Business down 70%

[Flea Yatsenko]

At this point in time, you need an in world store. I have slowly been noticing that for nearly a week that my in world sales have been making up a bigger and bigger percentage of sales. You need SLURLS in your product listings too.

Customers are already starting to give up on SLMP for purchasing. It's the only thing that has a good product search though. I think that a lot of people are using SLMP for search and then purchasing in world.

Whether LL has done this on purpose or it's just happening from bad choices, if this continues it's going to be very hard to maintain an SL business if you don't have an in world presence and you solely depend on SLMP.

If this weekend is an indication of how LL is managing the problems with SLMP, then I would say now is the time to find an in world store. You don't even really need your own parcel, you just need something to link to from SLMP (like a skybox store).

Things were good for me when I switched to DD but the problems with SLMP right now seem to be very, very deep.

There are alternatives to SLMP, some of them not on SL. A lot of people who are merchants on SLMP are completely unaware of them, and the worse things get, the more they're going to look into them.

Management needs to realize the effects this is going to have on everything on the grid and that it needs to be a top priority to be fixed. People need to buy things to be happy in here. They need homes, builder's kits, etc. It's what keeps people in SL. Right now I think a lot of people are giving up on purchasing in SLMP because it just doesn't work most of the time for them.

Imagine if you were a new user and you tried to purchasing things and it just didn't work. The first impression that would leave would be horrific. Here you are, spending virtual currency you (more than likely) just purchased (because you signed up recently) in an e-commerce ecosystem where sales time out, deliveries fail, etc. Would you trust that company with your money?

I remember seeing someone throwing around a number suggesting they were getting 11,000+ new accounts a day. Yet concurency is shrinking. Why? Because Second Life is a great idea and it attracts a lot of people. But they come in here, try and buy things, have it fail, and they no longer trust anything and move on. It doesn't matter how many new accounts you get a day when your product is in a broken state. Getting people to sign up a lot is supposed to be the hardest part of a social platform, and LL is doing fantastic with it. It's when they step into the world and try to do things and purchase things that it all falls on its face and they leave to never log in again.

[Czari Zenovka]

---

Flea Yatsenko wrote:

At this point in time, you need an in world store. I have slowly been noticing that for nearly a week that my in world sales have been making up a bigger and bigger percentage of sales. You need SLURLS in your product listings too.

---

I've always had an in world store, in fact, I had an in world presence before I began listing with OnRez and Xstreet; however, 99% of my sales always came from the online sources.  An interesting phenomenon I've noticed are customer names that show up on my store visitor counter, thus I know they've been in my store, but purchase my items on the MP.  One of the primary reasons I've kept an in world store is so customers can see, sit on, etc. an item.  Apparently this was sound thinking, but then the actual sales still come from the MP.

Part of less sales in world is my lack of advertising this past year.  Having regular sales from the MP made me a bit lazy. (As well as numerous RL "issues.")  I began advertising again by offering gifts during my "Rez Month" of May.  They are two of my regular good selling items that I temporarily inactivated on the MP and placed in my store as free gifts. I sent notices to the designer groups I'm in, including one for free items that has a kazillion members.  In the past, even if I didn't get any sales, I sent out a "free item" notice and in minutes lots of people were dropping out of the air into my store for the free item.

I was extremely surprised to see that only 3-4 people actually came to get the free gifts.  Where is the army of freebie hunters?!?!

For the month of June I am participating in The Silk Road Hunt 3 so I expect a lot more traffic in my store.  It will be interesting to see how much of that exposure results in sales.

Oh, I do include lm's to my store in all my products, including those sold on the MP.  I also specifically list the SLURL to my store within the MP description as well as including it in the space provided that generates the "See this item in world" notation.

---

Flea Yatsenko wrote:

People need to buy things to be happy in here. They need homes, builder's kits, etc. It's what keeps people in SL. Right now I think a lot of people are giving up on purchasing in SLMP because it just doesn't work most of the time for them.

<snip>

Getting people to sign up a lot is supposed to be the hardest part of a social platform, and LL is doing fantastic with it. It's when they step into the world and try to do things and purchase things that it all falls on its face and they leave to never log in again.

---

I'm not so sure anymore that "...homes, builder's kits, etc." are "what keeps people in SL" anymore.

Along those lines, I've been wondering if there's been a change in purchasing attitude among newer users.  Or maybe the RL economy is having an effect on SL.  Here is a trend from the past and how I have seen it change as an example:

When I began SL in 2007 most of the people I initially met were employees and patrons of a vintage '40's dance venue where I worked for a time.  I was new, I met many new people over the time I was there, danced with a fair number of men, etc.  Back then the trend was to almost immediately purchase or rent land and build or buy a house, furnish it, and invite friends over.  I rarely met anyone who didn't have a home of some type.  Accumulating a wardrobe for one's various activities (formal dance venues, themed venues, beach wear, casual wear, etc.) including accessories was another "priority."  I found this true for both men and women. "Things" seemed to hold more importance to begin living a "second life" in 2007.

