Why do items come in boxes when they don't need to?

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Rolig Loon wrote:

This whole discussion, while interesting, sounds a lot like the old Dear Abby thread in which people argued for months about whether toilet paper should pull off the top of the roll or the bottom. 

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Top!

[Perrie Juran]

 

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Rolig Loon wrote:

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This whole discussion, while interesting, sounds a lot like the old Dear Abby thread in which people argued for months about whether toilet paper should pull off the top of the roll or the bottom.  Surely merchants and comsumers have more pressing things to worry about.

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Like not running out of toilet paper.

[Pamela Galli]

top

[Rya Nitely]

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Rolig Loon wrote:

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This whole discussion, while interesting, sounds a lot like the old Dear Abby thread in which people argued for months about whether toilet paper should pull off the top of the roll or the bottom.  Surely merchants and comsumers have more pressing things to worry about.

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Top, bottom is just harder work - you have to dig around under there for the start of the roll :matte-motes-wink-tongue:

Forums are for discussing 'interesting' topics. That's what we do here. Topics such as this one aren't asking for advice, they are asking for views. They are a diversion from whatever else we do in SL.

Now and then they may plant a seed. For example, someone who has never considered folders (or may not even be aware of the contents tab) might decide to unbox any future listings, or someone who uses folders might decide to include a box in the folder for customer convenience, or even decide to go back to boxes entirely.

It's not a case of 'worrying about' anything...it's a typical forum discussion where many people over three threads have been interested enough to read and participate. Like all discussions - if you find the topic boring you don't bother with it.

I find the topic interesting because it took so much more time and effort to unbox and rename my items (taking out the word box) for direct delivery - and so I want to know what customers think. Leaving items boxed was a much easier option for everyone when converting to DD. Unboxing was going the extra mile - why wouldn't I want to know how customers feel?

[Czari Zenovka]

Thank you, Sassy

[Czari Zenovka]

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Porky Gorky wrote:

I think there's a a lot of things a merchant can do in SL to turn a customer into an ex-customer, however, merchants not meeting a customers packaging preferences is definitely not one of them imo. It's a non issue. If a person wants to buy a piece of content then they will buy it regardless of the packaging method. It's just not important and the subject does not warrant the amount of threads currently active on the forums.

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My sentiments exactly!

[Rolig Loon]

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Rya Nitely wrote:

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Rolig Loon wrote:

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This whole discussion, while interesting, sounds a lot like the old Dear Abby thread in which people argued for months about whether toilet paper should pull off the top of the roll or the bottom.  Surely merchants and comsumers have more pressing things to worry about.

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[ ... ]

It's not a case of 'worrying about' anything...it's a typical forum discussion where many people over three threads have been interested enough to read and participate.

Like all discussions - if you find the topic boring you don't bother with it.

[ ... ]

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Oh, I didn't say it was boring.  I even said it was interesting.  Just trivial is all.  We have so many other important issues to focus on --- failed deliveries, bogus listings in our stores, a Byzantine search function --- that I can't get too excited about whether to box or not to box.  :smileywink:

And yes, unless you have a cat, top is wiser.

[Rya Nitely]

Interesting but trivial and unexciting...umm

I don't often see the word 'interesting' put with trivial and unexciting.

There are many threads that I would use the words trivial and unexciting for, but I certainly wouldn't go in there posting about it - I'd leave them to it.

[Dartagan Shepherd]

Top on the toilet paper issue. I doubt you'll find many bottom feeders here.

Otherwise, boxes.

You folks should be ashamed of yourselves for not considering how the products feel. Products should be shipped in boxes with proper ventilation.

Why do you think no copy items don't use DD? Because it would be inhumane to squish those poor breedable critters into folders.

[Rya Nitely]

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Dartagan Shepherd wrote:

Why do you think no copy items don't use DD? Because it would be inhumane to squish those poor breedable critters into folders.

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Now you see, I have learnt something here today. I was wondering why this was, and you have enlightened me. :matte-motes-big-grin:

At least we all agree on toilet paper, phew. Hate to see a long debate on that:matte-motes-confused:

[Rya Nitely]

The main reason I started a thread in the general forum on this subject is because I took  time and effort to unpack my boxes and rename the folders to convert over to DD, so I have a vested interest in knowing what customers think. I want to know whether that effort was worthwhile.

Merchants who simply moved the boxes from MB into the Merchant Outbox wouldn't care so much - there was no effort to justify.

