Jump to content

After Linden Homes, why not Linden Stores?


Luk Wilber
 Share

You are about to reply to a thread that has been inactive for 4736 days.

Please take a moment to consider if this thread is worth bumping.

Recommended Posts

I don't like playing house. Linden Lab could provide that alternative for those like me, who prefer to run a business.

This is just a suggestion: Linden Stores.

What do you think? It'is a good alternative? Was there any chance they implement it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Luk Wilber wrote:

I don't like playing house.
Linden
Lab
could
provide
that alternative
for
those like me, who
prefer to
run a business.

This is
just
a
suggestion
: Linden Stores.

What do you
think
?
It'is
a
good alternative
?
Was there
any
chance they
implement
it
?

There is a Linden Store ..it is the SLMarketplace.:smileywink:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, they have Linden stores already but they don't seem to get much advertising.

They are inworld.

They're called Busy Ben's Vehicles, Galleria shopping mall, and I forget the other one, boats 'r us or something somewhere.

They used to get more traffic when there was more of a call for them.

Every each, they run a lottery for these stories and you have a random chance of winning a free tier-free store.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Prokofy Neva wrote:

Actually, they have Linden stores already but they don't seem to get much advertising.

They are inworld.

They're called Busy Ben's Vehicles, Galleria shopping mall, and I forget the other one, boats 'r us or something somewhere.

They used to get more traffic when there was more of a call for them.

Every each, they run a lottery for these stories and you have a random chance of winning a free tier-free store.

...except the Linden who ran that program was let go in June, and no one has since taken on that project.  The last lottery was in the Autumn of 2009.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not a bad idea as such but Linden Homes caused a huge argument at the time, and Stores would probably cause an even bigger one.  The problem is that many people make THEIR SL-living by renting-out land, houses and stores.  When LL offer the same thing it means less business for the existing residents, especially as LL has the prime means of advertising their own goods - right there on the sign-up page.

In practice I think Linden Homes have been good for almost everyone as they increase premium membership and new residents quickly decide that they want a bigger place or somewhere less crowded/uniform.  Prokofy above is an excellent landlord, for instance, and can make much better comments on the impact of Linden Homes than I can.

Stores also have a particular issue: location, location, location.  For someone with a new small store that depends on passing traffic the landlord (or LL if they did this) has to provide a mall and/or other attractions that will attract that to the area.  Many have tried, few have succeeded.  A newbie-shop area might attract newbies but, to be honest, more established residents (with money) already know the areas in which they like to shop.

When the marketplace (LL e-commerce) was being established the idea of a Linden Mall was floated in the Commerce forums but it was not popular.

On the brighter side NCI (New Citizens Inc) has - or at least had, I haven't checked recently - a newbie-mall where new residents under 90 days old (?) can put their vendors (SL objects for selling items) without paying.  Teleport to Kuula sim and check it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive been a landlord in SL for 4 years now..not a big huge affair..but providing starter to larger homes for rental and land rental also. Ive seen my business eroded by Linden Homes terribly. Linden Stores? No thanks, Id hate to see the amazing shopping malls & sims struggle even more than they do..each week more and more designers ditch their inworld prescence and only sell on the market place..I think thats sad,part of the joy (for me) of SL is shopping ,wandering around amazingly beautiful shopping sims, visiting cities with stores..Id very much miss that and would loathe to go to some utilitarian samey samey LL build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should perhaps add that by the time someone has the skills and experience required to run any business in SL they also would have those required to rent/buy their own shop, so wouldn't need it "on a plate" from Linden Lab.

Anyone coming to SL should spend a couple of months just exploring, looking around, meeting people and finding out how the world works.  Personally, I believe they should do that before even considering making any sort of commitment, like becoming premium or otherwise 'owning' a home.  Some will take to it quicker than others, of course but without at least a knowledge of how and where things are sold, how to create things, how transactions work, etc. a shop would be no use to anyone anyway.