Fast forward to the last 2 years - present.  Most of the people I know who have homes have been in SL for a long time.  The new "trend" I'm noticing is based on men I meet when I go dancing and quite often meet relatively new residents.  Some have been in SL for several years, others several months.  Over the last couple of years, none of the men who have been in SL 1 year or less that I've met/danced with have homes, and I'm talking more than a couple of people.  If they want to be alone with someone, they choose one of the many garden type sims that have dance areas, cuddle areas, etc.  This really surprises me, especially the ones who have been in SL for a year+.  One man I know not only does not have a home, but seems to own maybe 3 outfits (formal, casual, bathing trunks).  I asked him recently if he ever tried building in SL.  His response was that for him SL is purely social and he does not have the time or patience to build.  Ok, not everyone is a builder (the question was only asked when he joined me where I was in the process of a new build), but for someone who has been here several years, spends the majority of his time on the dance floor and only has 3 outfits, plus the other similar types I've met, makes me wonder if many residents who are in SL for purely social reasons aren't bothering with homes - thus no purchases for houses, furnishings, etc.

Years ago, one of the regular "forumites" (previous forums) who had been in SL since at least 2007 - maybe dating back to 2006 or earlier - used to mention enjoying being "homeless" in SL whenever where to live, whether to rent vs own, etc. was brought up as a topic.  There have always been the "free spirits" but I'm really noticing this lately as almost a "norm."

I'm wondering if somehow the SL advertising is being aimed at more of a "gaming" experience (like the new quest game) instead of the "create your own world" motto that was prevalent when I began.

Just interesting points to ponder as it relates to SL sales.  I would project that older residents will be the majority who purchase at least the more expensive items, especially in housing.  Except for a few items for their Linden Homes, if they have that, are newer residents not as interested in purchasing as many items?

Another thought just occurred to me - I'm seeing newer residents post, "SL looks like a great game."  Calling SL a "game" in 2007 was akin to the old Westerns - "Them's fightin' words!"  Entire threads debated the issue.  Are newer residents coming from MMORPGs where housing isn't an issue?  One just logs in and out from wherever?  (Interestingly EQ began offering housing communities a few years ago.  IMO it's fairly bleh, but if one has only been in MMORPGs it may seem wonderful.)  I know nothing about IMVU, but it seems like some newer residents have come from that world and, based on some of the posts I've seen, housing may be provided free of charge there.

*Wanders off for more caffeine to ponder this*

 

[Josh Susanto]

>At this point in time, you need an in world store. 

No, really I don't.

And I realize the fact that I still don't, in spite of everything that has been tried to persuade me that I do, must be a bit of annoyance to the person whose job it has been to convince me of such.

Sorry, Linden - you'll either have to straight up kill the Marketplace, or I'm going to keep using it.

[Czari Zenovka]

---

Josh Susanto wrote:

>

At this point in time, you need an in world store. 

No, really I don't.

And I realize the fact that I still don't, in spite of everything that has been tried to persuade me that I do, must be a bit of annoyance to the person whose job it has been to convince me of such.

Sorry, Linden - you'll either have to straight up kill the Marketplace, or I'm going to keep using it.

---

Hi there, me again   The quote about needing an inworld store was from Flea - I elaborated on some SL lifestyle/purchasing trends I've seen lately that were different from when I first began SL.

Honestly, since 99% of my business comes from the MP, I've debated on if I truly need a store in world.  I mentioned that it appears at least some of my customers come to my store to see an item (I'm assuming) then purchase it on the MP.  I still don't quite understand that, but anyway...

I have no really strong feelings on having a shop in world or not, especially with mine being small.  There are apparently other merchants who get most of their sales in world.  I'm a proponent of everyone running their SL business the way they choose, assuming the obvious ethical practices.

I do still like having my small store in world so people *can* look at my products if they wish.  Depending on what happens re: getting rid of the MBs in August...or beyond, if I get any exposure/sales due to my participation in the June hunt...all will factor into what I choose to do going forward.

The great thing is, I LOVE the parcel of land where my shop is.  It would be a lovely place to put a home if I opt out of an in world shop at some point.

