Better Way for Businesss

While designers lament their sales, darlings, which are on par for any post holiday season. There are several designer who are making money hand over fist without blinking an eye and without finding shopping groups to blame for their lack of sales.

One designer has items that fly off his shelves. His store is always crawling with people and his business is clearly prospering as we have watched him grow in the past year. It is possible to make money on SL during this trying economic times but you have to work for it. Sales are not just going to fall into your lap. The work does not have to sacrifice integrity as was shown in the last blog.

Here are tips to doing business from observing someone who is successful:

1. Offer incentives that make business sense. A gift certificate that covers part of the cost of an item will get you more sale than giving the items away.

2. Invest in a few tools that bring the traffic regularly to your store.

a. There are over 300 Lucky Chair groups in Second Life making this a vital investment. The original Lucky Chair can be purchased from Shep Korvin for L$399 or L$1250 depending on the options you want.

b. Midnight Mania is the latest craze. You can purchase your own Midnight Mania board from Shep Korvin for L$399 or L$799 depending on the options you want.

c. While you are at Shep Korvin, look at his other tools he has for business. The Lucky Chair and Midnight Madness may be the most popular many of his other options are fun as well.

d. Camping Chairs/Systems keep the customer at your store. A standard camping system can cost L$250 at Nico Designs. A store range camping system at Grab & Go.

e. Invest in a gift card system. The most popular are Grab & Go System which runs between L$3000 to L$6500 and the card system from Escort DeFarge for L$15000.

f. Invest in a Freebie Ring which can be purchased for L$500 at Biz Bits.

g. Invest in group prize chairs that are sold at Biz Bits. These chairs costs L$499L and can restrict use based on profile picks and/or group membership.

h. Invest in a Roulette Board which can be purchased for L$900 at Plod.

3. Instead of organizing your own private hunt, get involved with the hunts that are grid wide. These hunts have the potential to bring you customers who may not have been aware of your brand. Recent examples of this were the Vain Inc Kissed Hunt and the Greatest Love Hunt.

4. Be sure you have a solid, consistent update group. You can create a standard Linden group for the cost of L$100 or invest in a group system. The two popular group systems are Subscribe-o-matic which has a monthly maintenance cost that can run you up to L$5990 and Night Sky Subscriber Kiosk which cost a one time pay out of L$750 to L$2350 depending on the options you want.

5. Join a general fashion announcement group. I would avoid the slowly dying Fashion Consolidated and go for Fashion-R-Us. A designer application costs L$400 which is a L$600 discount over Fashion Consolidated. The benefit of Fashion-R-Us is that they filter out resellers and scams before they are given designer status and not after.

6. Get involved in fairs and expos. The 2009 RFL Clothing Fair is set to beging in a few weeks. If you are a clothing designer and did not get signed up for this event, you are truly missing out on great advertising. There are fairs and expos for almost everything: clothing, shoes, jewelry, hair. Regrettably the skin fair keep getting canceled. Some Divas need to take it down a notch.

7. Send out review packs to bloggers of your new releases or specials. Do not become spammy with review packs. SL Fashion Notices has a list of Press Venues to get your started. Most bloggers prefer folder for the items you are sending. Remember the maximum number of items per folder is 48. If you need to use more than one folder label them according. Along with the items it is generally a good idea to include a notecard with all the information about the review items: location, price, colours, number of pieces, related items, blog location of the store and/or the items, and anything else that is important for the blogger to know about your release.

Sweeties, I am sure there are more tips for finding your success but we will leave you with these ideas to ponder. Never forget, customers hate spam as much as you do so keep your notices relevant and in moderation.

Bribery or Business?

Darlings, who can forget the exclusive that SCD revealed back on November about a blogger asking for payment for blogging. How can we forget the backlash that came from insanity that still continues to this day?

