demanding scripts or freebies

I just opened my store. Well, its been open but now it has its grand opening. I've busted my lil avie butt trying to make things and have had help from people along the way, which I am very grateful.

But ever since the store opened, I have had on numerous occasions people come demanding different things. Not asking but demanding.

asshat 1: "I want a copy of the scripts you use for poses."
me: "go to the forums and look in the scripting library."
asshat 1: "why should I do that when you have it right here."
me: "Because I had to do that, why not you"

no that is not chat log its an example. Here's another one:
asshat 2: " I am broke. You have a nice store. Give me that furniture set so I can put it out in my house, please." *this one did have manners, he said please.
me: "ummm...no"


the best was...

asshat 3: "I am broke. You must be rich. Can I have 100 bucks so I can buy blah blah?" *ok this one did ask*
me: "oh sorry to hear that, but you know what I am broke too. Sorry can't help you."
asshat 3: "You are lying. You are rich. Give me some money."

Is it me or does this happen to everyone that owns a store?

"Mute". It's not just for TVs any more.



Edit: Sorry, my coffee-less sarcasm is showing. Actually what you're describing has been very common in MMOGs since the MUD days. I can't count the times in UOL or EQ or SWG (etc etc, I'm a geek) when I achieved high level and economic excess, and had beggars approaching me in banks or shops wanting money or items.

Sometimes they have a sob story. Usually it's a crock, but sometimes it's believable. If they can appeal to my soft side I might help them.

Usually, however, they have the verbal skills of a rhesus monkey (close race there) and end up on my /ignore list in roughly 3 minutes flat.

It also happens in RL though. I was on a company task force, out of town for 2 months last summer. Our corporate HQ was in a downtown area, and when we left work late at night, we would often be accosted by beggars. One scruffy, sad-looking woman convinced me that her car had run out of gas and she had to get home to her kids. I gave her $2. When I got to the parking garage, I saw her talking to a drug dealer on the next corner.

You just never know. We need a "Mute" in real life.

Cindy

Beggars, assholes and lazy people are in RL and in online 'games'. SL is no different. And no, its not just you getting those kinds of requests.

LOL Cindy

there is B.C.-before coffee.

Oh yeah I am aware of mute. Of course, I like to play with them a little bit. I'm not broke but I'll tell them things just to throw them off.

When it first started happening, I thought...oh great there's a leak in the Teen Grid..they are spilling through. LOL

I guess I didn't have too much of that "random" begging before when I didn't own a store, but it just seemed to increase a lot since then.

I hope they tested that feature thoroughly.


Because now you're more visible. You're no longer anonymous. Now you get a peek at why the Don Trumps and Jodie Fosters of the world pay money for security and are not easily accessible.

Don't let it stop you from doing your thing in SL, though. Part of me envies your success (hopefully I'll get there before long) and part of me wonders if I'm not happier with my little bit of land, a few good friends, and free time to party

Cindy

Haha, funny stuff, Blayze. Unfortunately, there will always be beggars out there who either think like owes them one or that they can get whatever they want if they just pester enough people. In SL as in RL if these people would put half the effort they expend panhandling into doing actual work, they'd probably cure cancer.

Also, there are those who view SL as an RPG, and play a role. These people are totally harmless, and sometimes quite entertaining. I used to know someone who had a goal to become SL's most prolific hobo. He thought he could achieve fame by going around begging every land owner for whatever they had. Haven't seen him in well over a year, so I guess it didn't work out for him, but it was an amusing idea.

There is also a tiny but highly vocal minority in SL of chronic complainers. If these people target you, consider it a compliment. It means you're doing something right, which is what their jealous egos can't stand. They'll call you "content baron" or "land baron" or whatever other type of "baron" they can think of once they discover you've done something they're incapable of doing. You'd be suprised how little it takes to set them off.

Anyway, to answer your question, I'm sure this happens to every store owner to a degree. I've had people here and there insist on discounts or freebies because they are poor. One guy I can remember came back every day for about a week just to bug me about lowering my prices for him. Most commonly though, I get this:

Asshat: "Hey, where'd you get all these textures?"
Chosen: "I made them."
Asshat: "Really? Lemme have them."

I get this at least 3 or 4 times a week. It always makes me laugh. I don't know what's funnier, the fact that they never dreamed someone would make their own textures instead of ripping them off the web, or the the fact that they expect me to just give them away.

Nah, its not you. I think it happens to just about anyone who owns a moderately successful buisness. About once a week, I get the "Can I 'borrow' $100."

