, you're going to have a certain number of contrary or negative responses to just about anything.

Maybe something is wrong with my paypal. I always have to wait 3 days for it to clear. I never let anything leave my hands until it is paid for. I agree with you on most of what you said. If there are flaws in something I am working on I would rather know up front. My comment was directed more towards Peeder then anyone else. I think once a week I see him posting that someones plan, idea, or set up is stupid. I apologize if I have offended you Zboy.

[Kris]

...

[CDS]

Originally Posted by esaias

hah, I was already thinking that "hey didn't that LambCast try this out about a year ago?" and, HA!, it is the Lambcast, it has just gotten a new name and fur :P

This might work with content which you need to deliver once and which has no real public interest. in my opinion of course...

-Tomi

:) Touche my friend. LAMbCase is the beta platform. Retail Zip is the bigger badder no nonsense juggernaut of our technology....

In all seriousness, we took the feedback and experience during the LAMbCase beta to deliver the final platform which is RZ. I will answer the notes above in progression as I am just returning from a meeting. I wouldn't dare say where I just came from, no one would believe it lol.

Thanks.

[CDS]

Originally Posted by Rufuss Sewell

Let's place bets on how soon after release this is hacked!

I'll put $5 on 3 days.

The bottom line is if it can be turned into numbers, it will be freely distributed on-line. Humans need to understand that and move forward with business ideas that embrace that fact.

Hey Rufuss,

Our LAMbCase beta platform has been out for a year and a half and never been hacked, not saying there wasn't attempts. Our next release has 4X more security than LC has just for the fact that while LC stored files locally, RZ stores files remotely. So basically if a hacker was to crack our double AES 256 RZ shell (takes about 40 years with 1000 networked computers), there is no content inside. This would require a breach of the servers of our partners Amazon, who has invested billions on their data centers and security there of.

[CDS]

Originally Posted by peeder

Well I see you are also doing the hosting. Which is stupid. Along with not knowing what a "paywall" is when you are basically offering a turnkey paywall system.

I actually thought you were doing something more interesting. In fact you ought to look into my misinterpretation...it would allow people to monetize torrents etc.

Good luck!

Just to close this perspective, when we launch RZ we will offer our signed up users a free iChat screen share training session if they need it, the system is super easy to use.

I will be willing to personally give you a 10 min iChat screen share (leopard needed) demo of RZ. The demo only really takes 2 minutes to show but I would be willing to go over even the advanced features if you would be willing to take a look.

After this then by all means condemn the system to hades if you feel it deserves it, I would accept it with honor.

Deal?

[CDS]

Originally Posted by zboy2854

Well, I admit I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just dense. How is this something innovative, or more specifically, how is this something that anyone needs given the current options available? I mean, it's not as if iTunes and the other digital content services don't do what they do just fine already as far as artists are concerned.

For me as an artist, why would I want to use a different service just for distribution and delivery that doesn't offer the exposure and aggregate eyeballs that using a distribution and delivery service such as iTunes gives me? I get lots of ancillary sales from iTunes just from people seeing my link from similar artists' pages in the iTunes store. That's a valuable perk. And as far as payment, I already get between $.60 and $.80 of the selling price of each track, and the extra 20-30 cents I give up is well worth it for the perks of being on iTunes.

In other words, it seems to me this zip service is simply another distribution and delivery method. But distribution and delivery has already long since been solved in the digital music age. So again, what am I missing here?

It is ok that you do not get the concept right away, it is up to me to make sure we try our best to provide an understanding to what is offered.

It is in your best interest to utilize every point of digital distribution.

RZ allows you to move full quality WAV files of an album per say, at less the cost it is to sell a web quality file on services such as iTunes or even Amazon MP3.

RZ is instant digital retail where your WAV album is sellable in 8 minutes, opposed to waiting weeks for posting on the other services.

RZ offers fast turnaround of payment from buyers directly from a MySpace/Facebook page, email blast, blog ect.. without redirection.

Payments are direct to your PayPal or Amazon Payments account. Amazon Payments is a new service Amazon launched that allow any established customer of amazon.com to recieve payments (it works just like PayPal).

RZ offers patent pending methods like split payments at the point of sale for you and your partners, so if you want to split a $10 purchase between 249 people, RZ will do it for you at the point of sale. Well you can set up 249 with PayPal but only 5 with Amazon Payments (AP is in beta and we got into an advanced grant to include the service in our product:)

RZ offers your first generation of buyers to become resellers, so if you want to offer your buyers $2 to resell your $10 package, at the point of sale to their contacts they recieve $2 and you receive $8 all in real time.

There are more features but to simply put it, when you sign up for RZ, we are licensing you our technology, if you want to start a digital retail empire in which you can sell and deliver up to 100GB of secure hosted data per 1KB RZ file, by all means do so :)

Simpler way to put it, you open up the RZ app, drag and drop the files you want to sell (up to 100GB) and press "Save Zip" and we take care of the rest, after upload you just distribute the link we give you and nothing else to worry about. Everything is included inside a 1KB zip file to instruct your buyers how to buy and redeem your products.

[zboy2854]

OK, I think I'm starting to understand. Intriguing, certainly worth checking out in action once it goes live. Best of luck to you.