Introducing T Linden. What would you do to improve Premium subscriptions?

The stipend is the single most valuable feature of the Premium package. If you reduce or remove the Premium stipend, any other added benefits will be seen as smoke and mirrors.

If any "improvements" to Premium accounts involve reducing the stipend or the free tier, you will get a reaction similar to that from M. Linden's "compromise" on Openspace sims--the one that resulted in a worse deal than the original proposal.

We are not stupid. Don't treat us like we are. Linden Lab lost a huge amount of customer goodwill over the Openspace debacle. Do you really want to do that again?

I challenge you to commit here and now that Linden Lab will not change the Premium account in any way that either reduces the stipends or reduces the "free" Premium tier.

Honestly, I'm spending more time reading the blog these weeks than being actually online...

I joined SL more than 1.5 years ago, I "own" land, I pay tier, but I have NEVER EVER felt the need of having a premium account. The only benefit it seemed was the so called "life support", which as far as I got to hear was not so much a support as maybe expected.

Quite frankly what has happened here in the last few weeks has disappointed me immensely. I cannot think of anything that would make me decide to become a Premium Member, as I am still struggling to leave this virtual world for good. Real Life is hard enough for most of us at the moment, I myself don't feel any need to put up with things that upset me in my free time also.
As like many others, what keeps me logging in every now and then are my friends that I have met here. Apart from that I have lost all interest in it.

So sad.

Btw, I wasn't even affected by the OS issue as I don't have one. Just watching how residents are being treated was enough.

Love #7 idea. Yeah make all the Bots to be run on Premium accouts. So they pay for the resources the consume.

Fix the new resident purchase system so that going premium doesnt blast all ability to buy L$ for a few days. The premium cost should not count against the buy limit for L$.

The reason I say this is I have run into a ton of new residents that go premium with the intention of buying land only to find out they have to wait several days to a week to be able to get enough L$ to buy the land that was the whole reason they went premium in the first place! Many of them have soured on the whole idea before their buy limit raises enough.

Premmies could have the word 'Saint' in front of their names !!!

Some random suggestions for perks for premium account holders that don't 'cost' LL:

A lot of people use 'alts' and I often see people login/out just to transfer L$ or transfer an inventory item. Also, the fact people have 5 'accounts' (or 300 if using bots), is kind of weird. There are probably not a lot of people having multiple premiums.
So my main suggestion is making the 'premium account' kind of an 'amalgamated' account option, where people can have a bundling of their multiple accounts.
So a premium account allows you to manage/join other accounts onto one big account/avatar management page.

1. Multiple avatars 'names' per account, on one account mgmt. page with:
- option to share/transfer L$. Combined L$ amount etc.
- option to join/accept/decline/remove groups.
- option to transfer L$ to other residents
- option to share or transfer tier (?)
- option to list and transfer inventory items to other avatars outside of SL
- option to backup/restore full perms or creator items
2. Larger IM 'cap' and keep IMs until specific IM window is closed, (even surviving login/outs).
3. Set your own last name.
4. Access to a premium 'library', with useful content.
5. 'bonus' on search ranking..
6. Improved caps on quantifiable stuff: groups, picks, events, transaction history etc.
7. Premium tier bonus. (= group bonus without the hassle...)
8. Option to 'show as offline' (= not busy, and not invisible in world either)

This.
Put us all on an equal playing field. Please don't gimp 'basic' accounts with ads or reduced abilities just to make premium accounts worthwhile.

It seems that because of the stipend, it will be really difficult to add to premium accounts in a way that matters. Stipend and free tier can't be increased because it reduces the profit LL gain from premiums. And these two things are what's most important generally, right? Money and land? If they get 1024 free tier per year, or an extra 100L in stipends per year, or whatever... after so many years, LL will be losing money on these accounts. Apparently they already do lose money on the old 500L stipend accounts that pay by the year. It's only small, but it adds up.
You have to consider this when you ask 'more stipend plz!'

Most of the suggestions I've seen here are adding things to Premium accounts; not taking away anything from a Basic account.



That's because the thread is Linden Lab asking what they can do to make Premium accounts more desirable.

1) The stipend is not free. We pay for it.

2) Who here thinks that this will be one of the only posts that is passed on to Linden Lab upper management?

and in a few days the thread will be closed and all will be thanked for their wonderful help and This is how its gonna be

anytime you add to the premium acct you take away from the basic acct.

