SLBoutique and SLExchange

Are these sites safe to use? Any advice about using them? I've found items there and then tried to find them in-world without any luck.

Thanks!

Both are excellent places to do business

Try using their websites. www.slboutique.com and www.slexchange.com

I've used both for some time to sell my items and whenever I have a problem, I simply email their support and it's taken care of. Plus, it's a great way to go browsing for items when SL is down.

Edit: I hate HTML.

Don't know about SLBoutique but SLExchange is a GREAT way to search for items you wish to purchase. I found a great builder through SLEx. I bought a gorgeous prefab house from him, he actually helped me set it up since I am so clueless and made a modification for a very reasonable fee!! All during this time he was cheerful, pleasant and a joy to be with. Thank you Scorpio!!!! Its a great way to look for items w/o having to weed through all the sex/gambling stuff on SL search.

Both sites have always been totally safe to use.

I particularly enjoy SLExchange.

coco

I use both for my furniture & lighting. They work well. Personally I prefer the way SLBoutique works for adding items - I find it quicker. (although this may be because I get most of my sales through SLB and only a few in comparison through SLE)

I've bought merchandise on both sites and been very happy with the ease of use and service. Currently I'm listing products for sale on both as well, with just as much satisfaction.

I recommend them both without reservation.

And, when you just gotta shop, they're so much easier to sneak onto from work!

SLboutique was created by a Second Life resident who has been around forever and has a solid reputation as an honest person. I've never had any problems with the site.

What's great about them is that you're not charged anything at all to post your products on the site until someone actually buys something from you and then a very small percentage of that sale goes to the site.

one stop shopping, works for me

No... SLB has no fees for sellers or buyers. It's free.

SLB no longer has any fees for anything. However, I have had more technical issues with them.

Each site is set up differently, and has a different look about it, so it kind of depends on personal preference. Or use both! But don't worry about getting taken, or anything, that just isn't going to happen. They are a fun and useful adjunct to inworld shopping.

coco

ah right I forgot they changed that, sorry

I use both, they're both good. I'd like it if SLB had a downloadable sales file though. Or one that I could see.

Yes, both are good and reliable. From a seller perspective, between the two of them I actually prefer SLExchange, because

1) for the things I am selling, 5 people are buying on SLE for every one buying through SLB. No idea why SLE is that more popular ...

2) SLE can work with multiple vendor boxes. I recently moved the box between sims. This was no problem in SLE, while on SLB I lost all descriptions on the website (and still need to set everything up again there).

Funny you should mention that... I had the exact opposite happen to me. Moved my SLE & SLB vendor boxes to a different sim and the SLE ones went belly up but the SLB stayed running happily..... more than likely we were both just hit by SL being crap rather than SLE or SLB.

OK, thanks for all the feedback! If I read correctly they're both good and safe Now I'll figure out how to use them and shop until I drop...

...my Linden balance

I use both services and they always worked well for me. I think sales are much better on SLX, then SLB because i used both for my wares about 1 year and never made 1 sale from SLB. However, my SLX business was booming. SLB is still fun to use as a alternative in case you can't find what you want from SLX.

Similarly, I had a disaster that derezzed my store, vendors, everything. I simply re-rezzed a backup of my SLExchange box, expecting to have to redo everything and was pleasantly surprised that everything was still working fine.

I guess YMMV.

Seems that you're making the same experience that I am making.

Out of curiosity, is there anyone out there selling through both SLB and SLE who isn't selling more on SLE?

I have sold on both for a year and a half or so; I sell much more on SLExchange.

My experience when I moved my vendor boxes is that they both went back online, no problem.

I just recently started selling on both to supplement my in-world business, and I sell more on SLB than on SLX. I think it has something to do with the way their search function works differently (not as well), or maybe that there's less competition for what I sell on SLB. Either way, I make more from my in-world store than both SLB and SLX combined. I think it's because for most of what I sell, people want to see the actual products before they buy.

Personally, I buy and sell through both...and, yes, I sell much more through SLExchange

I've been thinking about the differences between them, and to put it in the shell of a pistachio: SLBoutique is much easier to browse, (all the new additions are just right there on the front page) but a b*t*h to search on, whereas SLExchange's search engine and category search is a dream, but it has the annoying option of paying extra to feature or bold-entry items, like ebay does, and you actually have to go looking on the Marketplace section for the 'New Items' link.

Plus, SLExchange has much more transparent sales and traffic figures, and has a (working) forum, like this site's New Products one...Very handy; I always see a traffic jump when I use it.

If you sell on SLExchange, the $L stays in your SLX balance, but you can cash it out; SLBoutique pays you directly in world. To put funds in, you need to find an ATM in world, or pay the named Avatar owner of the site, though SLX has recently started a program where you can deposit funds without being logged in to SL.

Both have wishlist or 'favourite item' lists, and you can leave feedback on purchased items.

As far as security goes; never had problems (knock on wood), and I've been using them since November-ish.

(PS, I know SLX has a referral system when you join...if you'd like to quote your favourite avatar's name on the login, and kick them a few $Ls... )

Happy Shopping!