I believe these numbers are grossly skewed toward making Linden Lab look good and to a person reading between the lines it seems obvious that Linden Lab is doing it's best to shine up for a big sell out to some corporation. AOLSecondLIfe here we come??? Well, I left AOL when it became so family friendly and dumbed down that it was no longer enjoyable to a thinking adult. For the most part thinking adults and teens with internet access (geek or otherwise) are usually the first comers to any online concept and it's aparrent to me that Linden Lab is no longer interested in courting those first comers in the interests of the almighty dollar. The actions of the company continue to drive the oldbies that made second life so viable and popular away in veritable droves. I know personally of at least a dozen creators who left SL for the hopes of other grids in the last month alone. It is the behavior of Linden Lab, I believe, which is cutting down the most on consumer spending in second life. I personally have spent over the last five years of my Second Life existence in various avatars a monthly average of 200 dollars a month (that's real us dollars people) and I know many others who have spent as much or more.
I do also believe that many creators are operating on greed and pricing their items way too high for the current real world economy. Bear in mind that most people still equate 200l to 200 dollars at first and would never think of spending 200 dollars on a pair of jeans or a dress. It takes time to have it sink in that 200l is actuall about 2 us bucks and therefore not that big of a deal. However, I have had people tell me that they can't justify spending so much real world money in sl when they have kids, books to buy, rent to pay etc etc and therefore we the creators must accomodate that. Nothing in my shop is more than 200l and the one 200l item in there is a complete outfit including shoes and several pieces. I am a small shop owner and only been around for about six months but I have no problem supporting what is to me still a hobby. Creators who want 2k for one pair of shoes or one dress or one necklace are the ones making a mistake. I'm not saying the item isn't worth that, I have no way to judge the time and effort than went into the creation of the piece and would never tell anyone how to price their time - however, people are less likely to pay 4 dollars us for an item in world these days when that same 4 bucks can buy some hamburger for dinner. Bear in mind, after all, that these items are only virtual and all that they own for their 4 bucks is an idea, not to mention that with the losses of inventory i'm hearing about right and left, people are less willing to pay for an idea. Sorry those are the breaks.
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The Second Life Economy in Q3 2010
in Featured News
A group blog by Secondlife in General
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I believe these numbers are grossly skewed toward making Linden Lab look good and to a person reading between the lines it seems obvious that Linden Lab is doing it's best to shine up for a big sell out to some corporation. AOLSecondLIfe here we come??? Well, I left AOL when it became so family friendly and dumbed down that it was no longer enjoyable to a thinking adult. For the most part thinking adults and teens with internet access (geek or otherwise) are usually the first comers to any online concept and it's aparrent to me that Linden Lab is no longer interested in courting those first comers in the interests of the almighty dollar. The actions of the company continue to drive the oldbies that made second life so viable and popular away in veritable droves. I know personally of at least a dozen creators who left SL for the hopes of other grids in the last month alone. It is the behavior of Linden Lab, I believe, which is cutting down the most on consumer spending in second life. I personally have spent over the last five years of my Second Life existence in various avatars a monthly average of 200 dollars a month (that's real us dollars people) and I know many others who have spent as much or more.
I do also believe that many creators are operating on greed and pricing their items way too high for the current real world economy. Bear in mind that most people still equate 200l to 200 dollars at first and would never think of spending 200 dollars on a pair of jeans or a dress. It takes time to have it sink in that 200l is actuall about 2 us bucks and therefore not that big of a deal. However, I have had people tell me that they can't justify spending so much real world money in sl when they have kids, books to buy, rent to pay etc etc and therefore we the creators must accomodate that. Nothing in my shop is more than 200l and the one 200l item in there is a complete outfit including shoes and several pieces. I am a small shop owner and only been around for about six months but I have no problem supporting what is to me still a hobby. Creators who want 2k for one pair of shoes or one dress or one necklace are the ones making a mistake. I'm not saying the item isn't worth that, I have no way to judge the time and effort than went into the creation of the piece and would never tell anyone how to price their time - however, people are less likely to pay 4 dollars us for an item in world these days when that same 4 bucks can buy some hamburger for dinner. Bear in mind, after all, that these items are only virtual and all that they own for their 4 bucks is an idea, not to mention that with the losses of inventory i'm hearing about right and left, people are less willing to pay for an idea. Sorry those are the breaks.