Okay, I've read all 15 (so far) pages, ang I've seen a lot of great ideas. I'm sure I've forgotten some, but here's what stuck/would be most useful for me as a Premium member.

I went Premium this past June for two reasons - to own mainland, and to support LL.

* Count me in with those who would prefer to see more tier steps/granulated tier. It doesn't affect me personally, but among those I know it's a huge impediment to owning more land.

* I'd like to see an increase in free tier for Premium residents, possibly annual increases. As soon as you become Premium, you get 512. When you start Year 2, it goes up to 1024. Maybe at Year 5, free tier increases to 1536 or 2048. It wouldn't have to jump EVERY year - but for me personally it would be an incredible incentive to remain Premium.

* I'd love to see the stipend increased, but I don't know how possible it is. (Re: your stipend question - I like to see that L$300 every week, but it doesn't stop me from buying L$ when I can. So no, it's not saving me a trip to the ATM. But I'd be really sorry to see it go!)

Especially if increasing the stipend isn't an option, a birthday bonus would sure be a nice touch. Just a little something to say, "Your continued membership is important to us." Even if you didn't really mean it...

* Finally, I'd be thrilled if my Premium membership included the ability to make prims larger than 10x10x10. (Micros, too, I guess, but I don't work with them, so...) I have and use some of the mega prim packs made during the recent window, but to be able to make my own would be really great, even if they were still somewhat limited in size.


There were some other options that looked good, too - increased group limits, Classified listing bonus, inventory backup, better alt management - but it's the land and the L$ that currently make Premium membership valuable to me. (But if you're going in a different direction, I may be willing to be persuaded.)

Just another vote in favor in increasing Group limits for Premium members. I'm starting to bump up against my 25 limit and figuring out which ones I'll need to dispose of if I find something else I want/need to join. Since Premium memberships are a fraction of the larger userbase, it shouldn't be a huge strain on the system to up the Group limits for those who choose to pay for the infrastructure.

Nudging up the stipends would be nifty, too. Getting rid of them would be a HUGE mistake.

Technical support that's actually, ya know, supportive would be a big help.

I'd really suggest that whatever add-ons be more along the lines of what you get with Basic only more/cooler/faster, rather than things that would divide people into haves and have-nots. I'd definitely advise against taking anything away from Basic accounts as they stand in order to give them to Premium members.

T Linden is reading this thread, I'd say he counts, and what's more, he's the one who can make a difference.

I see lots of outstanding suggestions here, and I think it's interesting that many of you do seem to agree on a number of things you would like to see to improve Premium accounts.

Thanks for so many great ideas and comments.

Personally, I find the stipend to be the *least* desirable aspect of being Premium. Instead of paying $72 USD per year and getting most of it doled back out to me like a Christmas Club account in reverse, I can get better value for my money by simply purchasing L$ on Lindex, when and IF I need them. 99% of the time, I only sell L$, earned from my in-world business efforts. So having even more L$ coming in just means I have to turn around and sell those too! Or drown in them... I'd just as soon keep the cash in my purse.

I rather like the idea that someone who already owns a full sim should be able to buy Homestead sims at $95 per month, but that someone who owns no sims at all could pay a little extra, $125 per month, for a stand-alone Homestead that they own in their own name, with no landlord but LL.

This only is true if your accounting ignores these facts:

1) Linden Lab prints L$. They can make as many as they want. It costs them nothing.

2) Premium account holders pay tier--in US$.

Now, I guess it might be possible that LL has structured its internal accounting such that L$ stipends paid to Premium accounts are booked as an expense to one cost center, and the US$s paid in Tier are booked as income to a different cost center. Thus, on paper, Premium accounts are shown as somehow "costing" the company money.

But that would be really stupid.

My votes go for: -

* Let even basic users buy land, no free tier though. Get people hooked on land and your revenue will increase. The barrier to owning is too high.

For premium: -

* Get at least 1024 free tier.
* Better graduation of the tier structure - not doubling of sizes, go up by 512's or 1024s.
* Free texture/anim uploads.
* Continue the great live chat support.
* Equalise stipend for everyone, the amount is not that crucial, L$500 would be nice L$300 should be the minimum. If stipend had to be abolished to make tier better then that would be fine with me.
* Homesteads should be able to be purchased without buying a full prim island first.

Yes, but if LL can put together a string of posts like this, they will say "the COMMUNITY wants stipends eliminated in favor of a SL vanity email address", and keep then Premium price the same.

It's that "loss of trust and goodwill" thing I was talking about earlier.