I am here to ask you about related situation. Lately, there has been a certain design house that is dominating the blogosphere. Items from this designer appear on the more popular blogs and fashion feeds at a high rate of up to 3 times daily. Sweeties, I know what you are thinking. This must be a high-quality designer with a flare for the now. There is nothing strange or untoward going on in this situation. Or is there?

How does this designer end up with so much press? Do you want the keys to secrets of her success?

Here are the simple steps used to get yourself blogged just as much as her.

1. Send review packs of items to bloggers on seemingly daily basis so that they get so sick of receiving items they blog you just to stop the onslaught.

2. After confirming that they have in fact published a blog about your creations, send them a "thank you" in for the form of monetary compensation or gift certificates for an all out buying spree at your store. The latter is prefer because then they just might blog more of your items.

3. Never falter in #2. Always reward the bloggers who blog you because they will be more inclined to blog you again and again and again.

This could be where that one blogger who will remain nameless got the idea that she should be paid for blogging. I no longer look at the items from this designer with interest because I feel she has resorted to bribery just to get her face on the feeds.

There is more to her marketing genius.

1. Make sure you have more hunts than the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.

2. Offer a new freebie(but charge L$1) on a daily basis.

3. Make sure that the minute a customer arrives at your store they are spammed with notecards and announcements. Customers love this.

4. Send out at least 1 notice a day but 2 is preferred to your update group with flashy titles that contain an abundance of symbols because it is ever so eye catching. For an added bonus have both the standard SL update group and a group vendor like subscribe-o-matic.

5. Give out daily gifts for anyone who uses your items in their flickr.

6. Retire a design every day and price it at L$1 so all the freebie hunters will come running to your store.

Darlings, I used to enjoy this designer's work. We have even defended her in the past but this paying off bloggers situation has left her tarnished in our eyes.

This blog will be followed shortly by the better way to drive up your traffic without sacrificing your integrity.

Responsiblity Part 2

Sweeties, it has been a year since we looked at Responsibility. It is now refresher time.

Earlier this week a designer sent out a notecard to all of their friends, several of their groups, and others in particular industries with a list of people that were touted as being "copybotters". Along with the notecard was the advice that the recipients should ban those individuals from their lands. A list of names being passed around to landowners and designers urging them to ban people without a single shred of proof that these individuals are guilty of anything is irresponsible. Was this designer alone in this action? No, I have had reports of at least 2 other designers who did the same thing to their own friends and groups. This leaves us wondering how many others did this and we have not heard on it yet.

Are all the people listed innocent? Maybe not but to assume that they are all guilty without physical proof is presumptuous. The notecard was created by a well-respected and often-stolen-from designer but the card in question was full perm. What is to stop the next person from adding names of those they do not agree with or even like to this list as it grows from one person to the next?

How was this blacklist notecard made? What was the criteria to be listed? Could a blog and forum discussion from a few weeks ago have given us clues? Could you unknowingly be listed on there?

Responsibility. Libel is very serious. Passing on this magical blacklist puts you in the seat of responsibility. Burden of proof will now fall to you.

Additional note: For those who asked me, I will not post the list we were given on here because a majority of the names were noteworthy designers or bloggers. If you ask me on SL, I might be persuaded to share with you if your name is on the list I was given. I think that is fair when your name is being wrongfully dredged through the muck.

Comely Toon: How to Ruin Your Good Name

Darlings, something has to be said. I cannot just leave it there or it will fester like a wound. A well-rounded, well-known store has just announced that they are branching out into the hair industry. Loving most of their releases in the past year, I wept tears of joy to complete my collection for this brand. Even better, as part of their preparations they have offered us, their consumers, a taste of what is to come. I rushed myself over there wondering if I would find them more like Armidi, Muism, or Naughty Designs.

By all that is holy! What in the bloody hell is this supposed to be?

It appears that this store I once respected has decided to step backwards in quality and creativity. Not only did they break a couple of hair design rules with this style they also showed no originality that I have come to love about them. A bow made from hair. Lovely, only it has been done by many designers before them. To make this more sickening is the lovefest that other blogs have delivered upon this style.

