Advice on Sales!!

from what E told me, just contact an officer and they will put you in a role that will enable you to send out notices

I have not done so yet in the freebie groups

I have in fashcon

oh and yes, someone asked about fashcon

fashcon is free to join, however you have to pay to send out notices, I did make my money back on that one, but lately the response doesn't seem as good, not sure if it is due to SL and the changes they made to SL group notices or what

gotcha thanks! i comb the freebie blogs daily so i know how well they are followed lol

pretty much how I have always done it, but I think now my prices are too high for market

it is not like I have not been doing it for very long (almost 2 years) I just lack the ability to market and get known, hopefully with the info I am gathering from this thread I can change that

and as mentioned I am seriously thinking of changing prices and such (and getting rid of the gift cards, although I do like them, I think I only ever sold one or two from the vendors. Sure ppl like them when they are free though LOL

metacard on the other hand, I was getting pretty good sales from folks using their card... I am considering going back to that

To do any sort of business in SL, you need to do something innovative. Either do something better than anyone else, different than anyone else, or completely new. Otherwise you are going to be working in a saturated market- a market which is already filled with lots of great, quality content.

If you do the above, your location shouldn't matter.

Thank you, very astute observation.

You will note, with few exceptions, we are mostly clothes designers. Each of us has brought to our designs the unique perspective of who we are and how we interpret the execution of a particular garment. That said, there are not that many ways one can turn out a skirt. Not much room for innovation.

What we need are ways to distinguish ourselves through clever advertising and/or other ways to draw potential clientèle. This, of course applies to what ever area of content creation you are in. While having innovative product and excellent design is a given - no one at all will seek you if they do not know you exist- word of mouth will only get you so far- first you need to find the mouths.

This thread is just such an innovation. Though it may seem obvious, in the couple years I have been here- grant you, only creating in the last couple months, so I could have missed something- I do not believe I have seen folks draw together to share such a wealth of information. Thank you for joining us, and thank you for your participation.

OK- Here is another option as a standard for my ad boards- Going to upload it and put it side by side with the option from Sunday and see which I like best. You will note I went back to Rha's logo - including the background. I Made two attempt I rather liked with the logo site I posted but when I tried to add the resulting image to my background the color its background changed dramatically- I did not like the result. I do like this organza background and it blends nicely with the colors Rha chose when she designed the logo originally. So- not sure yet it is my final choice- but thus far I like it- need to see how it looks inworld too, of course.

And this version where I have changed the position of the avies and moved the verbiage to the left. Also, not logo is a bit bigger here. I want it to be noticeable with out being the center of attention, but the first version was barely legible t seemed to me.


And now - back to bed I believe...

I have to agree - in a way this is true of all businesses. It's funny how much of RL business does translate to SL and how much of SL is completely different.

Review on Jojo's store!

I love this store! Shop 'til you drop! That's what it's all about. Yeah....that Jojo knows marketing....but you've got to have some product to offer when the shopper gets there. I can find something to purchase on every trip, here.

Tp'd right into the middle of it....no question which direction to go....just scan and shop. Easy. I prefer everything wide open like this....without separate rooms. Once everything is rezzed...you can see exactly what you need all at once, without hunting. If I have to hunt....I don't stay long.

Unique items. Broad range in each category. This is the best collection of curtains I've seen....the best selection of wall murals.....stained glass....even towels! Most stores will have 3 colors of curtains or 3 styles.....she has a much broader range, so I can be guaranteed to find the right one, if I go there, instead of going to many different stores.

Jojo says she sells a lot of the cuddle rugs....I don't use those often......but it doesn't matter.....because she has a hundred other items I can use. Great example of why offering a broad line works. I didn't need that one cabinet....but it was there, and I liked it....so I got it. Which is what someone else will do when they go there to get a cuddle rug or blanket.....they are bound to run across something else they can't resist.