My advice is - if its an aquaintence or a friend - use your judgement. If its someone you don't know from adam, its somewhat rude of them to ask - and I wouldn't reply - just close the IM and let it go.

If they're in your face, and not IM - politely decline, and suggest to them they go visit a free money machine at a club. It shouldn't be too hard to find one these days

Well I close their IM but get their profile up and just minimize it.

That way if they get ticked at me ignoring them or talking back to them and they decide to neg me, I can neg them right back from their profile Luckily, it hasn't happened yet.

You know, and this is probably asking for trouble, but I can't remember once, not even a single time, ever having this happen to me. I've given things to a few people but they've never asked or demanded for them.

I guess I've been lucky in that regard if it's happening so much to others.

Hmm, interesting. I always get "Hey your thing is really cool but I don't have enough money can i have it for a lower price?" Which is initially a bit insulting but which is now just annoying. Haven't been asked for loans quite yet. Templar Financing?

Moopf, considering your store is right next to mine, thats great. I must give them a hard enough time that they decide to just leave you alone

Let me add that a little begging that is let go when refused is one thing. Lately our store however has fallen victem to those beggars who feel the need to become abusive when they are refused whatever they were begging for.

Example
2 of our family members who happen to be gay were sitting on a cuddle cushion talking. AV walks across them repeatedly and demands 10L. When he is refused he begins to verbally assualt them for being gay.

ok yes this is abuse reported as are those that feel the need to shoot or drop C4. But it is an increasing problem lately that a polite refusal leads to some sort of assault and this is what has me VERY concerned.

Well, I've had stores all over the place since January last year so I'm genuinely suprised that this hasn't happened to me once in all that time. Maybe it's because I'm generally building somewhere else, rather than being "in" the store. I dunno.

Gawd... what a bunch of chumps.
"I want a copy of ______"?
"You are lying, you must be rich, give me money"

Even if I were handing out things for free wouldn't share anything with someone so childish and rude.

beggar: Nice Textures!
Me: Thanks!
beggar:I'm broke, but I'd love to use them to do my house - can I have them?
Me:Well they took a lot of work to make, I wouldn't want to just give them away. I'll be glad to teach you a few hours of Photoshop so you can make your own just like them!
beggar:@#$#$@ *poof*




- Newfie

If they were really broke, they couldn't afford to neg rate you. Besides, I'd never neg rate you even though you did call me asshat #3 and don't appreciate you posting our chat logs.

Congrats on the new store.

Beggars, lazies and jerks! Oh my!

Yes, those creatures inhabit every form of game there is, not just MMORPG's. They don't want to do the work and feel the rest of us ought to give them what they want.

My list of don'ts, which I thought about putting in my profile:

1. I don't lend money to strangers.
2. I don't give items to strangers, unless I got 'em for free myself.
3. Don't be rude or curse at me if I follow the first two, since I am protecting my hard work and the hard work of others.

I get this crap occassionally. I have trouble imagining how their parents raised them. I keep getting these images of a dilapidated barn or a dank cave... I also have to wonder what, if anything, people like this understand about upload costs, tier, etc, or if some of them would care if they knew. Sad stuff.

I have had some really good experiences with others that might say "I love your (insert item or texture or garment here). I can't afford it, & wish I knew how to make it.... *sigh*" , followed by a display of the Puss in Boots giant kitty eyes... lol I suppose the desire to learn & be industrious impresses me. I have tutored some lovely people that I've met this way.

When someone asks me for free money or a loan I just reply "no thanks" and I have yet to hear a response from the requestor.

Blayze,
Tell these people you will give them what they want but they must perfrom a task for you. Tell them they must stand put, in one spot no movement for 4 hours on your land.

Most of the time they just leave after 5 minutes.

With that said, I give merchandise to many newbies when I'm feel generous. Alot of them have turned into steady customers.

I have this one beggar who alwasy IM's me for $10 to upload a texture. Im out $40 .. i fell for it which I know is dumb. I dont know them at all. The last time he IM'd my friends also and asked them.

This is a make it up in volume beggar I suppose.

yeah, kool, but I told you we would work the repayment in trade *wink wink*. LOL

Beau, you are right, I never have a problem giving people things. I think the problem is that they demand it from me, instead of ask. Its almost like its expected of me to give it.

I get this a lot. Even more so when I am at my house then when I had my store.

First time they ask, I politely remind them that there are many ways to make money in SL and they should pick one.

Second time they ask I ask I tell them to f-off.

Third and subsequent times I ...... (oops, can't say. the TOS police will get on their high horses).

Nobody asks me for free goods or money because everyone knows I'm broke.

I just give them a landmark to Yadni's