A Customer's View of Merchant Promotions

As a fledgling merchant, I look at note card promotions with an eye toward how it "hits me" as a customer and use that as a barometer of ideas for my own promotions.

Here is something I have seen happening a lot lately that just absolutely boggles my mind and wanted a bit of input from shoppers and merchants: a note card with either text, photos or both so cram full on it that just opening it makes my brain go into overload.

Decided to sit down yesterday, take some quiet time, and weed through the ton of promotions I've received but have not had time to open. First one was a shoe store that has apparently re-opened and listed (*with* photos) 111, count 'em, 111 pairs of shoes with descriptions!!! Apparently their entire stock!!!! I sat there in amazement!!!! And the card was not even laid out well or worded cleverly.

I may tend farther to the other extreme, but I personally prefer a card that lists one or at the most three items...separated by white space, enough text to explain the product so I can decide if I even want to take the time to let the texture rez (why oh why do people use 1024 x 1024 textures in a card promo???), but not so much text that it overwhelms me.

The situation I described was over the top (imo) but I'm seeing more examples of merchants apparently thinking the more items they cram on their promos, the better. At least for me...less is more!!!

I tend to agree, I prefer simplicity a fewphotos, tell me what layers is comes on or how many primsor if it is sculpted, maybe tell me a bit about the style and what it might work well with and the price.

I tend to try not to add more than three items at a time to notecards like this and for that reason I only tend to release three or so items at a time. Also i hate making up the notecards so yeah hehehee

Yup....I agree too....

Too much wordage and too many images.....I'll just delete...I wont even bother to look thru it. This reminds of when I bought my sailboat a couple years ago (gees, I can't even believe I can use the phrase 'a couple years ago' in relation to my SLife lol)......

anyway.....I opned the box for the sailboat and suddenly 50 zillion pictures of the creator and heer sailboat start popping up on the screen. I guess there was some kind of option checked to automatically view content when opening a boxed item......but I think there were probably 30 pictures if not more! And they were NOT instruction type images....they were just this chick posing on her boat....like ads......only I'd already purchased the dam thing. OMG I was so annoyed......at the time I was too new to even consider IM'img this woman and letting her know how unbelievably annoying and self absorbed her images were.......but today I most definitely would have contacted her and complained about the ridiculous images.

Point being....I agree.....overkill WILL kill......be precise and to the point. Answer the basic questions in a promo....What/Where/Why/When/How Much And keep it SIMPLE.

From a shoppers point of view I delete/reject any note cards and land marks immediately.
They maybe useful for new players but after a few months (years in my case) they just become annoying. Anyone that sends me notecards out of the blue is muted (not counting the damn spam machines at every damn place you go anymore, just people randomly spamming).

AS for promos on the item from vendors just keep it as short as possible with no pictures if possible... The pictures should be on the vendor.

I have a subcribe-o-matic which I use to update my group. Rather than sending out a notice everytime I release something I send a newsletter notecard once a month that has a description of the items released and a link to the blog post with more info.. I also add various things like the hunts etc the shop is having.

I've always wondered if I should actually bother. I made the choice not to do individual notices for each release because I get sick of the groups I'm a member of doing it and I thought this way it would reduce the spam.

I suspect though no-one actually reads it. I certainly don't see them flocking in after I send out the notecard. No one ever drops out of the group so it's certainly not irritating them that much but really I'm beginning to think I should go back to the spammy way of sending out a notice each time.

any thoughts?

I mostly release in threes - and send a note card with those pix. I try to keep it simple- enough to intrigue but not over inform.

I'm signed up to a couple of fashion groups, just so I actually DO get the sales spams, but here's some hints that will help improve interest:

1) Do not send just an LM or only a picture. People want to see what's there before they take the LM. And vice versa, people need an LM to buy what's on the picture. So put the two into one notecard, and send the notecard with the notice.

2) Try to keep it to only 2-3 items that you're selling. Pick your best. The longer the list, the more the hassle to preview them all, so it only costs you customers.

3) Try to stick to only 1 image per item. If you're selling an item in multiple colors, then and only then, you should add a second image: 1 image to show a quick overview of colors available, the second one giving a more close up view of 1 single color.

3b) On the pictures: make sure you take the pictures using a 1:1 ratio, for example 512x512, and maintain that ratio while photoshopping the image, and also (especially!) when uploading the image. The reason is very simple. SL resizes the images to a 1:1 ratio during upload, and when you send the resulting texture to potential customers, the image may turn out distorted if you used another aspect ratio during the process. Potential customers open the texture, see the too fat or too skinny models, don't bother with resizing, but just think "ugh" and discard the notecard. (other aspect ratios are actually possible, and with some regular reformatting one can still get the right results, but unless you know exactly what you're doing, stick to 512x512)

I don't mind the notices once a week or so for the new releases...like to keep informed that way. Although I did drop out of one group for continuous chat on the items released each week, people commentiing on the beautiful colors, styles, etc...I suspect some members are set up to drum up attention this way to the items...and invariably, you have one, two or three members answering back 'what sale?' and on it goes again...very irritating

The better groups will have chat turned off for most members nowadays

Don't have any of that kind of thing in my other groups, just that one

I agree with the few items listed for the most part. There is one store I am in her group update that goes a little above this, but I like her approach. Every Friday, Ivey from Sn@tch sends out a notecard with her new releases. She also puts a couple of sentences that are more personal about the design than just SL stats. Something like what made her think of it or why she chose that name. I like that approach but I have always like to hear an artist's comment on what they felt when doing their work.

The notecard also contains a block about what she has in the free and cheap areas. The riot vendor, lucky chairs, fortune teller and 7 seas fishing.