Just a great example of offering as many products as possible....with as many options as possible....and the draw of unique items. I know that if I pop in there next week....there will be something new and exciting, or I will run across something I missed on last trip. That's what makes shopping fun....and that's what brings a customer back.

Skell....thank you so much for organizing all the notes on that one page, and for taking the time to list everything there....makes it so much easier, than having to skim through the whole thread. Awesome.

3-Ring....thanks for the review and for visiting the store......yes, I have a bunch of stuff crammed in there...thank goodness for having to be selective due to prim count restrictions.....or it would look like my rl home....omg. I'm headed to your place next.

Beautiful work, Amar - love the colors. My eye seems more drawn to the second one with the larger logo and text on the same side. But both are really as much works of art as logos.

I don't use formulas for set price to my clothes ... It's too hard to calculate for each items the time spend on it or the uploads or the items provided. I try to respect a simple rule, each similar outfit will get the same price. So, my miniskirt outfit are usually set at 195$L, my formal outfit are at 250$L. If the outfit combine, more than one version as a mini skirt with a formal dress or a cocktail dress (medium), the price is set at 295$L. If I made a very special outfit, I can go higher than 300$L but actually only two outfits in my collection are in this case.
For jeans outfit,, 135$L. Single jean's : 99$L. Of course, I'm looking everyday at my sales and if one outfit is more popular than another, I will perhaps increase a few the price to be able to lower it on another one less popular (or to give it for free in special event). Also, with this everyday sales report, I'm able to look very closely to each shops I rent and react quick.

in a sense that is a formula heh
you have a set way to do the pricing (just not sure how you decided to use those numbers)

what I need to do is find the numbers that work, then be consistent, so have been giving this a great deal of thought
going to send out a group notice then pull the card vendors, and give it a week then pull the scripts from the items and replace with the metacard

one thing I disliked about the cards, is that to change the price you need to edit a notecard inside the object (time consuming)

Metacard, you list the price in the description, easy easy to change (especially if changing multiple items to the same price) hehe

I'm beginning a 10-week course offered in world on Gimp and went to orientation last night. Some of the comments of the instructor I found in keeping with this thread and will be interested to glean more as the class continues and pass any good tips on here.

The instructor also has several eclectic type shops in the WestHaven sim. She talked a bit about selling in SL as asked each of us our reasons for wanting to learn Gimp and each of us had a shop (or was beginning one). A couple of things she said stuck with me:

*It's easy to sell something in SL. It's not as easy to sell a lot of it. (And proceeded to say as the Gimp class proceeds, she will give tips on this as it relates to each of our stores personally - so I'm very excited about that.)

*One of the secrets to the success of her stores (and she sells some really cool items from jewelry, to gadgets, to toys...things that spin...gorgeous things..."campy" things...antique things....she says she creates what she enjoys) is collaboration. It is also something she utilizes in her Gimp course. One of her good friends is a master scripter and apparently so knowledgeable on anything computer-related that he has been given a place of his own by the Lindens on the beta grids to test certain things. She can do some minor scripting, but goes to him for help when she needs something more sophisticated. Another of her friends is great with sculpties, artsy type work (colors/patterns, etc.) and they work together on creating certain items. And, at least the two women, not sure about the scripter, sell their products together under the same "label" in a series of small stores.

We've talked earlier in the thread about the idea of selling a few of each other's items in our shops and the entire thread is a community collaboration effort.

Some thoughts to pass along while I wait for Hurricane Fay to move into our area later today and while I still have electricity, although praying I don't lose it at all.

Yes I agree with you, FashCon was great some months ago, actually it seems not as good at it was ... I f I may say, perhaps it's because lots of FashCon members hates the chat spam in this group (and as it's forbidden, only notice allowed). Obviously, I have to say that FAshcon was better when it was free to join for shop owner. And finally, just think of it, the notices are erased each 2 weeks (new Linden rules) and the max number has been reduced.

exactly, I think that might be part of the problem, the erasing them each 2 weeks

and also as fashcon grows, that means more notices for ppl to have to shuffle through

I am debating on sticking with fashcon or dropping it
I will prolly continue to send out notices, at least it is one more method of advertising, and since I already paid for it, why not.

