Best described as Actinic Catalog with an extra option for adding digital downloads, Audio Store 7 is a solid, reliable and secure product for UK-based retailers selling sell both digital goods such as MP3 music files, and hard goods such as CDs and T-shirts. It's a little pricey and overly complicated for those who only want to sell the odd MP3 file, but is good value for smaller businesses that don't have the budget to commission a third-party development company.

Pros: All-in-one solution; excellent payment processes
Cons: Runs on Windows systems only; interface still confusing


Actinic Software's Audio Store 7 is an extension of the company's flagship e-commerce package, Actinic Catalog (£379 ex. VAT). Designed to make it easier for musicians and resellers to sell audio files directly via the Internet, Audio Store lets bands, producers, smaller record labels and other retailers use the Internet to sell both digital goods such as MP3 music files, and hard goods such as CDs and sheet music.

Prices remain unchanged from the previous version, and Audio Store 7 is available in two forms: an entry-level 25 product version costing £169 (ex. VAT), and a version capable of selling up to 10,000 products priced at £424 (ex. VAT). The upgraded software now enables entry at the desktop of orders received by telephone, fax and post, as well as online. An advanced order-searching facility has been added, together with a significant extension of the customer e-mailing facilities.

The ability to re-send digital download links to customers who lose them, or miss the download window, has been added, and the user interface has also received a complete makeover, creating a much needed contemporary look and feel. The opening screen now also includes a preview panel showing changes to the store pages as they are made.

Creating a Web site can be a time-consuming and relatively stressful process. Furthermore, creating a back-end process that manages stock levels, payment processes and security is a further complexity that requires additional skills. Quite often, smaller companies don't have these skills in-house and can't afford to employ a full-time developer to create and manage an e-commerce Web site.

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