[Medhue Simoni]

---

Spica Inventor wrote:

 Oh come on Medhue. You would at least wait around and see how it effects your bottom line first wouldn't you before you'd make a decision to pull anchor? Besides, does the so called competition to SL even have an outworld marketplace that you could flee to? ;-)

---

Hell no! I wouldn't wait 1 minute. I wouldn't even have a second thought about pulling all my items. Because of their actions, I've already lost 50% of my income, and basically because a bunch of high priced execs can't figure out or read basic charts. The end result would be obvious. I don't need to wait around. For a company to even think for 1 minute that they can save their business by cannalbolizing their customer, is just down right moronic. Why would I stay in a place run by morons?

Now, it would be different if their whole business model started out with this model. That would be an honest way to do business. To destroy your own business because of pure ignorance, and then try to save it by eating your own hand that feeds you, that is a really bad business model and dishonest.

It's bad enough they treat us all like children and tell us complete lies. It's like a bad parent that tells their kid, "We'll goto the park/store tomorrow." but then forgets about it. In LL's case, they know they will never do the things they tell us. Just like all the promises that LL will make the cashout time faster. If they have done anything, they made it slower. This is a 2 way street and LL thinks it's a 1 way street.

There are a half a dozen worlds out there all begging for merchants, and most of which have marketplaces. The only reason they can't grow faster is because we are mostly still spending our time here. If LL did anything close to taking 50%, you can bet all those other worlds would grow 2 to 3 times faster, if not more. Plus, many of us, especially myself, can make things for any 3d program. Virtual worlds are not the only market that I or many others can create for.

[Medhue Simoni]

Although I think your observations make some sense, I beg to differ about the reasons.

Back in 2007, we had a world that was all about creating. Everything, from the forums, to the search engine, to all the blogs and websites catered to the merchant class. If you did a search for anything in the search engine, the first couple of pages were all mostly merchants. It was the thing to do, and if it wasn't your thing, then you bought items from merchants. When it is the norm to go shopping and have things, then you need land to show those things off.

Today, we have a very different environment. LL saw that only a small percentage were actually selling alot so they started to have a different mind set. Now, besides the Marketplace, you will see no marketing going on, besides freebie promotions. It is no longer a merchant's world.

[WADE1 Jya]

Totally agree Medhue! This world is not about creating anymore.

It's like LL took everything that worked for us creative types & purposefully smashed it to pave way for a 'herd animal' world. LL made it pretty clear they don't want people like you and I here, or if they do want us here they certainly don't value us enough to supply realistic motivators... unless you are willing to turn your brain off & become a 'herd animal' trying to work harder to churn out freebies faster than the next cog in the machine.

Could this be any more obvious? Selling your own original creations is a taboo topic and even the definition of 'merchant' itself has become quite gray as to be a meaningless term. This is why lately I spend 100% of my creative cycles elsewhere.

[Pamela Galli]

I don't really know anywhere else to be creative making and selling things. LL may be crippled but it is the only game in town and I pray it will prosper and not kill itself off.

I missed the whole era of prosperity before 2008. Prices have been driven down since then but at the same time my skill level has gone up, and I hired an assistant to enable me to turn out more content faster,  so I have not had to drop prices so sales are more or less the same over the last two years.

 

I,  of course, have had a front row seat to the whole marketplace and search debacles, so no one needs to tell me anything about that. But for me at least, SL and the MP remain good money makers even if it costs me more money and time to run my business.

 

Long Live Second Life, marketplace and all.

[Josh Susanto]

What's frustrating to me is not the idea that it cannot be fixed.

What's frustrating to me is that it obviously CAN be fixed, and yet no one is bothering to fix it.

[Pamela Galli]

---

Josh Susanto wrote:

What's frustrating to me is not the idea that it cannot be fixed.

What's frustrating to me is that it obviously CAN be fixed, and yet no one is bothering to fix it.

---

I think there is a lot of both.

 

[Rosele Maroon]

The big problem is that merchants are giving away good stuff in hunts ,MM and such .Why pay when u can have it all for free or almost free ? Many new merchants dropping their prices too . That is the problem i think . I used to sale 10 times more for 2 years ago ,

[WADE1 Jya]

---

Pamela Galli wrote:

..it is the only game in town...

Long Live Second Life, marketplace and all.

---

hehehe is that true there really is only one game in town? sounds rather limiting.

you do not have to wait for more games to appear. infinite games are possible. make your own game :catwink:

i too want SL to survive long time, but thinking realistically i find it increasingly unlikely :catsad:

 

[Sassy Romano]

---

Rosele Maroon wrote:

The big problem is that merchants are giving away good stuff in hunts ,MM and such .Why pay when u can have it all for free or almost free ? Many new merchants dropping their prices too . That is the problem i think . I used to sale 10 times more for 2 years ago ,

---

It's easy to race to the bottom of the pricing war.