“We plan to launch a digital download service in Ireland like the one in the UK at the moment,” says Virgin UK head Steve Kincaid, “but we want to have one that’s specifically for Ireland and will hopefully deliver that in 2007.”
While looking to increase Virgin’s internet business, Kincaid is adamant that “there’s still a place for physical stores, it’s just a case of making those stores more interesting by having special offers and increasing access to the product. In our Dundrum store, for instance, you can listen to any CD before buying it. There’s a lot of talk about digital, but 95% of the music market is still physical.”
Also on the cards for Virgin is a return to Dublin city-centre.
“We’ve been looking ever since we left Aston Quay to find the right place, but as yet we haven’t quite found it,” he reveals. “Dundrum, which opened last year, is probably our flagship store at the moment but we’re keen to get somewhere close to the Liffey.”
To help with their expansion here, Virgin have enlisted the services of U2’s Irish publicists, LHP.
“We recognise that we need more local knowledge,” Kincaid concludes, “and LHP have got a good track record in Ireland with the music industry generally, and also on the DVD and gaming front.”