Finally, there is a block about one or two other stores on her sim. She likes to find and help new and talented designers

So all together it is really 3 notices in one card in a fun to read format. So far from all the groups and subscriptions I have been in, this is the only exception I have liked to the less is better rule, but it is the personal touch that makes it that way.

ACK!! That would have made me livid!! I was debating on contacting the merchant I mentioned, but since she doesn't know me from Adam and I never shopped there before...meh.

The caveat I would add to this is in the case of some furnishings and gadgets, there are instructions in the note card that, if not read and followed, will result in customer complaints. I'm thinking of a couple of items I have that are in two pieces and I include instructions on how to properly rez, move, and take them back in inventory in one piece/intact. I label those cards: INSTRUCTIONS - PLEASE READ!

How do you other merchants handle that?

Actually, I personally would prefer this method to a deluge of cards....and I send out cards as well as it is the only method of notification I currently know of (other than notices without cards in my own group, but even then I often attach a card with a photo so people can see if they like it).

I like the ones I've received from you

Great tips, Judith! That's the type feedback from a shopper I was hoping for.

Rhonda - I also enjoy reading what inspired someone to make a certain item. (Will keep that in mind for future promotions.) That merchant sounds like she's doing a really great job in keeping customer interest...thank you for sharing that.

I'm more of a shopper, not a merchant exactly. But this is the perfect opportunity for me to point out the trouble I have with the names of the note cards. It makes perfect sense I suppose to name a card "Instructions" when you expect it to be in a folder with the product in people's inventory.

But what drives me nuts is the note card givers dispensing cards named "Information." Information! Really? Do you know how many cards are in my inventory named "Information?" Please call it something like "Mark IV Super Single Prim Left Hand Transresistiscopitator Specifications" or something so I'll know what it's about.

I'm not complaining - this is just human nature, and I'm as guilty as the next. I get crazy when at work I receive an email entitled "Invoice." I have hundreds of emails with the subject line "Invoice," but I can barely remember to be more descriptive when I send my own out.

Anyway, it's something to think about if you don't want your note card to wind up in the trash unread.

I totally agree with you, Weston, as I ditch 99.9% of my note cards. I *do* include one with my products that simply says, "Thank You" with a thank you from me for the customer purchasing the product, letting them know if they have ANY issues with it, I will make it right, etc. Ok, that one isn't crucial if they ditch it.

What I'm trying to avoid is someone not reading the instructions card, then having 5 pieces of an unlinked set lying about and complaining that my product is defective. As another poster stated, many more experienced residents have a "feel" for if a product might be in multiple parts and proceed accordingly, but a new resident wouldn't and merchants have no clue who is buying the product.

Also, I have a friend in SL who has been here since like 2005, has no idea how to rez a box, put anything *in* a box once I talked her through rezzing one; has no idea how to start a blog (trying to think...the things she says she has no idea for the length of time she has been here just boggles me), so that would be someone who DEFINITELY would need instructions.

I suppose if I put a card in, clearly labeled in caps that it contains INSTRUCTIONS and they mess up due to not reading it, I *could* say...too bad. But...I would send a new product to them, explain the setup procedure and then perhaps from then on out they would read an instruction card.

I'm probably spending too much thought on this actually as I haven't had any complaints about this issue happening.

Notecards that are in with a product are deleted immediately unless the name of the card clearly states INSTRUCTIONS of some kind.

Notecards from a vendor on promos, new items, etc... I will at least glance at. If there are no pics, I normally toss it -- ditto if no LM -- and if there is special pricing, i like to know what the special is, not just say "on sale". I know a few stores that will do a sort of rolling previous releases section at the bottom of notecards (the most recent to the top and remove from the bottom) and that is fine with me cuz it is clearly labeled as such and so I know I can ignore it unless I was on vacation before.

Most important -- if the notecard is telling me about a special or sale that is only good for a few days or some other limited time event, then damnit tell me in the notecard when the event/sale/whatever is over.

One user agrees.

I don't mind the notecards that are simple, give a well-written synopsis on what's new at the store, and even highlight a few items complete with pictures. I don't mind these, and usually tend to read them and even go check out the new items.

But there is a huge (pun intended) difference between a weekly store flyer and a full-fledged product catalog. If a notecard looks like it's going to take longer than a minute to read, then I don't read it.

I completely agree, and I want to add to this: I try to keep a copy of instruction manuals and whatever other notecards contain valuable information on how to make the thing I bought work. But I have a hard time ever finding them again because they are named something like "Instructions" or "Please read", or something else completely non-descriptive. Worse yet, they've made the damned notecard no-mod (no-mod??? Seriously??? WHY???) so I can't even rename it myself!

PLEASE! If you are a merchant or designer and you include instructional notecards, PLEASE, for the love of all that is right and good in the world, PLEASE don't make the notecard "no-modify! Setting limited permissions on a notecard is the absolute exercise in futility, and only serves to irritate your customers!

I'm guilty of the no mod for notecards.

I suppose it's a hangover from the days when people used to go griefing with them and of course you're always named as the creator..

Create a new notecard, named with something meaningful to you. Open the original, copy all the text and paste it into your new card.

I thought no mod notecards would not let you select any text.

[ETA]
Well, yes you can. I just tried it out. Sorry for the mis-information.

I hate it when I am going through my shopping group announcements and the announcement message has something like...."I just made some new things... check the notecard". I really wish they could mention just a little more detail like they made some new shoes or some new shorts, just something to help me decide if I want to open that notecard.

As for actual notecards I agree that a short message with just a few items is one that I will pay more attention to. Some notecards have a few extra links at the bottom that show items from their previous notecards. Those are nice too.