Question about setting up Shop and Vendors

I have about 8 outfits made and im ready to set up a small rental stall somewhere. Any advice on how I should pick the location, price? I've been to alot of malls that are suppose to be high traffic..and im usually the only one walking around..can anyone make a suggestion to a good mall to try?

Also, setting up a vendor has me perplexed. When I box clothing up..i can set that box up for sale..is this in fact a vendor i can hang on the wall of a store and they can buy from it? If not, where do I pick up some? I perfer just pictures on a wall..I myself had the arrow vendors..I usually get bored and move on before i've seen everything..I perfer pictures..even the fuzzy ones sometimes catch my eye and i'll take the few minutes to let it load to see if its something I want..

set the box to sell contents, then they get a nice folder in their inventory

I'd suggest you try and do it on your own land, now that we have point-to-point teleportation. Then use the 'show in find places' land option to advertise your business. Malls tend to be laggy and you're also competing with a lot of people. The prim limits mean you can't customize your shop much too.

I only have 8 items so far...is that the best way to start out just setting up your own store? And what would you suggest on picking the land..traffic etc for it?

I've always sold way more on my own First Land than through malls. In fact, I've abandoned ALL the mall locations I've chosen (all of which were attractive, well-built locations that seemed like places I'd actually GO to) since everyone goes to the "main store" in my profile or listing anyway.

Traffic isn't an issue in Second Life buying that I've seen. People seek out places to go; your customers are unlikely to be "walk ins" and are more likely to be people who find you through the forums, classifieds, advertisements, or "Places" tab on the Find button. It's not like RL retail marketing in that respect... If I were starting out, knowing what I know now, I'd ignore malls completely, rent or buy land, and set up my own store and then market it rather than try to get into as many malls as possible.

Edited to add: I haven't really seen many malls out there that are better advertised than the average person can do with New Products in the forums, "Show in Find Places" and the resident Infohub/formerly Telehub ads anyway. Two of those are free!

Good luck, and have fun designing in Second Life! It's so awesome running into people wearing your products, or saying they enjoy what you've made. It's really worthwhile.

This is perilously close to advertising - but I've got a small mall in Dimidiata if you don't want to use the prims on your land for setting up. There's no rent per se, but a commission on sales, so no sale no cost!

If you're interested IM me sometime

Eloise brings up a good point tho, if you keep an eye out there are mall/fleamarket venues that either give vendor space away (or next to it) or some that let you setup shop for a week or 2 then they will clear out and restock to get fresh products to market

You could always rent your own parcel for a shop if you don't want to go up to premium. You also might get more traffic, if you're renting in a commercial sim.

To add: If you rent short term its a lot easier to pack up shop if you find out you're not selling enough to cover the rent, than if you're on premium and have land to sell etc..

I highly reccomend Hiro Queso

Thank you for all the advice. While I shouldn't be surprised, I am..if no one makes money from stalls..why do people have so many stores in them? Interesting to say the lease heh..

His name has come up alot..I would look him up but I already have house land through anshechung with another 1024 left i can buy and remain on the same tier...

Eloise how is that mall set up working out for you?

I should think it depends a lot on different things..

With someone new just starting out, I don't think they'd do as well in a mall as someone well established..

I didn't ever do very well in malls..

Well that makes sense I guess...I tend to be the opposite..alot of times i'll see the same stores everywhere..and when i catch one i've never seen before i'll pop in to see if they have anything new to offer...

I guess im looking for another 1024sqm and a low prim shop..

Hehe, the best shops are just platforms, very open air.. Well, they used to be.. Not sure how P2P effects this yet..

Well never mind using Anshe, smallest commerical she sells is 4sqm which tosses me into another teir anyway...i'll probably look up that other guy you suggested..

Hi Syn,

Well I don't do it for the money really, although in about 3 weeks it's paid back it's purchase price between dwell and commission on tier. You're welcome for a slot there if you want it.

I like Azure Islands, too... there you are paying rent rather than land tier, and they have some pretty nicely laid out commercial sims.

thanks alaska i'll look into that one to..

Make a big store in your land or rent land, then also when you see you are selling, rent 2 smaller stores in "high traffic" location malls (you hope), but you dont have to. Although traffic doesn't really tell you that you will sell there at all.

Pay 200 for 50-100 prims, is not that bad, (weekly) but there are many out there you pay 530L for 100 prims... (weekly) and you dont sell almost anything. Anyway hard to tell in malls since there are so many and like you said, you go to them and you are the only one there. Most "traffic" they have is because they have a club (people stay in the club location dancing mostly) or games and bingo, people usually stay in their events and locations. Once their games end everyone goes their way. But that is how they make high traffic. And designers think they can sell a lot in that "high traffic location". Of course some people do walk around and shop after events (not many). I have managed some malls and we always had events and bingo to attract people, but after the games they were gone. Also, not only that, but the Lag is terrible to stay shopping around for a long time... Many designers now put their items in www.slexchange.com. Many people do check that website and from their homes they shop. Also www.slboutique.com

Just remember now it is much easier since teleport system changed. All you need to do is having a great description of your items on the land description blank and give aways to some of your friends to advertise. They will be proud to show around what you have created and tell everyone about your designs.

Leave your name around, make a freebie outfit btw. When you have one drop one at my freebie location .... in Gallii *smile* I do it to help newbies and help promote designers more. Location is on my picks.

Make great pictures in photoshop too. Vendors are ok but pictures in big boxes are better in my opinion.

Good Luck to you.

Pal

Thanks for all the help guys. I did find this PARCEL OF 1056 IS RENTED FOR $350/WK/240 PRIMS. PAY $350 FOR ONE WEEK OR $1260 FOR 4 WEEKS..Its its own store, and while they have other stores, none of them are carbon copies of each other..this was the best deal I found..space at this moment is way more then I needed but for the price I thought it was pretty good.. Also going to set up with Eloise in her mini mall..really can't beat a commission sell