Seasons in SL

[Muletta]

I am rather new to business inworld, and just thinking of, is there any difference for how much people buy things/rent homes, in the various seasons? I guess for example that in the summertime people are not as much inworld to use money, as in the wintertime?

Have you noticed any difference?

[Saiyge Lotus]

Things seem to start picking up in October and then steadilly grow until the new year. After the New year it seems to drop abruptly and significantly. It seems to be consistent each year,  at least amoungst the creators I know. 

[mtwtfss71]

Yes. Spring tends to show a decline in sales and summer tends to be low year after year. Sales always pick up in the Fall and winter. I've heard many other merchants say the same thing.

[Deja Letov]

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Muletta wrote:

I am rather new to business inworld, and just thinking of, is there any difference for how much people buy things/rent homes, in the various seasons? I guess for example that in the summertime people are not as much inworld to use money, as in the wintertime?

Have you noticed any difference?

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I have to agree with others for the most part, although it seems to fluctuate for me based on my activity. For example, in 2011, my sales were higher in the spring and lower in the fall and winter. Why? Because I took a break from SL during those months. my store was still up and I was coming in now and then to check on everything but I wasn't actively marketing anything. I was barely doing any hunts. Basically just doing the bare minimum. However, 2012, was a year I marketed fairly consistently through the entire year and you can see a definite increase from August to November over the earlier spring months. December was rather slow, but I think that's because so many are on holiday in RL. But if you look at 2013 it picks right back up in January and continues to remain high during the winter months, all the way through April. Now it's May, and I'm not seeing a slowdown yet. We're barely half way through the month and my sales are pretty much just as high as  as they have been since January.I'm including my graph chart of my trending for the past 4 years so you can see. I took out the numbers so all you can see is the trend (some people got a little uppity about that last time I left in numbers). Anyway, the point is, for the majority I think you will see an increase in fall and winter, but you can definitely keep it going through spring and summer if you actively market. For those of us making an actual income at this, I think we almost have to if we want to keep the paychecks coming in on a regular basis.

[Muletta]

Thank you for your answers, yes when the sun awakes from the sleep in winter, most people prefer to be outdoors I guess. But I do not think I see a decline in people online. But of course I don't know about the activities when I am not here myself

[Muletta]

Thanks Deja, very interesting to see how this graph is during the months.

[Nalates Urriah]

Deja, thanks for the  info.

Muletta, there has been discussion for some time as to whether SL is seaonal. Many think it is. I tend to think it SHOULD be, but I can't come up with the data to prove it. I have a number of articles on SL statistics on my blog. See: catagory Statistics.

Tateru Nino of the Dwell On It blog has run stats on SL for years. Her analysis is there is no seasonal variation. I still think there might be, but if so it is so small it is hidden by the noise in the data.

[Deja Letov]

I wonder if is it really seasonal as in winter, summer, spring or fall or more holiday oriented? I know a lot of people give gifts around Christmas time so that is one major fluctuation in sales. But also Valentines Day is big as well. Then you've got your niche markets like Halloween in which a lot of us "darker" themed stores seem to get a flood of sales in at that time. I guess Thanksgiving could also see an increase in sales from people looking to decorate their home. It's an interesting topic.

*I'd love to see more sales topics again like these like we had last year. I kinda bugged out of them after some nasty comments, but I'm a numbers fan and love these types of things.

[Muletta]

Natales, I have been thinking that other matters can change the activity in the shops than seasons, so perhaps it is difficult to tell after all. If you sell shoes, some other shops can appear and offer more cheap shoes than yours. I think that shops or rentals come and go inworld, and of course it can change the graph too over a year...Don't you think so too?

[Muletta]

Deja, yes on some holidays the sale can be more. But holidays also sometimes keep residents away from keyboard, I think, when they spend time with ir family instead of being here on SL?

Well, the largest number of residents being online at the same time, is about 60.000...(before I go to bed and sleep ) - I don't know, whether the number changes over the months of the year. I haven't noticed before I got my own business to run here.

 

 

[Czari Zenovka]

Something to remember is that SL is international, thus when it is winter in one part of the world, it is summer in the other although the activities within SL are geared to the Northern Hemisphere.  Also, in the United States there is a broad difference in seasons.  For example, I live in Florida.  I can't stand the heat so I "hibernate" in the summer much as people in the Northern States do in the winter; therefore I am at my PC a lot more in the summer than in my FL winter.

