How do you know when it's time to make an In-World store?

[mnp2357]

I am far from it being time for me to consider an in-world store, I am sure, but I am wondering if people who have them saw significant revenue increases compared to being only on the MP? Or how do you know when it's time to try it? When does the rental fee or premium membership become "worth" it?

Any stories or experiences you have are welcome

Unsure if relevant, but in mind I specifically create ADULT content for more salacious characters.

[Vicious Hollow]

For my partner and I, we don't have an MP store, we just went with In-world instead. For us it seemed more fitting for the work we do (boat textures which in our thinking is better to be seen up close on displays and such). As for revenue, it seems that having both would raise the chance of larger sales, but I guess it really in the end, depends on how much you want to keep up with having one of each or both. I know it's not the most complicated process to keep up with both an MP and In-World shop, but you'd be surprised how quick burn out can come with some. 

 

As for rental free/premium -  We started out renting here and there, and that adds up, especially when you count on sales to cover rent, and sales are slow (which happens to us all from time to time). My partner, who has a premium account (which comes with land allowances and so forth), bought the land for our shop, so now slow days or weeks don't hurt as much as when we had to pay rent for land or for a shop elsewhere.  

 

I'm sure others who have both/either a MP and In-world shop can add in better thoughts about that, but again to me, it really comes down to how much effort you want to put in to sell your product, as well as much time you  have to do so. 

Edited February 20, 2021 by Vicious Hollow

[Polenth Yue]

I went premium because I wanted land and started making things to sell afterwards. I currently make enough to pay for premium and have spending money.

The land is useful in different ways to the marketplace. For events, it can be given as part of the application. Landmarks are easier to hand out to customers than marketplace links. And the location can be permanent if you want it to be (I haven't moved from my spot since I started... I've expanded and shrunk the space over time, but not moved).

I'm by a road, so also get some passing traffic. My first ever sale was something I put for sale on the land, rather than what became the marketplace.

There's also a chance of getting in the destination guide depending on your build.

[RoxyCyn]

Everyone will have different requirements and results depending on their product(s) and business model.  Primarily, I build and sell motorcycles with a store in-world and on Marketplace.  Motorcycle sales are dependent on appearance, details, ride and handling.  A virtual brick and mortar storefront enables customers to see and use the actual product in the same lighting and environment to which it is intended. Fit, finish and attention to detail are clear and obvious with little room for surprises. 

We all like free stuff to some degree.  Having a gift available to everyone helps bring traffic to the store and shows your work.  Customers that like your products can join your group and follow sales, events, specials, etc.  A group gift helps grow that group.  Good free stuff will bring people back and they tell their friends. Even the way you decorate your store reflects you, your product and your attitude. 

Sales will be erratic, probably like a roller coaster, but patterns will emerge over time.  Plan ahead, be patient and most of all have fun with it.

This works for me.  Consider your goal(s) and it might fit for you as well.

[mnp2357]

17 hours ago, RoxyCyn said:

Everyone will have different requirements and results depending on their product(s) and business model.  Primarily, I build and sell motorcycles with a store in-world and on Marketplace.  Motorcycle sales are dependent on appearance, details, ride and handling.  A virtual brick and mortar storefront enables customers to see and use the actual product in the same lighting and environment to which it is intended. Fit, finish and attention to detail are clear and obvious with little room for surprises. 

We all like free stuff to some degree.  Having a gift available to everyone helps bring traffic to the store and shows your work.  Customers that like your products can join your group and follow sales, events, specials, etc.  A group gift helps grow that group.  Good free stuff will bring people back and they tell their friends. Even the way you decorate your store reflects you, your product and your attitude. 

Sales will be erratic, probably like a roller coaster, but patterns will emerge over time.  Plan ahead, be patient and most of all have fun with it.

This works for me.  Consider your goal(s) and it might fit for you as well.

Yes, I was mainly considering an in-world store for the group gift angle. For me, I prefer to err on the side of caution just because I do not have much income in RL, but I've also done business and marketing, and I know that building a brand is important, and that brick and mortar, as it were, can help a lot with that.

[Chic Aeon]

11 minutes ago, mnp2357 said:

Yes, I was mainly considering an in-world store for the group gift angle. For me, I prefer to err on the side of caution just because I do not have much income in RL, but I've also done business and marketing, and I know that building a brand is important, and that brick and mortar, as it were, can help a lot with that.