Sweeties, I can you you all thinking - there are hair design rules? There are very basic hair design ideas that most designers realize their consumers appreciate and brings back their repeat customers.

1. Do not add light to the prims. - Every single prim in this hair gives off light. While this may look fantastic in the designer's own lighting they failed to remember that not everyone uses the latest client release or even the clients offered by Linden Labs. This alienates a huge portion of your consumer base making for bad business.

2. Make sure your texture and prim alignments are clean. - This hair has a prominent gap between the prims at the top that are static and the prims at the bottom that are flexi. This stands out like a newbie at Seven Ultra Lounge.

It pains me to feel disappointed with their new venture but it will make me think twice about shopping there again. There Comely Toon reputation has suddenly turned Homely Toon.

Photos taken at Free Photography Studios.

Tempus Fugit, Two Years So Soon

Our dear, darling, 12 readers, I am astounded that it has been so long since Bianca's first Fug. Today marks our 2 year blogiversary. Yes, my dears, 2 years ago today Bianca began this blog with the sole intention of exposing the fug in our virtual world. We have survived computer deaths, graphic card meltdowns, weddings, and the sky falling.

It all began on the 14th of December in 2005, I logged into a world of wonder after talking up a bloke I met. I was befuddled the first few times I had log into Second Life. My shape, my hair, my skin, my clothes, all needed drastic improvements.

Early into the next month I stumbled upon a cute pub that I had read about on the Second Life blog. While I was there, I met Bianca and a friendship was born. We discovered we only live a few towns over from each other so meeting was an eventuality. I am delighted to discover that the Blarney Stone is still opened after all this time.

We shopped together, shares tips together, and were inseparable. April was a time of discovery. Bianca sent me to read a Second Life fashion blog called Linden Lifestyles. A passion for pretty things began and the seeds of blogging were planted firmly in our minds.

It was not until the blog world exploded over the next few months that Bianca approached me with the idea for a blog about the Fug that is in Second Life. As an homage to Bianca's favourite blog, GoFugYourSL was born. Right before St. Valentine made us all lovers, Bianca wrote the inaugural blog.

It has been 2 years and so much has changed and so much has remained the same. We have new avatars that took advantage of the new freebie culture to obtain some of the prettier things we could not have before. We have both survived the other's wedding. We have seen ourselves through good and bad, thick and thin, and everything in between. One thing always remained the same. We promised to tell things as we saw them, be as politely blunt as possible, enjoy every minute of every debate, and never let a game interfere in our own lives outside of Second Life.

Can the rest of you say the same?

Hairy Situations

Sweeties, I took some time to work on some of these hunts when a hunter was scandalized by prim pubic hair. Yes, my dears, the latest in the fashion craze is the hairier the better. There is a shop for all your prim body hair needs. The appropriately named Body Hair Shop sells everything from arm hair to pubes. So drag your men, or if it is your style, yourself over to the shop and get your hair on. Most of the hair pieces are textures with an eye for detail. If you love hirsute then this store will entice you.



Pictures taken on location and censored for the faint of heart.

Freebie Hating

Some designers hate freebies but they love the traffic you bring them. I was surprised to get this chat log from 2 different people. Darlings, it should be noted that almost half(7 out of 15) the designers in the conversation offer or have offered freebies in the past month.

