What are the advantages of a vendor system?

[Myra Wildmist]

I'm planning on opening up a small shop in-world. I've noticed a lot stores have a vendor system like CasperVend or the HIppo one. What are the advantages of having one of these? Is it something I should get from the beginning? Is it something I even need?

Thanks for the help.

[Monti Messmer]

Hello, i started with pay-the-prim standard and i´m still happy with. No useless scripts less troubles.

Vendors have some advantages. You can sell various colors, options ... in one vendor.

Statistics and emails at sale.

Sell limited amounts.

But some are very hard to setup if you need your time for creation not selling.

Monti

[Tamara Artis]

Some of the advantages:

1. split profits (with your alt for example, or a mall/event owner, friend etc.)
2. offer your customers the ability to use giftcards, store credits or to buy your products as gifts that will be delivered to the recepient without the need to IM you.
3. redelivery without bothering you
4. you can connect SL Marketplace with your vendor system
5. see what items are selling best, what region is selling best, which customer spent most and all kinds of statistics
6. set sales to the whole shop or just a group of items, manipulate prices for groups of vendors (for example promo sale only for boots)

[Sassy Romano]

Just to add to existing answers:-

 

• Depending on system, web based ones will give you an ability to do certain things offline (from a phone for example), such as redelivery (in addition to inworld self redelivery), price, product whatever.
• If you sell at different locations, you can update the vending system and the remote locations just sell what comes from the server.
• You only have to manage the vending system servers for content, not prim by prim
• Easier to change price or advert picture (see above for multi-locations)
• You can offer affliate vendors

Do you need it?  No.  Might you need it?  Who knows!  Would you benefit from the features that have been described?  You tell us

I used a vending system from the very beginning, now on the third system (migrations are so much fun ) but this is our own developed system and does things for us that no other off the shelf system does but for a single creator who is also the merchant, off the shelf ones would suit.

I'm banned from Hippo, I asked difficult questions that they didn't want to answer so we never got to deploy that one, it didn't meet our specific needs.  :matte-motes-nerdy:  It may suit yours though so get the "demo" ones from each and try them out.

 

[Myra Wildmist]

Hmmm. It sounds like there are lots of advantages, especially if I want to do this "seriously". Is there a vendor system you'd recommend for someone who's just starting out?

[Tamara Artis]

I bought one system and it was complicated to setup so I gave up (English is not my native and I often get lost when there are lots of instructions), then I did a bit of research and many people recommended E2V system. Not quite sure I could say it is for a beginner because it can seem a bit complicated at first but I heard only best things about it and the guy who sells it is available all the time for any possible assistance. That is something I find the most important thing and can really say all best about his help. Also once set, everything works perfectly. 

[Nefertiti Nefarious]

I have some vendors set up ... it was a free one that could be edited to remove some prims.

 

I think (can't log in from here to check) that one may be on the wall in my pavilion of free stuff. Check my parcel in-world.

It's simple, was free, and does all I needed to do, which was organize the various 1-prim decor panels by category.

[Bobbie Faulds]

I went from Hippo to Caspervend. You can get a  "free" one on the MP that takes a 5% commision until you can afford the full system. If you go with Casper, do get the full one. For 3K you get a variety of vendors, a gift card system as well as the popular Midnight Mania, Lucky Chairs and gachas. Advantage with the Casper is you can manage it from the web. You can set up your vendors with the products you want in them, very handy if you do some fashion fairs. You can also add in what you want the prizes to be in your LuckyChair/MM/Gachas. It's also convenient for your customer since the redelivery is web based with all their purchases so they can go to any Casper redelivery anywhere inworld if they need to.

I found it easier to set up than the Hippo as well. My opion, of course. Your mileage may vary.