After reading the responses in the general forum, as well as the original post here, I have reassurance that customers do appreciate it

 

[Madeliefste Oh]

What I find interesting to see, is that there are two sides to consider when you choose for folders or boxes: ease of use and storage.

My conclusion so far is:

Folders are for people who like the ease of use. The less 'clicks' the actually object is away from them, the better they like it.
Boxes are for people who like an organised fast loading inventory. The less obects you give them, the easier to organise the inventory and the less loading time.

 

 

 

 

[Perrie Juran]

 

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Madeliefste Oh wrote:

What I find interesting to see, is that there are two sides to consider when you choose for folders or boxes: ease of use and storage.

My conclusion so far is:

Folders are for people who like the ease of use. The less 'clicks' the actually object is away from them, the better they like it.

Boxes are for people who like an organised fast loading inventory. The less obects you give them, the easier to organise the inventory and the less loading time.

 

 

 

 

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[Porky Gorky]

Rya Nitely wrote:

Yes, that's true...but simply getting the sale shouldn't be where you draw the line. It's called polishing your brand. Whether you make a decision to box or not, it should be a considered choice.

It's not important to 

you. 

But the fact that there are 3 threads - all hot topics - should tell you something.

 

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I disagree. It's pretty much irrelevant and making a conscious choice whether to use boxes or folders does nothing to polish a brand. Any time spent researching or actioning this issue is time wasted, time that could be better spent on things that are actually important, things that could genuinely help improve sales, or improve the customer shopping experience or improve a merchants ability to support their products.

The fact that there are 3 active threads does not mean it is a "hot topic". It just means that merchants and consumers alike clearly have nothing more interesting or important to talk about on the forums. That is more a reflection in the current state of these forums rather than  importance of a the box vs. folder debate.

Lets bottom line it.

Some people like boxes. Some like folders. You can't please everyone all of the time in a situation like this so why bother trying? Either sell your content in a box that can be worn and auto unpacked, or sell it via a folder with a boxed version included in the folder. Either option has a chance to meet the customers packaging preference and if it does not meet their preference they can rectify the issue within a matter of seconds. 

What more is there to discuss on this "hot topic"?

[Czari Zenovka]

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Dartagan Shepherd wrote:

Top on the toilet paper issue. I doubt you'll find many bottom feeders here.

Otherwise, boxes.

You folks should be ashamed of yourselves for not considering how the products feel. Products should be shipped in boxes with proper ventilation.

Why do you think no copy items don't use DD? Because it would be inhumane to squish those poor breedable critters into folders.

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*Waves my official Dart Fan Club banner*

Edit: Typo

[Czari Zenovka]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

 

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Madeliefste Oh wrote:

What I find interesting to see, is that there are two sides to consider when you choose for folders or boxes: ease of use and storage.

My conclusion so far is:

Folders are for people who like the ease of use. The less 'clicks' the actually object is away from them, the better they like it.

Boxes are for people who like an organised fast loading inventory. The less obects you give them, the easier to organise the inventory and the less loading time.

 

 

 

 

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I vote burgers

*Runs off quickly from the folders subs guy*

[Rya Nitely]

 

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Porky Gorky wrote:

What more is there to discuss on this "hot topic"?

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I didn't create the definition of hot topic - it's when that symbol goes red. If you hover your mouse over it you will see it says hot topic. Maybe you never noticed.

But you know, most of these threads are the same - people participate because it's a diversion from whatever they do in SL. It's often just for entertainment - but if you only want to read topics that are important to you - then you move on. Don't keep reading and responding.

Anyway there is nothing more to be said here. I got my answers in the general forum where you find customers - and I'm satisfied with the responses in regard to my choice in going the extra mile when converting to DD. I did a count and most of the responses there seemed to at least emphasise folders as a first preference. If a post said something like 'folders...but boxes are nice too' I took it as a preference for folders. This is the information I wanted.

If however, there had been an overwhelming support for boxes, and people were indicating that folders were just a total nuisance, then I would have found this information useful too - I wouldn't ignore it and I'd be sorry I chose to use folders.

So I found the topic interesting for my information only. What you (and other merchants) do is your business. My concern was with customers.

[Shiva Draconia]

I haven't finished the thread yet, but thought I'd give my 5Ls..

I'm a customer, moreso than a merchant. I have a couple of things on sale, but eh.. nothing fully fledged. 