Wanted to comment on this last point.  I have had stores (there wasn't really a Marketplace when I started) for over a dozen years. I have NEVER had a group.  Mostly this was because I watched how groups long ago simply became "pick up the gifts" methods and while I of course do pick up gifts nowadays, I still really liked what groups were all about in the very olden days :D.   Still,  I have regularly given out free to all gifts at my stores as well as hosting very popular Advent calendars.  I can say honestly that I didn't see any revenue of importance from either. I gave things out because I wanted to, not to get something back. People might remember my brand name but gifts have not seemed to translate into sales. 

 

Since the Marketplace came into being I have had both MP and inworld stores. This is mostly because I believe that people should be able to see what they are buying. IF you can make demos for you products, then there is less need for that. But I have always enjoyed having a store -- sometimes a 512 lot and sometimes a sim.  So in some ways it depends what will makes YOU happy.   I do think that having some sort of storefront gives you more credibility as a seller. I also have found that the better your store looks (style, quality etc.) the more folks are impressed and feel better about buying from you.

 

These days I am retired. I still do customer support, I just no longer make "products". So I certainly could abandon my sim but it pays for itself easily with lots left over to spend, so I se no reason (right now anyway) to give it  up. I think you need to weigh the costs and the benefits and what you will enjoy. They all come into the mix.  You CAN rent land cheaper than the cost of premium if you are a good land shopper so I would say "no" to the Premium question. I have only been premium for one year and that was to have the Belliseria experience which I totally enjoyed. But look at Premium for other benefits rather than land costs.  You can rent stores with 300 land impact allowances for 100 or 150 a week  -- maybe even less than that. 

 

Hope this info helps in some way. Good luck with your creating. 

 

[Katherine Heartsong]

I have both an InWorld gallery and a MP store. My main issue with having two places is that my paintings are one-of-a-kind. I sell one of each work, and that's all. So for me, my gallery in the artists's colony at Campbell Coast is where you can see the works on a wall, but each of them have a note to open the MP store and make your purchase there.

I could not figure out how to inventory control automatically between inworld item and MP store ... that is to say, if someone purchased it in my gallery it'd have to then show 0 available on the MP store. The down side is that when one sells from my MP store, I have to physically go to my gallery and remove it from the wall because it's no longer available.

If you sell unlimited items, then having both would most likely work in your favour, depending on the price of the storefront/land rental.

Edited February 21, 2021 by Katherine Heartsong

[Stephanie Misfit]

I have 2 stores, one on my main, one on my alt, selling completely different things. Both have marketplace and in world presence. The alt has a close to 50/50 split in sales between marketplace and in world, leaning slightly towards more sales on the marketplace but it is definitely worth keeping the inworld store for those sales. My main's store sells adult products, which is why I have an in world (adult sim) presence for that store, so that people can try them out, I think it is important as some of the items are a bit pricey. However, even though those products are displayed in world, and available to buy there, most people still seem to buy them from the marketplace. As for rental or premium fees being worth it, I am premium and own the land anyway so I don't notice the cost there, I guess it is stopping me putting out more stuff for my houses but it's not something I am currently bothered by as I have plenty of spare prims.

As for wanting to create a group for your store, I have 4 premium accounts and 3 of them are almost maxed out on groups. I consider very carefully before joining any groups now, especially those that require membership fees. There would need to be regular and high quality gifts. If having an in world store just to provide a group gift option is a main consideration, you would really want to be bringing something to the table, you are competing for precious group slots.

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Stephanie Misfit
added info

[Paul Hexem]

One thing I will say; having an in world presence, even if it's just a little 512sqm parcel with a demo rezzer on it, will instantly give you more legitimacy than your potential competitors, no matter what it is you're selling.

I always keep something moderately up to date in my picks that people can go to to see stuff I've made, so they know I'm not just some fly by night scam. Some of my best projects have been because someone said "I saw you did [thing], can I get something similar?"

[mnp2357]

I think I will probably decide against a group, but it sounds like brick and mortar could really be worth it once I have more stock. I'm going to work on making more stuff, and then maybe I will ask around about rentals. Lord knows I don't need much space, so I have that going for me, I guess lol.

Thank you everyone

And may as well plug while I'm here, I guess 0: (gotta update some pics n stuff, I know....) https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/234700

Edited February 22, 2021 by mnp2357

[Stephanie Misfit]

5 hours ago, mnp2357 said:

And may as well plug while I'm here, I guess 0: (gotta update some pics n stuff, I know....)

That's against the rules, but just a tip, you can add your marketplace store to your forum signature.

[JoJo Aurelia]

When you're fully ready to give up your social life in SL. That's when. 

[Pixieplumb Flanagan]

8 hours ago, JoJo Aurelia said:

When you're fully ready to give up your social life in SL. That's when. 

hahahahah.....oh, yeah, b*gger!!