You are in a minority. Only a small percentage of SL users are active creators. Most are consumers. If LL reduces the money going to consumers, it will reduce the money ending up in the hands of creators. You won't have to worry about drowning in L$.

I disagree. By that logic the fact that Premium accounts exist takes away from the Basic accounts. I don't understand what's wrong with people paying more to get extra services and benefits.

this is why LL either has to charge for all or free for all unless they want a class structure in SL.... make all equal, and ewither charge or make all free, perhaps they want it to be a us vs them, who knows?

Carl, Ive been on both sides and now Im basic but I dont want to see SL seperated by class.

Like lots other people have already mentioned I'd like to see:

1) 1024m bonus tier (up from 512m) after 1 year. 2048m after 2 years.

2) Or, if this is not possible then more graduated tier. Is a big jump for ordinary people to go from $15 to $25 and then to $40. On top of the membership fee, this is quite alot each month for people who are not here SL to run a business. Who just want to make a home for themselves at an affordable (to them) price. Because on top of this amount, we also have to find the RL money to buy linden dollars to spend inworld.

I'm grateful for the 300L allowance I get each week, but when I pay 1390L for a skin then umm! well 5 weeks is a a long time between visits to the beauty parlor if I have to save it up. The new Homesteads are a move in the right direction I think, but they are a bit more than what I can afford. I like to get my hair done as often as I can as well and new shoes and clothes and ... well you know =)

So I think that what I'm really saying is I only got so much RL money and I happy to spend it. I'd just like to be able to spread it around a bit more I think. Make it go a little bit further. Like all good shoppers I suppose =)

3) free secondlife email for my avatar. I dont see why hotmail or gmail or whoever should get my adclick revenue when I would rather give it to LL if I could. My avatar is developing a net presence beyond SL not just in other 3D-worlds but 2D ones also. An email is what is tying it all together. Is not something that I (or many others I think) planned to do. Its just something thats happening as I go. As I think it is for lots other people.

4) As a way of rewarding longtime premium members and helping to defrag the mainland, LL could build a residential-only zoned mainland continent and then offer to relocate homemakers from existing mainland as parcels on the new mainland continent become available. As the worst-fragged mainland sims empty of residential-type builds (mostly derelict now as their owners don't come anymore to their homes to play because of all the rubbish around them) then they can be re-designated as sandbox sims where any kind of building is permitted, because there is also a need for this activity. I would be quite happy to own a parcel in both kinds. A home in a residential region and a plot in a sandbox sim.

And maybe one day a small shop on a street in a nice little town designated commercial. And I dont mind if next to my shop there was a sign advertising someone else's business. Is a shopping centre and I'm there to shop for other peoples stuff as well. So well-designed ads and billboards are going to attract my attention (as they do in any world) and when done well then my money also.

Thanks for the chance to have my say. ciao

At first: welcome T.

I support the most of the ideas so far and would like to see them very soon established. Just for not only feeling Premium, but being literal and really a Premium.

Also the Premium idea can be used to fix some things... LL talks often about useful bots. I am 2 years in game and never needed a bot. They're only trampling on the nerves of the community. But if there are needs for running bots, let them pay the premium fees. This would shrink the number of bots wich are useless and only causing troubles by eating capacities and faking traffic. It is also not nice to meet bots... - they are hanging around everywhere as kind of bot gangs, dead zombies, not able and not willing to talk and interact, hahaha. LL should kick them technically, by TOS, or even by an obligation to pay for their existence...

All in all, a Premium should have a bundle of real benefits. Pointing on tier, stipends, uploads, bonus, technical comfort, support.

Thanks

One size does not fit all. I like choices.

Given SL's recent history, I would suggest that the idea that they are going to give premium members more free tier or increase the stipend ludicrous. I expect that they are going to eliminate the stipend, and will give some silly perk(s) in return, that most of us won't really need or use. An increase in premium pricing is also a possibility.

I doubt that they will eliminate the free 512, as that spurs folks to buy larger parcels on the mainland once they realize that 512 is woefully inadequate. If you really look at it, the only break you get tier wise (unless you stick with only 512) is the 1536, which is a nice size for a homestead, but usually an odd shape. Best would be if they could give something similiar for the 2048, which is easier to work with.

Most likely the decision has already been made, and the announcement will follow as soon as this thread is closed with a polite thanks for all of the great ideas.

Sorry to be so negative, but the real world is what manages SL, and that world follows the bottom line.

that's your choice, you know mine

premium account holders should look better?!