Industry Eye: Case Study - In Perfect Symphony

Virtual Sheet Music operates electronically, downloading or emailing traditional and classical sheet music, as well as audio MIDI and MP3, files directly to customers' computers. Gaining the trust necessary for consumers to hand their credit card information to such an outfit was no small task.

To ease shoppers' worries, the Laguna Niguel, Calif.-based company signed a deal to display VeriSign's Secured Seal as part of another vendor's service. But in late 2006, due to contractual issues with that vendor, Virtual Sheet Music was forced to remove the VeriSign seal. Within a matter of weeks, its sales dropped 30 percent.