Marketplace item removed by LL

[Marishka Ixito]

I run a little rental agency in SL, and I had an item listed for well over a year on the marketplace, that served to draw attention to my rentals.

The item itself was very similar to the one still remaining here:
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Marix-Mediterranean-Beach-House/3306558
but for a different house.

The reason LL removed the other one was that it was flagged by someone as "item not as advertized".

I feel that is completely erroneous, because:

1. my items are listed in the Mainland / Rentals / Developed land
2.the description of the item makes it very clear that you don't get a free house, but a brochure for my rentals

So why on earth would LL respond to the flagging and remove my item when all that happened is some naive and angry soul didn't bother to read and clicked "buy" then proceeded to flag the item as "not as advertized" because they expected to get a free house?
And why would LL do so without even checking or offering me a chance to protest their action?

I am appalled.

[Ry0ta Exonar]

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Marishka Ixito wrote:

 all that happened is some naive and angry soul didn't bother to read and clicked "buy" then proceeded to flag the item as "not as advertized" because they expected to get a free house?

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If that's the case, I'd file a support case to get it restored. Reviewers could sometimes make a mistake.

https://support.secondlife.com/create-case/

[JohnMiddlefield]

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Marishka Ixito wrote:

I run a little rental agency in SL, and I had an item listed for well over a year on the marketplace, that served to draw attention to my rentals.

The item itself was very similar to the one still remaining here:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Marix-Mediterranean-Beach-House/3306558

but for a different house.

The reason LL removed the other one was that it was flagged by someone as "item not as advertized".

I feel that is completely erroneous, because:

1. my items are listed in the Mainland / Rentals / Developed land

2.the description of the item makes it very clear that you don't get a free house, but a brochure for my rentals

So why on earth would LL respond to the flagging and remove my item when all that happened is some naive and angry soul didn't bother to read and clicked "buy" then proceeded to flag the item as "not as advertized" because they expected to get a free house?

And why would LL do so without even checking or offering me a chance to protest their action?

I am appalled.

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What happened here is that the Linden who responded to the complaint, was dumber that they who complained.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

Actually it may be a violation of the official listing guidelines if the picture was of the specific property or house that was not available for immediate rental.  The link shows a house,but the text makes it clear that the listing is only for a brochure about a rental service which is free.  Renting is a service.  Therefore this may violate one or both of these guidelines:

• Dispensing catalogs or information regarding an item without actually delivering that item, or
• Dispensing catalogs or information regarding a service without actually charging at least 50% of the value of that service.

I looked at other listings in the category and they all appear to be listings advertising specific houses available for rent and if they are general listings a logo or general picture of the sim is used and the 'buy' gets them a landmark to the rental office.  Enforcement of guidelines depends on flagging, so not only is it not uniform, but there may be other listings still out there that are violations that just haven't been flagged.- including the one you gave as a link.

Also, you will see if you look under the service category, that the listings are mostly actually charging for the service or for a gift card to use for the service.

Note that I don't necessarily agree with LL's actions concerning your listing and that the above is just my opinion or personal interpretation of the guidelinesmeant as a possible explanation.  I think if you change the picture to a company logo, a general picture of the sim, or a collage of  the different styles of houses you rent, then remove the brochure and give them a landmark to your office where they can get it and see what isavailable, you'll be ok.

[Marishka Ixito]

Amethyst,

I would agree with what you wrote about "services" if there wasn't a seperate rentals category on the marketplace and if rentals weren't explicitely mentioned in the rules and guidelines themselves.

However, such a category does exist and the rules and guidelines explicitely describe how and where rentals can be advertised on the marketplace:
"Non-Item Listings. The SL Marketplace is also not to be used for:
Advertising land sales/rentals except as listed for free in the Marketplace Land Categories,"

And that: advertising for free in the Mainland/Rentals category, is exactly what I did.

If rentals were supposed to be listed in the services category, there would be more of them there than exactly 1 (while the rentals category has about 700).

Besides, if my listing was really misleading, you'd think that after having been viewed 11,000 times and delivered 1500 times, more people would have complained sooner.

Anyway, I filed a support case, we'll see if I'll get justice done.

 

 

[Amethyst Jetaime]

I did not say rentals should be in services.  My point was is that other listings I saw in the same category as yours -Mainland Rentals- were actual listings for specific properties available now OR they were giving landmarks to an office where people could see specifics about what was available, with the exception of one or two which may also be in violation but not yet flagged.

The part of the guildelines I quoted prohibiting distribution of only catalogues or information doesn't say EXCEPT for land categories or that it only applies to the service category.  The way it is written it applies to all categories.  I referred to the services category to make the point that it is not even done there.  People either charge directly for the service offered or they offer gift cards.

A lot of people can't be bothered to flag an item or even know you can so I wouldn't take the fact of other people not flagging something as any indication of anything.  It only takes one that LL agrees with.

I was just giving you a possible explanation.  I stated it was my opinion and that I didn't necessarily agree with the policy.  Take it or leave it.  Chances are they won't tell you specifically why they pulled it , they rarely do, they just refer you back to the guidelines.

[Ziggy21 Slade]

I think Amethyst hit the nail on the head.

[Spica Inventor]

What it comes down to is L.L. doesn't like freebies 'cluttering up' The Marketplace and not making them any money. It would be nice if they had that attitude with the multitude of demo's out there IMHO. ;-)