May 07, 2009

By By Aymeric Pichevin, Paris

Trading Web portal eBay is poised to launch an a-la-carte MP3 download store in Spain, Billboard.biz has learned.

It will be powered by French firm Starzik, which operates its own MP3 download platform as well as providing white label services to companies such as entertainment retailer Fnac in Belgium and Holland and general e-commerce site Rue du Commerce.

"Legal music offers need to be available everywhere," says Starzik founder and CEO J?r?me Giachino.

While Starzik has licensing deals with the four majors in France, negotiations are still ongoing for its Spanish download store via eBay, although EMI is already on board according to Giachino. He adds that a deal with Spanish collecting society SGAE is about to be signed.

Giachino says the eBay download store will also feature video games and possibly other entertainment products. The launch is expected on May 7 or 8, following eBay's recent partnership with Universal Music Australia on a download store, as previously reported on Billboard.biz (May 5).

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