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SL Merchants Survey
Brenda Connolly
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Join date: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 25,000
11-14-2009 06:49
This was posted across the street. Did anyone here get this survey?:

http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/general-sl-discussion/36797-pink-linden-second-life-merchant.html

From: someone
This a summary of a survey request I got from Pink Linden:

Concept 1:

Second Life-Certified Vending Machines

Unified store management, premium support and a delivery guarantee

Usage of the vending machine will allow the merchant to receive premium support for merchant activities, enable automatic listing on XStreet SL, and ensure that all items are delivered.... guaranteed. Additionally, the vending machines provide rich data reporting and business metrics.

In exchange for the use of the vending machines, Linden Lab will assess a 10-15% surcharge on all purchases.

How likely would you be to request a vending machine?

Overall, do you like the idea of the Second Life-certified vending machine?

Would this vending machine change the way you do business? Why or why not?

In exchange for the vending machine and service, Linden Lab would assess a 10-15% surcharge on all purchases. How would you rate the value of the service provided compared to the cost?

Concept 2:

Listing and Promotional Program

Cross-promote your items on XStreetSL and get Premium Classified Listings

By joining this program, any item you list for sale in-world can also be auto-listed on XStreetSL. Cross-posted items will automatically be displayed, in rotation, in a premium position as a sponsored listing in on the Classifieds page.

To participate in this program, a small surcharge will be assessed a fee 5-10 $USD for each item cross posted.

Concept 3:

Merchant Marketing Program

Tools to help you grow your business

The program would provide exclusive use of branding systems, customized store systems (such as a custom URL/SLURL and web storefront), and automatic consideration for large scale promotions. Also included is a data dashboard to enable you to track purchases in real-time. Customer service tools such as AvaLine mean that you are always able to talk with your customers.

Membership in the merchant marketing program would be available at a cost of $10-100 USD monthly, depending on sales volume.

Concept 4:

The Mall of Second Life

Free land for Second Life merchants


Linden Lab has developed an Island in Second Life that enables merchants to create their own stores as large or small as they desire. Display your creative works from shoes to houses.

In exchange for the free land and promotion of the Mall, Linden Lab will assess a 30% surcharge on all purchases.

More:

Have you placed a Classified ad (in-world) or a featured listing (xStreetSL) supporting your business?

Please indicate the approximate percentage for each of these of items that you sell in-world.
  1. Complete Avatars
  2. Hair
  3. Skins
  4. Other Avatar Parts
  5. Clothes, Jewelery, or Other Avatar Accessories
  6. Animations & Poses
  7. Animals
  8. Art
  9. Media or Media Tools (Audio, Video, Pictures)
  10. Buildings, Building Components, or Building Tools
  11. Furniture and Other Indoor Items
  12. Landscaping and Other Outdoor Items
  13. Scripts
  14. Bots or Bot Tools
  15. Games
  16. Vehicles
  17. Weapons
  18. Other Entertainment Items
  19. Other: (please specify)


Total

What percentage of your sales are items that you personally create?

Approximately what percentage of your sales are adult-oriented? (ie. sexual animations, scripted sex toys, sexual avatar organs, etc.)

Adult-oriented
Non adult-oriented

What percentage of your household income are you making selling items in-world?

Approximately how many US DOLLARS in sales do you do on in-world on a MONTHLY basis

Do you own land?
  1. Yes, a private region
  2. Yes, mainland
  3. Yes, I lease a parcel
  4. No


What is your primary reason for being in Second Life? (choose only one)
  1. Socialize – hang out with friends, make new friends, attend events
  2. Play Games
  3. Role Play
  4. Build or Design objects
  5. Run my own business
  6. Attend meetings, seminars
  7. Other (please specify)


How much time do you spend in-world in an average week?

Where do you live?
  1. North America
  2. English-speaking non-American country (UK, Australia, etc.)
  3. Non-English speaking Europe (France, Spain, etc.)
  4. Asia
  5. Central/South America
  6. Africa
  7. Middle East
  8. Other


What is your gender?

Which of following broad ranges includes your age?