For the simple trouble people have with Linden homes look at all the questions asking "how do I find my home", "how do I decorate my home", "how do I create/texture/change/move things in my home", "why does it say 'parcel full', I have plenty of room", etc. etc.  Those are the sorts of things people should learn BEFORE getting a home.  Now imagine all the additional questions that would come up from people trying to make and sell things without knowing the first thing about how SL works, or even what it does.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


PeterCanessa Oh wrote:

I should perhaps add that by the time someone has the skills and experience required to run any business in SL they also would have those required to rent/buy their own shop, so wouldn't need it "on a plate" from Linden Lab.

Anyone coming to SL should spend a couple of months just exploring, looking around, meeting people and finding out how the world works.  Personally, I believe they should do that before even considering making any sort of commitment, like becoming premium or otherwise 'owning' a home.  Some will take to it quicker than others, of course but without at least a knowledge of how and where things are sold, how to create things, how transactions work, etc. a shop would be no use to anyone anyway.

For the simple trouble people have with Linden homes look at all the questions asking "how do I find my home", "how do I decorate my home", "how do I create/texture/change/move things in my home", "why does it say 'parcel full', I have plenty of room", etc. etc.  Those are the sorts of things people should learn BEFORE getting a home.  Now imagine all the additional questions that would come up from people trying to make and sell things without knowing the first thing about how SL works, or even what it does.

Good point ! I suppose theyd come here and we'd  do the mentor role for the new enterprise like we did for the homes...unpaid landlord- no thanks :smileymad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments. Really is very necessary to discuss the topic before, to not cause losses to anyone.

Just to clarify: the premium resident could choose only one option -> Home OR store.
So I think the impact would not be greater than that already caused by linden homes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Luk Wilber wrote:

Thanks for the
comments
.
Really
is
very
necessary
to discuss
the topic
before
,
to not
cause losses
to anyone
.


Just
to
clarify:
the
premium
resident
could choose
only
one
option
-
> Home
OR store
.

So
I think
the
impact
would not be
greater
than that already
caused
by
linden
homes
.

But why have a store front anyway? THe Marketplace is attempting to all but kill inworld storefront as it is. Soon you won't even need land to hold your "Magic Box," as the product will go straight out of your inventory. There's your free store, and it doesn't even require a premium account or any land.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Luk Wilber wrote:

Thanks for the
comments
.
Really
is
very
necessary
to discuss
the topic
before
,
to not
cause losses
to anyone
.

 

Just
to
clarify:
the
premium
resident
could choose
only
one
option
-
> Home
OR store
.

So
I think
the
impact
would not be
greater
than that already
caused
by
linden
homes
.

You're welcome, as I said in my first post in this thread it's not a bad idea, as such, just not likely to be popular.  LL did float the idea when planning the marketplace (e-commerce, not in-world) so it might happen, but don't expect much support from existing residents.

Meanwhile - you CAN use your 512sqm allowance to rent/buy a commerical plot.  There's no need to have a Linden Home if you don't want it.  As a premium member you can have up to 512sqm without paying any extra tier fees.  Renting from an existing mall-owner is likely to get you a lot more assistance than you ever would from LL, quicker too.  In addition, if you deed your 512 to a land-owning group there is a 10% bonus, so you'd be quite popular :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Marianne McCann wrote:

 

Luk Wilber wrote:

Thanks for the
comments
.
Really
is
very
necessary
to discuss
the topic
before
,
to not
cause losses
to anyone
.

 

Just
to
clarify:
the
premium
resident
could choose
only
one
option
-
> Home
OR store
.

So
I think
the
impact
would not be
greater
than that already
caused
by
linden
homes
.

But why have a store front anyway? THe Marketplace is attempting to all but kill inworld storefront as it is. Soon you won't even need land to hold your "Magic Box," as the product will go straight out of your inventory. There's your free store, and it doesn't even require a premium account or any land.

 

Personally I dont like to buy from creators with no inworld store..I like to go and see things first before buying. Thats a big reason it pays to have a store over just tossing everything on the market place.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Linden Homes harmed the mainland rental business, there is no question, and some of the private island business.