My preference is boxes, or maybe... a box and a picture as a folder. My inventory is out of control. I have over 26k items, and most are boxed ..

When I'm sorting, I like to be able to pull out a box, look at the picture, and then move it, without having to rezz the whole folder to remember how something looks. In fact, today, I went and boxed about 400 plants into maybe 10 boxes, just to tidy things up a little.

 

So, yeah, I'm a customer that likes boxes.. (though sending as a folder with a box and a picture would be awesome for times when you want to see what's in it, without rezzing)

[Dartagan Shepherd]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

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*Waves my official Dart Fan Club banner*

Edit: Typo

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You're going to get me shot doing that.

Wait, there's an official one? Shouldn't there be royalties involved?

[LillyBeth Filth]

Yep.

I had 500 items and it took me a week to transfer them to DD due to bugs and glitches so to rez 500 boxes, go into edit of each, drag the contents to a folder in my inventory, rename the folder to be the exact same name as the boxed object (To avoid DD migration failure) then drag the folder to the outbox would take me forever.

Plus with textures, I am kind of assuming people have land to build on or why else buy textures. (?)

I have ensure the listings are marked as "Unpacking Required" and all of my boxed textures have an unpacking script which just means the customer clicks and a folder is generated in their inventory with the correct name so essentially it's not that much of a headache. 

[Ciaran Laval]

The larger the box of textures, the more I want it boxed. I've rezzed boxes of textures inworld and copied contents to my inventory and not all of them made it, I had to manually copy some. After that experience, I always prefer textures boxed.

[NaTaS Janus]

Mine will continue to stay in boxes so that people always have a back up in case they accidently delete something or mess it up

[Rya Nitely]

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LillyBeth Filth wrote:

Yep.

I had 500 items and it took me a week to transfer them to DD due to bugs and glitches so to rez 500 boxes, go into edit of each, drag the contents to a folder in my inventory, rename the folder to be the exact same name as the boxed object (To avoid DD migration failure) then drag the folder to the outbox would take me forever.

Plus with textures, I am kind of assuming people have land to build on or why else buy textures. (?)

I have ensure the listings are marked as "Unpacking Required" and all of my boxed textures have an unpacking script which just means the customer clicks and a folder is generated in their inventory with the correct name so essentially it's not that much of a headache. 

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LiliBeth, this is very true, and a good reason for you to leave your items boxed. Merchants who use Inworld vendor have their reasons too.

In a previous post I said I saw no good reasons here for me to box my items. It had nothing to do with what other merchants do. My statements were always to do with customer preference. If it's too inconvenient for the merchant then items should stay boxed..

So when merchants started saying that customers preferred boxes I didn't believe this. So, I ran a survey in the general forum to see what the responses would be. There is a significant difference in the responses here and in that thread (except where merchants from this thread posted there as well).

So, why is this important to me? Because I did the hard work of unboxing. It took several days. I did it because I believed customers would prefer it that way, and the responses from most customers justified that effort.

Now here is a warning to anyone who wants to continue this very long thread. There are some who find the topic trivial, irrelevant, not too exciting and a waste of time - all these descriptions were used in previous posts. Apparently, everything that could possibly be said has already been said and said again - and there is nothing more to say here. Please note that these are not my words - just a warning. 

Perhaps look for a more impressive topic such as the 'Byzantine search function' for example, which I've been told is a much more important issue to focus on.

 

[Porky Gorky]

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Rya Nitely wrote:

 

So I found the topic interesting for my information only. What you (and other merchants) do is your business. My concern was with customers.

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There is your mistake right there.You should not go trusting customers to decide what is best for themselves, that is our job! That is why we are successful here, because we know what we are doing. The majority of SL's users dont know their arse from their elbow. They think they know what they want, they think folders are easier, less clicking, but in a years time most will change their minds as their inventory grows at an ever increasing rate, slowing down load times and resulting in more time spent on house-keeping. Then they will all be saying " remember when Porky said boxes were better?" and I will be sat their smugly sipping a glass a chilled Sancerre, nodding knowingly.

A tongue in cheek post but my point is valid :smileyhappy:

[Rya Nitely]

I'm sorry, did someone say something here? I don't have time for this thread anymore.

I'm doing research into the Byzantine Search Function now, which according to 'Not As Dumb As I Look', is a much more important issue to focus on. Then I will create a thread about it and see what customers think. You're welcome to join in...it's an important issue - I've been told.