This is several designers discussing the freebie culture. The names where slightly changed to protect no one:

ChNa: Not to point any fingers, because I understand why this issue has developed, but content creators are to blame for this attitude at least in part.
TaBa agrees
TaBa: freebie culture is death
JuSo: i think we should all stop giving away a lot
saVi: People get incredibly defensive if you say that the freebie culture might not be great for ther SL economy
KeTo: I agree
CN: Yep...and as I said, I understand all the reasons for offering freebies, but people are starting to expect them.
PoBa: raises hand in agreement
JuSo: im gonna get rid of some of mine
SaPh: more thank expect
SaPh: Demand
SaPh: htank*
SaPh: oh lord.. than*
TaBa: i try to hold out for special occasions big holidays and events
JuSo: i do get more sales when i have a new freebie
PoBa: me too for that day then ssales get worse
JuSo: i noticed that with my last gift hunt
ChNa: I never offer freebies...cause I'm a cheap bastard.
PoBa: i got to the poitn where iw as makign freebies not things to sell it burnt me out now i dont make anythig very often
CN: But I also never have to hear from freeloading vultures.
TaBa: i put out prize campers just make people take a little time and look around instead of swooping in and tping to the next freebie
PoBa: yah i still have a few lucky chairs out no freebies, at leas tthen they have to work to get it free a little
saVi: You know I had a small hunt in store the other day and people in group complained that they had to look for items
JuSo: who the hell cares about a lucky chair anymore, I don't ever have people there anymore
saVi: and that some were 50L and not free
PoBa: no one does lol but i dont give away free junk no more im sorta against it
saVi: People used to love when you did stuff like that
JuSo: how bout I get down on my knees and beg people to buy my new design...
JuSo: I used to have a release and have about 20 sales in the first hour now maybe 1 lol
CN: I have done camp chairs...but...maybe this is a rationalization...I sorta felt like I was providing a job. I mean I was getting padded traffic numbers but was paying the person for their time.
NeBl: I think part of the problem is the newbie orientation places like NCI. Dont get me wrong, NCI is great, but they condition new people to look for free stuff first.
SaPh: most of my "sales" are freebies...makes me not want to do stuff
JuSo: lol but it really isn't funny
NeBl: they don't give new people any incentive to participate in the economy in SL
PoBa: nah i think its just because free no longer means crap liek it did 2 years ago
PoBa: even the avatars start with quality fashuions and skins
ChNa: I say we all stop giving away freebies...who's with me?
NeBl: I'm up for it
JuSo: Ok so my dollar store pays my tier...
PoBa: i dont mind 1 dollar items at all at least it something
saVi: Why would people spend JuSo when they can get most things for free?
JuSo: Im wondering if stopping it will hurt me or help me in the longrun
KaKi: hmm - so you're saying i shouldn't have bought one of those ring things?
JuSo: I agree saVi
NeBls: well, the one freebie I have doesn't even sell any more, so I've nothing to lose. XD
AEHa: I don't even have freebies and I am not selling big times like you guys
PoBa: ive done freebies and no freebies and sales suck for me either way lol
JuSo: maybe I'll make the dollar stuff $10L not everything in there is $1L - a lot of it is $10-25
PoBa: yah my disocutn area is all 25$ items with a handful of $1 mixed in
TaBa: 39 freebies today not counting the camp chair and lucky chair. here's to shooting yourself in the foot!
ChNa: I still sell the very first thing I ever made in Sl in my store...I have reduced the price over the years, but I don't think I'll ever change my view on freebies.
NeBl: I have a L$1 store at the DiS mall. don't make much from that even.
JuSo: it used to be - for me anyway - that giving stuff away brought more people in and they would SPEND too. Not anymore and not for a while.
ChNa: Let's make a pact...NO MORE FREEBIES!
StSc: DEAL !
NeBl: The problem is, that people used to grab all the freebies, and then start buying things when they ran out of freebies. But now, there are so many freebies, that people generally tire of SL and quit before they run out of freebies
AEHa: and yes I do think that a freebie or a dollarbie should be of less quality
MoMi: I'm in!!!
StSc: i've never been out !