I simply had to cease my program for low-cost newbie homes on one sim and convert it to all ages and I have to run the other sim remaining at a loss to keep my 365-days-or-less only program, it's only a pain to manage.

There are something like 50,000 of the Linden homes, and while a lot of them are oldbies who used their 512 this way, that also prevents oldbies from making the mainland better with mainland purchases or joining groups and contributing tier to group projects.

Linden stores, a notion that was contemplated at one point when Xstreet was taken over by the Lindens, would make it even worse.

The Lindens argue that they have to streamline the newbie experience and that having too many choices and too rocky a path to the market means they have to have socialism.

Except...those problems exist because of state intervention in the first place, not only in breaking search and never making it usable again, but in refusing to allow newbies rental agencies to advertise in welcome areas. So fearful are the Lindens of the free market and advertising and commerce -- and so hysterical and fierce are their oldbie supporters on the forums who hate commerce and hate the idea of newbies being exposed to a billboard -- that the normal, natural thing of real life never happens -- people travel here, never see a Motel 6 or a Hilton billboard on their way from the airport, and never get a hotel even to start, let alone a condo or a home.

And as a result, the teeming market filled with people willing to serve newbies at a low cost, willing even to give them free housing if they want to start in their themed communities, are never integrated into the new-user pathway -- and deliberately so, for only ideological reasons.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Blondin Linden wrote:

Those were the lotteries and it was managed by Mia Linden. The program was suspended last year after she left the company.

So where the locations vacated or are the last people to win a spot getting a permanent store for free now?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is very shaky ground for a business person to be on when their supplier is also their competitor.

The offer of the Linden Home should have been a time limited offer.  Your first six months you get a home.  I'd think more than enough time for a person to settle into SL.  Then let the free market compete for them.   It really should have been LL teaching new folks how to navigate in this world but it is we the residents who seem to do all the work.

Yes, SL needed to smooth out the new user experience.  But not at the expense of the people who have built SL into what it is.  As often is, there isn't always a perfect solution, but we should always be seeking out the best alternatives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Perrie Juran wrote:

It is very shaky ground for a business person to be on when their supplier is also their competitor.

The offer of the Linden Home should have been a time limited offer.  Your first six months you get a home.  I'd think more than enough time for a person to settle into SL.  Then let the free market compete for them.   It really should have been LL teaching new folks how to navigate in this world but it is we the residents who seem to do all the work.

Yes, SL needed to smooth out the new user experience.  But not at the expense of the people who have built SL into what it is.  As often is, there isn't always a perfect solution, but we should always be seeking out the best alternatives.

My thoughts exactly..it is shaky ground to compete with the very people who pay you. Unless of course LL dont want any small private Landlords in the picture, or perhaps they just want the landlords who own over 50 sims or are in the atlas project etc? All new residents go to their sterile LL home, on their little pitch like everyone else..and only those who want to buy a whole sim for their private use get one. Everyone shops in uniform LL stores or from the market place... It all seems a bit like The Sims really *sigh*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Speaking as a landlord here, I personally think the Linden Homes are approx neutral on eating into the rental market long term.  The short term impact was almost certainly greater, but long term they give people a safe and easy gateway to get a taste of land ownership/rental, and I think encourage folks towards wanting bigger land in due course.  As for limiting them to the first 6 months only, not really sure that's such a great idea as long as they are the current 512s with fixed choice of building.  Some of us with plenty of land elsewhere still keep our Linden Home as just a random personal point on the grid (I'm a multi-region owner now, but still have mine just for the hell of it).

As far as a commercial variation of it, hmm, not entirely sure if I like that idea or not.  I'm not totally against it if it's done in a similar way to Linden Homes, i.e. relatively fixed build, max 512 sq.m.  If such a thing were to be offered, I don't really see any reason why someone couldn't have both a Linden Home and a Linden Shop, as long as they were charged an extra 512 of tier to have both.

