Expedia, however, continues to expand its private-label business, Expedia Affiliate Network, with tie-ups with AirAsia and the recently announced partnership with South African Airways.

FORBES: Despite Loss Of Eurostar, Expedia Still Flies To $30

Paul Wicks, a co-author of the paper, said social network-run studies may be most useful for testing efficacy of so-called off-label or off-patent compounds that patients are using but are unlikely to ever attract pharmaceutical company interest.

WSJ: ALS Study Falls Short, But Use of Social Media Holds Promise

Therefore, if a label has good physical distribution internationally, it should first try to work through its own network of distributors, provided they have the necessary experience and the right connections with their national digital service providers.

CNN: Distributing music independently online