What is your education level?
  1. Some high school (Secondary School)
  2. High School (Secondary School) graduate
  3. Some College/University
  4. College/University graduate
  5. Post-graduate (law, medicine, MBA)
[/b]
Ann Otoole
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Join date: 22 May 2007
Posts: 867
11-14-2009 06:51
yes. plenty of pointless discussion in the commerce forum where google doesn't go.
Ciaran Laval
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Join date: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 7,951
11-14-2009 07:03
I got the survey three times, to the same email address, they really need to sort this account business out.

LL don't have the resources or will to pull off half of what they're questioning people about and the survey points out that none of this is currently on the roadmap, take a large pinch of salt if you're taking the survey.
Brenda Connolly
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Join date: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 25,000
11-14-2009 07:05
From: Ann Otoole
yes. plenty of pointless discussion in the commerce forum where google doesn't go.

How is it being received there?...I can't bring myself to look at that abomination.
Mickey Vandeverre
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Posts: 2,542
11-14-2009 07:06
I was delighted to see it! I wish they would send more.
Ciaran Laval
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Join date: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 7,951
11-14-2009 07:07
From: Brenda Connolly
How is it being received there?...I can't bring myself to look at that abomination.


Well put it this way, The Samaritans will be making a post in there soon.
Mickey Vandeverre
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11-14-2009 07:07
From: Brenda Connolly
How is it being received there?...I can't bring myself to look at that abomination.


The usual sky is falling paranoia.
Sassy Romano
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Join date: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 619
11-14-2009 07:12
I haven't received it. I wonder how they are deciding to whom they send it?
Brenda Connolly
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11-14-2009 07:15
From: Mickey Vandeverre
The usual sky is falling paranoia.


I dunno, Mick. I see it as something of epic proportions..perhaps Biblical even. If enacted, this may mean you won't be able to sell unless you bear "The Mark of The Beast". (tm)
Deira Llanfair
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Join date: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 2,315
11-14-2009 07:18
Yes, I received it today. Apart from Concepts 1 and 4, I found all the ideas economically unworkable - good ideas maybe, but too costly for a small SL business.
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Brenda Connolly
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11-14-2009 07:19
From: Deira Llanfair
Yes, I received it today. Apart from Concept 4, I found all the ideas economically unworkable - good ideas maybe, but too costly for a small SL business.


Maybe that's the idea. :rolleyes:
Mickey Vandeverre
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11-14-2009 07:23
From: Brenda Connolly
I dunno, Mick. I see it as something of epic proportions..perhaps Biblical even. If enacted, this may mean you won't be able to sell unless you bear "The Mark of The Beast". (tm)


It just sounded like options to me. Like now - I have the option to use Xstreet or not - the option to use Classifieds or not - sounded like choices....not demands.
Brann Georgia
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Join date: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 1,441
11-14-2009 07:23
Haha, imagine such a huge mall and the lag that would entail.

I never buy from vendors. I like to see what I'm buying in 3D.

I imagine that, as with any large business, LL employs people who do nothing but sit around a table and figure out ways to get the most amount of bucks out of their customer for the least amount of effort while as a byproduct, squeeze the joy and creativity out of their venture.
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11-14-2009 07:26
O look, Pink wants to turn SL into Walmart. How predictable.
Brenda Connolly
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11-14-2009 07:26
From: Mickey Vandeverre
It just sounded like options to me. Like now - I have the option to use Xstreet or not - the option to use Classifieds or not - sounded like choices....not demands.


But will those who "choose" not to take Godfather Linden's offer be able to stay afloat..or will they wind up sleeping with the fishes.

We may have a brand new discussion to use "elitism" in...whoopee!.
Mickey Vandeverre
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11-14-2009 07:30
From: Brenda Connolly
But will those who "choose" not to take Godfather Linden's offer be able to stay afloat..or will they wind up sleeping with the fishes.

We may have a brand new discussion to use "elitism" in...whoopee!.


