Selling real life merchandise in SL

I appologise in advance for posting what I am sure has been covered before. In my defense though, all attempts at searching for the answer to my question in the forums has never worked for me. Search just doesn't work at all... I don't know why...

Anyway... on to my question...

How does one sell "Real life" merchandise like a music CD or Mp3 inside SL? Are we allowed? Is it possible? Is there an official delivery method?

Thanks

Zb

The laws about reselling are probably tricky - but let's assume you have right to sell whatever it is that you're thinking of selling - says its music you've made yourself so you're the copyright owner, that's the simplest thing.

Basically there isn't a good way to directly resell in SL, since CDs and mp3s won't actually load into the world.

So... you need a system where they pay you, you take their details and send the product to them. The first two of these can be automated - you ask them to pay, and when they've paid the right amount and it's checked, you ask for their address/email or whatever. You send this information out to yourself and send the item over to them IRL.

There are other ways - for an mp3 you could arrange a website with the file to download and some *secure* system to give them a password or equivalent for a single download - opening the URL directly with a suitable system to verify it's not a revisit is also a possibility, but that's obviously no good for posting a CD to them.

How much uptake you'd get I'm not sure... there's extra levels of trust in the system that you're requiring over the normal vendor systems, because there are outworld steps too, but it is technically feasible.

Thanks for your response...

Yes it is my CD that I am trying to sell so I have the copyright.

I can understand the process you outline. It sounds pretty straight forward. There is a lot I do not know about being a seller in SL. I will do more research into what that involves but only if I have a reasonable chance of this working. What tools do I need to become a vendor?

Here is what I was thinking I could do. If anyone knows of any reason why this wouldn't work, please let me know.

I could set up a shop to sell my CD. I would sell my cd for L$3600 (about $12 including shipping). For this price, the buyer would "purchase" a note card that would contain a URL to my website as well as detailed buying instructions, terms of service, return policy and any other legal poo.

The url would be to a secure web form where they would have to enter their Second Life user name (to reconcile with the SL purchase) and their mailing address. The web form lets me know I have an order. I'm assuming SL vendor tools would also lets me know that I have had a purchase and from whom. I can match the two records, confirm the exchange of L$ and send off the CD.

I don't need their credit card because the money exchanged hands in SL just like any other in-game transaction. All I need is their mailing address. With a secure web form they can feel assured their information is safe.

Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

Sounds like an idea. Lemme know if you want a partner to help build an SL ebay.