Selling by special request only

I have made a couple of things I think are exceptional, and which in fact I'm so proud of that I want to own the only copies that exist. Perhaps I'm kidding myself, but occasionally someone will ask if they can buy one and I've always said they weren't for sale.

However, times being what they are, I am not beneath prostituting myself for money. So I was wondering if anyone has ever sold items by special request, and if so, how you'd go about that.

I guess I'm looking for a method to sell "collector's items" or "limited editions". Or should I just pop them on XStreet with a high price?

don't be an idiot, give them away for free, who are you kidding?

Setting the prim and contents for sale is the easiest way. I've seen stores do this. If you sell 10 copies you need to set out 10 prim boxes.

that's the sensible answer!

Why not host a garage sale? Find someone that can host your boxes, or find someone that will let you rez your stuff on their open land, and sell the original items. Set your prices low, and maybe they'll sell....or not.

Seems XStreetSL (bah...I preferred the name SLExhange better) would be the better way to go...but maybe put them into collections of stuff. I did that in RL one time...put together all the electronic gadgets I didn't want anymore, all that would fit into a medium-sized flat-rate USPS Priority Mail box (dang it was heavy!) and sold it to the highest bidder on ebay. Was fun.

You can do what Bree said but also on Xstreet you can limit the number of copies sold if you like that option.

Hank's suggestion also works. Just sell the object itself. That way they can be sure they are buying the actual item.

I also recommend you check your object's permission settings with an alt. Maybe do a purchasing dry run to make sure everthing works and that it isn't full perm.

Thanks for the ideas, all. I hadn't realized XStreet lets you limit the number of sales. I also like the idea of selling only original contents, which means I can control how many get sold.

I suppose everyone thinks their items are "exceptional" so I appreciate that no one made fun of me for that. You're an indulgent bunch.

Are these gadgets, or art, or what?

Limited edition art is sold in SL frequently. They work best when done by well-known artists for charitable causes - e.g. Random Calliope's work for RFL. Another body of limited edition work that springs to mind is Starax sculptures.

I've never seen a limited edition gadget, but I suppose it could be done.

I'm not sure what the *value* of limited edition work is, when the creator is relatively unknown.

Here's how to do it on Xstreet fyi: https://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=21
"Available Quantity [Optional]: Note the number of items available to for sale. If availability is unlimited, leave the default [ -1 ] in this field."

Hmmm.. would there be a bug cannon in that lot, one wonders

Limited editions pixels? You've got to be kidding me. Real life limited editions exist either because they're made of special material, are extremely rare, or cannot be made by anyone else. This is a virtual platform, anyone can make anything. I can't help but giggle whenever creators put up "limited edition" items and think they've just achieved something so extraordinary and people don't even deserve to buy it. Get real.

No, actually, the bug cannon remains unique. But I have a set of wind chimes that is a replica of a hand-crafted RL item that hangs on my porch. The SL version is heavily scripted for most of its moving parts, and plays individual tones (rather than full audio clips) based on recordings I made of the real set. It isn't a tinkly chime, it's deep and resonant. The chimes react to wind speed for both audio and physical response. This is the thing that a few people have asked to buy.

The other is a detailed replica of my husband's great-aunt's oil lamp. I know lamps are a dime a dozen, so I may not even try to sell this one.

The reason I haven't sold these is because I kind of liked having the only ones and they have some special significance for me. If I do sell them, I don't want too many out there. It's just a thing I have. I could get over it.

Now the bug cannon -- I wouldn't sell a limited edition of him. Everyone should have a bug cannon.

I don't think anyone else could make the chimes.

Ah. Well, I think you should do whatever gives you the most pleasure. These are YOUR things, after all, and it is YOUR second life.

It sounds to me like you may wish others to see and appreciate these items, but you also would like to make more Lindens just now. So, perhaps give a set of wind chimes to someone who runs a popular venue where they can be seen - Isablan's place (the SL Botanical Gardens), or the Lost Garden of Apollo. Then, set the price of the chimes (and the lamp, if you wish to sell it) in your store(s) quite high.

The one hitch with this may be the scripting - if the chimes are heavily heavily scripted, they may only be appropriate in a private sim.

I currently have an item I am selling to benefit charity. It is for sale for a limited amount of time, after which it will no longer be sold. Please explain to me how this is not a limited edition?

That or they are the "limited edition" seasonal items one sees around this time of year -- "limited edition" chocolates bars, for example (i.e. we're reverting to the normal wrapping after the holidays and maybe planning to sell it in a different Christmas wrapping next year).

Limited editions are, like Ralektra says, just that. You can sell either a previously determined number of the item, or you can sell them until a previously determined date. After either, the item becomes unavailable for sale.

I suppose you could change the color/texture of the item, but that would be sort of tacky, and wouldn't win you any good graces with folks who had shelled out for the limited edition items.

Most commonly, limited edition items are sold to benefit charities. At this time of year, charity causes are a dime a dozen, and you'll see loads of stores donating their proceeds of particular items to particular charities.

That being said, I wouldn't just create a limited edition item for the heck of it. I'd want the knowledge that my hard work would go to some Real Life cause other than my personal pocket book. Yes, it would give me a good reputation from the SL community, but more than that, if I already had a reasonably successful store with which I could break even, I'd be happy knowing that my few hours of work went to help someone else in need.

Perhaps you have a very limited SL experience- there are many things out there that are jaw droppers- from tiny to huge and no- not every one can make them- because not every one shares the same vision.

See recent thread on Starax pieces

/327/e1/350890/1.html

At Burning Life, I gave away a piece of my art for free, over 600 copies were taken, do I ever expect to see even one in SL, no of course not, it's a very big place and most people may rez it once and thereafter it remains in their inventory. Someone did contact me about work because they saw the piece rezzed on a sim somewhere, but by the time i got to that sim it had gone, so i still haven't seen one in world, I have seen a couple of pictures of it on Flickr too.

I so hate purchasing a piece of art I fell in love with, only to have it sit in my inventory. I have personal 'mini-galleries' on my small land holdings, usually attached to my house in some way, that host my art. I rotate it regularly so I can see and enjoy the items and not have them sit in inventory. I also have them here and there where I can sneak them in on the public areas of my sim, like decorating the public changing rooms, and the service center. I have several pieces of Lexxi's art there (I love her deep, primary colors) and I also have hers and Ghosty's, in one of my little mini-galleries. Buying it because you loved it, only to sit in inventory is just so sad. I do rotate them out though as don't have unlimited space.

ETA: I recently participated in a SL tour for a convent, about 20 nuns were in RL, and one of them, who is a SL resident conducted the tour by a projector screen, projecting SL. My sim was included in their tour, and one of the things they loved most was the art, both in our gallery and dropped in other places, including my house.

I'd dig deep, even pull out the plastic to get enough lindens to own one, but I know there is mostly no chance of ever even finding one.

Have you ever seen Sister Wendy Beckett? She's really awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pJsyXM0uVI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Beckett

Sell your exceptional work only to those who ask to buy it, that's GOT to be a limited number.