Well, I can't really benefit from any of it offered....and I sort of like flying solo....but the concepts did seem (if tweaked a bit) to offer an opportunity for the smaller scale merchant - and those are the ones screaming. Of course, they don't like these options either.
Sassy Romano
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Join date: 27 Feb 2008
Posts: 619
11-14-2009 07:32
Concept 1.

Existing vendor system give reporting, automatic listing on sites albeit not xstreet and as for guaranteed delivery, that should happen anyway! If the llGiveInventory was transactional or otherwise acknowledged we'd already have that. I wouldn't pay to fix a shortcoming.

Concept 2.

89% of business make less than $100 a month. This concept is just too expensive to be widespread. In my opinion.

Concept 3.

See my thoughts on Concept 2.

Concept 4.

This one has value for those starting out but once you're doing pretty well, it's cheaper to just rent land than give 30% of your income to LL for "free land"

Quick sums. A Homestead costs L$33,000 a month to rent. That would equate to a 100k income a month from the above plan and that's a pretty big shop on that homestead. Scale back accordingly.
Brenda Connolly
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11-14-2009 07:33
From: Mickey Vandeverre
Well, I can't really benefit from any of it offered....and I sort of like flying solo....but the concepts did seem (if tweaked a bit) to offer an opportunity for the smaller scale merchant - and those are the ones screaming. Of course, they don't like these options either.


A smaller scale merchant will want to give LL 30-40% of their action? Do you really think so?
Mickey Vandeverre
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11-14-2009 07:36
From: Brenda Connolly
A smaller scale merchant will want to give LL 30-40% of their action? Do you really think so?


Are you talking about the Mall concept? If I understand it correctly (the wording/phrasing was not exactly straightforward)....you would not pay for space....meaning no initial outlay of funds....you would only pay for what sold.....isn't that better for someone starting out?

ETA: about 60% of my sales go to tier. That would certainly be a better deal at 30% for me.
Raymond Figtree
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Join date: 17 May 2006
Posts: 6,256
11-14-2009 07:39
This forum is not for posting surveys, Brenda. We get a dozen of these here every week.
Dilbert Dilweg
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Join date: 27 Jun 2006
Posts: 500
11-14-2009 07:42
hehe yea i got it. And found the questions rather PREDATORY than to help Second Life be a better place. All these questions are to better their pocket rather than listen to the resident on the real Issues..
Its all about the benjamins with them anymore.

They want to know how much you make so they can find more ways to rake more cash from your pocket, While feeding you a crappy shared hosts system fr the regions :confused:
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Mickey Vandeverre
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11-14-2009 07:43
You know what bums me out?

People over at the other forum are getting in a huge twist about a Survey. They are saying they are packing up and leaving over it. I just don't get that. They have screamed and hollered for LL to listen to them. This survey asks legitimate data on what kind of merchant they are. What more do people want?
Ciaran Laval
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11-14-2009 07:46
From: Mickey Vandeverre
You know what bums me out?

People over at the other forum are getting in a huge twist about a Survey. They are saying they are packing up and leaving over it. I just don't get that. They have screamed and hollered for LL to listen to them. This survey asks legitimate data on what kind of merchant they are. What more do people want?


They want LL to listen to them, LL have an abysmal track record of listening to people so people see a survey, decide this is what is going to happen because LL don't listen anyway and they've decided they don't like what they see.

They're jumping the gun in my opinion because guaranteed delivery is simply laughable.
Brenda Connolly
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11-14-2009 07:59
From: Ciaran Laval
They want LL to listen to them, LL have an abysmal track record of listening to people so people see a survey, decide this is what is going to happen because LL don't listen anyway and they've decided they don't like what they see.

They're jumping the gun in my opinion because guaranteed delivery is simply laughable.


Yeah but they promised the Corps a "Business Friendly Mainland" (tm)
TundraFire Nightfire
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11-14-2009 08:01
From: Brenda Connolly
I dunno, Mick. I see it as something of epic proportions..perhaps Biblical even. If enacted, this may mean you won't be able to sell unless you bear "The Mark of The Beast". (tm)


I noticed a lot of mention of fees and charges associated with the concepts. My feeling is that the survey is not about how to make creators selling job easier but how LL can make a profit off our selling inworld.
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