Offering services on SLX - I'm so not understanding this

I'm trying to do whats right and not break any TOS. I can't seem to understand if I'm right or wrong here.

The SLX TOS states;
"Non-Item Listings. Using our Marketplace to advertise Events, Land sales/rentals, Places, or for information only, is not allowed. You may post an announcement in the Classified Section of our Forums or you may purchase Banner Advertising if you wish to market things of this nature on SL Exchange."

If your advertising a service should you do it by selling some item and including the information/landmark with it?

When it says, "Places, or for information only" is that places and information not pertaining to a service? For instance if someone is just having a party or something and not an ongoing service?

I did just a quick search to try to understand and saw items; 607798, 487145, 477533, 474537 it goes on and on, all services. Are they doing something different than I am?

Why do I get the feeling like they are pushing banner advertising and hoping to use the existing TOS to support it when it's very unclear why someone offering a service should not be able to do so?

Is it just me? Anyone else not understanding? I hate 'grey areas' 'unwritten laws' or 'rules written between the lines'.

Wow, sorry, no help from me....I agree, it's not just you, it sounds very confusing. I too, hate it when there are the so called grey areas or more than one interpretation. It would be so simple to just state these sorts of things in black & white---leads me to believe that perhaps it could be intentional for whatever reason they deem necessary....Good luck.
Ashe

I think the key word is "ONLY"

I believe if you are selling a service that consumers may pay for through SLX, there is not a problem (becuase they are receiving a commission). But if you are driving traffic to a site in-world without an opportunity for SLX to make a commission, then they are not allowing it.

You ARE selling something - your 'item' is a service. I know we pay taxes here on services rendered, not just physical things. What's the worst thing that can happen? They may ask you to take down your ad, but I don't think they'll ban you or anything.

Hopefully someone else will comment who knows for sure.

It seems pretty simple to me.

- SLX doesn't want to become a venue for free advertising
- Therefore SLX listings are limited only to tangible objects which can be delivered in-world - anything else would need to be examined for merit on a case-by-case basis
- Of course they want people to buy banner ads, banner ads make them money while fake listings that merely advertise some service generate no commission and make no money, and are taking advantage of the nature of SLX in that listings themselves are free
- The listings you, err, listed, are breaking the rules and just haven't been noticed yet

Perhaps there's a way to make it work, but I really don't think SLX is intentionally being evil or difficult here. They just drew a line in order to avoid needing to weed through thousands of listings of intangible services looking for the ones that are just taking advantage of free advertising. I wish you luck, but I can understand SLX's reluctance to "go there"

I agree with what Anti says here.

And think of it from the consumer's perspective. I would be extremely frustrated if I the search engine in SLX started to be choked with people providing services, when I'm looking for items to purchase. For example, I'm just looking for plants and garden supplies, and have to wade through a bunch of landscapers' ads that come up. Or, I want to buy furniture, and all I can find is decorators. I'd stop shopping there.

It would be cool if they provided a special section so that shoppers could specifically query services, or rentals, etc. But that's up to SLX to decide whether they want to put the resources into it.

I agree that, whatever SLX is doing, is fine with me. I just want to be clear about what I should be doing.

They have a section for services, if those advertising such are kept there then I don't see a 'cluttering' of other sections.

I'm glad it's not just me that find it difficult to understand.

You could always sell a certificate that entitled the owner to a package deal on a wedding, including .... "you fill in this space".

Make it transferrable so someone could buy a certificate and give it to their friend to help pay for a wedding.

It might be useful to ask in the SLExchange forums.

I'm guessing this is what I should do, I've been asking and asking in the SLX forums for help and I'm finding they are even more vague about explaining the TOS than it is already. I'm guessing selling a "Wedding Package" a prim which had obscure items and information about my service would be inline with the TOS... *shakes head*

And this was the not-so-fine-in-fact-quite-clear print that I got a warning for, since I had a landmark by itself in a box, given that I had moved and wanted to let old customers know by any means possible.

Basically, it's fine to enclose a landmark with the items (I'd like to see 'em stop us) and it's fine to put your shop location in the item description. It's also great to put your location in your profile.. just can't give out landmarks by itself. This is what I was told, at least.

So, if you want people to contact you, offer a few freebies that are tied to what you do and include the notecard/landmark in the box.

Yes, they are pushing the banners.. which oddly enough I don't see given that I'm using Firefox with an adblocker. I'm soooo not going to spend the money I can't see.