Yes, in a sense, it look like a formula but a formula in my mind was in relation with the time needed to realize the outfit, the number of upload needed (sometimes ..a LOT !, the time to seek texture or to realize it or the price to buy it. In my case, even if one outfit "cost me" 2, 3 times or more than another, if this outfit is in the same "category", price will be the same.
Honestly, the prices I use actually are more exoensive than some months ago, mainly beacause many malls owner (speaking of the best ones) has decided to increase their rent prices (specially when they start a new mall or sim). When you have to pay 1200L$ or 1600$L and even 2500$L a week to be in mall in a medium stores with 100-150 prims, the price must be adapted to reach the rent each week. And more honesty, if that "stupid" rent price course continue to go on ..I will retire from mall and only keep the ones I really trust. I've to say that my "best shop in mall" is not in the mall that have the higher price. Some mall owner think popularity comes with higher price, a BIG mistake that will cause their crash soon ...lol

Yes, sure, same for me ... as I have paid for FashCon m I wil keep it. Another network coming out is the ShopLine network from Aspire. To be short, it's a network using kiosk that centralized all shop owner notices and put all of them in one single and weekly notecard. Custommers receive it when clicking on the kiosk so they have a lot infos from many shops in one notecard. Actually it's free for shop owner til September. More infos about ShopLine at Aspire blog at http://www.aspiresl.blogspot.com/

I never count my time needed to create the object/item/clothing etc
If I did omg I would have outrageous prices as it sometimes takes me a week or more for one item (I am way to picky)

as for uploads I reduced those to only the ones used for the item (except the times I mess up, miss something and have to redo and reupload, recently cost me about 500L due to my own stupidity) I never would ever dream of putting that into the price of the item, no test uploads anymore

I got and use slcp (damned if I can remember what the letters stand for LOL)
it lets me preview the item before uploading so I can check seams and such
I tried the avatar painter thing, did not much like that, I prefer to work in photoshop
I used to use the beta to test uploads, and still do from time to time, but the slcp saves me a lot of time (and pc processing power as it doesn't like PS and SL running at the same time)

sounds interesting, the only thing I worry about, is once it gets big, many smaller stores will get lost in the oodles of store listed, and only well known names will stand out

Several comments the last few days on offering Unique items, and how important it is, in capturing market and sales.

I'm offering up a challenge to you all, to create the most Unique item you can come up with this week. Also, a reminder to Create. Some times I have to be challenged to do so.

You may have one in your head, which you've been wanting to do, and put off....you may have one that you don't have the skills to produce, so you will have to learn a new skill ....or you may not have one, at all....and have to brainstorm....or seek advice from your group members.

I'm challenging you.......one new Unique product by next Tuesday

Yes good point. I,m actually testing ShopLine and I need to know if it worth it because at 1st of September , monthly fees will be 3500$L.

define unique hehe
in the SL clothing market it is hard to be unique because just about everything has been done

or.. do you mean unique to ourselves?

ouch that just put me off

that would just add too much to the fees I already have to cover (tier, subscribe o matic etc)

well, time to log in and do some ad pics (can't sell if I do not release the new stuff LOL)

Same for me, my actual feeling is not to continue with it after free period. The cost is high to be able to send one or two notices each week ..let's say an average of 10 notices perhaps each month, that's mean around 350$L per noticard ... a bit too much for a notecard.

Also, next month, i will need to pay the high price for my subscribe o matic cause i will be above 500 members (actually 496 members). That's another thing I have to think..because with subscibe o matic, impossible to know if all members are still active .... perhaps half of mine are just newbies who have left SL ... and so I will pay for nothing ... I don't know how to test active members versus others.

Is ShopLine only for clothing designers?