I personally see the most fluctuations in sales, all other things being equal such as marketing, etc., for holidays.  I sell many seasonal items during Valentine's Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years.  I used to deactivate my seasonal items after the particular holiday had passed but awhile back I asked what other merchants did and most who responded kept their seasonal items listed all year.  I've now done that and this week I sold a Menorah. :matte-motes-wink:

Good luck to you. :matte-motes-smile:

[Deja Letov]

Funny you say that Czari...I just sold my ice skating rink a couple of weeks ago, I never sell that this time of year. Just goes to show, it's cold somewhere!

[Czari Zenovka]

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Deja Letov wrote:

Funny you say that Czari...I just sold my ice skating rink a couple of weeks ago, I never sell that this time of year. Just goes to show, it's cold somewhere!

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Or people like me are wilting in the RL heat and think: "Ooooooo an ice skating rink would make me think of winter."  Ya just never know.  Actually, I think you were one who responded to my thread on seasonal items and mentioned keeping your skating rink for sale. :matte-motes-smile:

On a similar note: If something ever happened that the parcel I rent was no longer available, I would rent on a snow sim - they intrigue me.

 

 

[Deja Letov]

I love the snow sims....I know totally off topic. Before I moved to my current sim and I was on mainland I had road side snow land, right near some huge ski resort area. I loved it. The only problem is when it got to be spring, I just didn't want to be there anymore. So now, having my own sim I can create all 4 seasons if I want.

[Fergie Finesmith]

I don't know about you but, (I have a skin store since 2009), and this is the worst month ever! I don't know what happen, but I'm literally selling nothing, my sales are down almost 85% compared to last year and even last month, it's just crazy. I just hope this change soon. 

After the Skin Fair in mid March everything went downhill for me, I'm really worried, I don't know what to do.

[Nefertiti Nefarious]

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Muletta wrote:

I am rather new to business inworld, and just thinking of,

is there any difference for how much people buy things/rent homes, in the various seasons?

I guess for example that in the summertime people are not as much inworld to use money, as in the wintertime?

Have you noticed any difference?

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You need to have seasonal things ... if all you sell is bikinis and swim towels, you will see a sharp sales decline in the winter months when people want their avatars to be wearing sweaters and boots. 

I have some seasonal holiday products and they go absolutely DEAD at the wrong season - they still sell, but it's a tiny fraction of the amount they sell at the "right" season.

I notice it even with the textures - the "warm" fabrics sales peak is when people are thinking of making "warm" clothing for their avatar. And the "cool" fabrics are peaking now.

 

[Muletta]

Czari, thanks for the good wishes to me, (I wish you good luck to ) and for your comment. You have explained to me, why I still see Christmas- and Valentine Day’s stuff etc. in the shops, I have always been wondering about that. And you are right about the international thing. When it is winther for me, it might be summer for you at the same time. So it shouldn’t influence on the sales, over a year. But it does anyway for some merchants, I see later in the thread, referring to what Nefertiti's experiences tell us

[Muletta]

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Fergie Finesmith wrote:

I don't know about you but, (I have a skin store since 2009), and this is the worst month ever! I don't know what happen, but I'm literally selling nothing, my sales are down almost 85% compared to last year and even last month, it's just crazy. I just hope this change soon. 

After the Skin Fair in mid March everything went downhill for me, I'm really worried, I don't know what to do.

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I am sorry to see, that your sales are that much down this month. I do not have a shop myself, but a rental. The first months I soon had all occupied, so I bought more land and build more homes to rent. People kept coming and renting. April was a great month. Then suddenly from the first day of May, all is strange quiet here. I would understand if it is because of the new changes in ToS, but the silence started over a week before. I would also understand, if people come here, see the homes, and do not want to rent. But almost no one seems to be interested at all anymore, not even to come and have a look. 

So I experience the same as you...a sudden big decline in sale...and I don't know why. I therefore thought it could be because of the spring and summer have arrived irl

 

 

To all: sorry for my English..it is not my own language

[Pamela Galli]

October through February are my strongest months, though there is not a big percentage difference between those months and the others.  Maybe 10-15%.