As long as the Linden offerings are small and limited choice of building, there's still plenty of scope for rental landlords to provide larger and more varied offerings, plus that personal service and advice that LL will never be able to provide to their tenants on starter property.  Just my personal view — new stuff will likely have a short term impact, but if limited, we should be able to compete reasonably with it on the longer term.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Pauline Darkfury wrote:

Speaking as a landlord here, I personally think the Linden Homes are approx neutral on eating into the rental market long term.  The short term impact was almost certainly greater, but long term they give people a safe and easy gateway to get a taste of land ownership/rental, and I think encourage folks towards wanting bigger land in due course.  As for limiting them to the first 6 months only, not really sure that's such a great idea as long as they are the current 512s with fixed choice of building.  Some of us with plenty of land elsewhere still keep our Linden Home as just a random personal point on the grid (I'm a multi-region owner now, but still have mine just for the hell of it).

As far as a commercial variation of it, hmm, not entirely sure if I like that idea or not.  I'm not totally against it if it's done in a similar way to Linden Homes, i.e. relatively fixed build, max 512 sq.m.  If such a thing were to be offered, I don't really see any reason why someone couldn't have both a Linden Home and a Linden Shop, as long as they were charged an extra 512 of tier to have both.

As long as the Linden offerings are small and limited choice of building, there's still plenty of scope for rental landlords to provide larger and more varied offerings, plus that personal service and advice that LL will never be able to provide to their tenants on starter property.  Just my personal view — new stuff will likely have a short term impact, but if limited, we should be able to compete reasonably with it on the longer term.

Hey Pauline :)

speaking as a landlord also , and more specifically providing starter homes on private estates, I can assure you Linden homes have definately impacted greatly on my business.  Who would go from premium and having a 512 to renting on a private estate? Surely they will just tier up for more land. I dont see it as a short term effect at all and I have had to change my business plan completely, which hasnt been easy or a short thing to do.Couple that impact with those renting out homesteads in cut up parcels now, private estate home rentals have suffered big time, and in my opinion will continue to do so.I do agree that the customer service will never be equalled by LL for renters, but if they snag them straight away at their start up..how do they know any better? If they have issues they come here to the forums and we all act as unpaid landlords for LL by answering their residents questions for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Faithless Babii wrote:

Hey Pauline
:)

speaking as a landlord also , and more specifically providing starter homes on private estates, I can assure you Linden homes have definately impacted greatly on my business.  Who would go from premium and having a 512 to renting on a private estate? Surely they will just tier up for more land. I dont see it as a short term effect at all and I have had to change my business plan completely, which hasnt been easy or a short thing to do.Couple that impact with those renting out homesteads in cut up parcels now, private estate home rentals have suffered big time, and in my opinion will continue to do so.I do agree that the customer service will never be equalled by LL for renters, but if they snag them straight away at their start up..how do they know any better? If they have issues they come here to the forums and we all act as unpaid landlords for LL by answering their residents questions for them.

Hiya.  Yeah, it's largely eliminated the 512 rental market, and sorry that was a sector which it sounds like you were heavily targetting.  The other side of it, is do you really want to be dealing with 128 tenants per region (in terms of workload)?  I accept that there was a niche there for some, but personally think that 1024 and larger is a more attractive market for both landlords and tenants.  That standard 16x32 with 117 prims easily becomes rather restrictive in terms of what you can do with it.

It would be very interesting to see some real statistics on it, tbh, rather than just individual reports, but I doubt that LL will ever release that info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 


Pauline Darkfury wrote:

 
Hiya.  Yeah, it's largely eliminated the 512 rental market, and sorry that was a sector which it sounds like you were heavily targetting.  The other side of it, is do you really want to be dealing with 128 tenants per region (in terms of workload)?  I accept that there was a niche there for some, but personally think that 1024 and larger is a more attractive market for both landlords and tenants.


 

That's actually a better position to be in than dealing with even 64 1024 tenants.

The more small time tenants a landlord has, the more 'buffer' they can have if they lose a few to seasonal issues, griefer attack driveaways, and assorted factors.

A slumlord can handle quite a few vacanies, but rent out lots in beverly hills and a single vacany can take you down.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are about to reply to a thread that has been inactive for 4736 days.

Please take a moment to consider if this thread is worth bumping.

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...