JuSo: I remember...cha ching...cha ching...my husband saying, "DAMN". Then Cha Ching Cha Ching some more. Now I can go hours without hearing one. Sometimes it's been quiet so long, it will scare me LOL
SaPh: yeah it is scary
ChNa: I think alot of people are feeling the same way JuSo
PoBa: def my sales are down 60% from last year
KaKi: yah
JuSo: I feel like it fell apart because of me not being able to work like before but I know it's really a lot more than that
ChNa: I'm not sure if it's the RL economy or the freebie culture in Sl, or just a combination of a lot of things.
KeTo: I agree. I knew sales would be down, and I know the economy is part of it as well. But this is just ugly.
NeBl: I had a wild card day last week. a huge spike in customers. 78 people in *one day* came through my store. Not ONE sale. and only one of them grabbed the freebie I had out.
AEHa: defo JuSo
saVi: We started culling freebies a little while ago
TaBa: yea its a nightmare. and everytime you turn around theres another freebie blog or freebie center
KeTo: ok here's my other concern, hunts.
NeBl: or now, TaBa, it's the Full Perms Stores
JuSo: my sales are half down from a year ago (2008) and 75% down from 2006
KeTo: I see a huge spike in people running through my store, and no sales. Of course the hunt folks want some cool freebie to go with that hunt.
ChNa: I think everyone of you who offers freebies should pay me $10L for every freebie "purchase" you've had in the last year. WHAT DO YOU SAY?! WHO'S WITH ME?
AEHa: yes or dollarbiegroupd
NeBl: uh, no ChNa
NeBl: nice try tho
KeTo: Nice try ChNa
SaPh: good idea....ooooops ..time for my meds again...
ChNa: I had to try
TaBa: lol
AEHa: well I do think there is a big difference between you 'big' designers and all the small ones because the small ones just want to try to pull people to their stores and they get them through dollarnbies or freebies
KaKi: thats why i signed up for the ring - to get more people ot the store
ChNa: Yeah, but I think in the long run you're hurt more by freebies than any traffic you may generate.
KeTo: I don't agree, I think a good part of getting folks into your store is advertizments, word of mouth, and your general rep for workmanship of product. and It takes time to establish yourself, same as any business real or second life.
AEHa: I haven't got any freebies tho I just maintain my Xstreet and a very modest lil shop wich is giving me enough fun
AEHa: I know that KeTo
ChNa: I mean there are groups now that are dedicated to free stuff in SL...I have people join my group whenever I offer a gift to my loyal customers. They just join, get the gift and leave the group. They aren't doing me any good and they are lessening the value of my gift to my true customers.
AEHa: but I think a lot of designers think that way
KaKi: thats why some people charge for you to join their group
TaBa: I think theres a time and place for freebies but the constant flow of them is definitely effecting the economy
NeBl: well that and whatever percent of them are stolen in the first place
ChNa: YEs, but if there weren't so many free gifts floating around out there, this wouldn't be a problem. Loyal customers who are interested in what you have to offer shouldn't be penalized by having to pay to join your group.
AEHa: <<< reminds Stu that he is a gril
AEHa: lol wrong chat
JuSo: I think there are so m any designers. So many really GOOD designers. Lots of us have a free gift or several that are very decent. We are all competing for the same $L. So many of us are starving here because people are not spending as much because they don't have to. I am going to revamp my gifts and freebie area a bit to make myself less responsible for my own starvation here...
ChNa: YAY! JUSO!
JuSo: I have WAY too many freebies...for real
JuSo: <--- GUILTY
NeBl: ChNa, my freebies and lucky chair are now gone
CN: YES! Way to go NeBl! We can do this people!
AEHa: nooo JuSo it's not a question of guilty, its just a different way to appproach the business
JuSo: Lucky Chairs too?
AEHa: they are generating traffic I think but are those really customers?
TaBa: most of us remember starting sl with complete junk freebies so when we started designing we wanted to give good stuff, it's just got out of hand
ShEp: What happened? I just logged on.
JuSo: honestly in the old days, a lot of my LC customers also shopped and are to this day long time customers
CN: We're getting rid of the freebie culture in SL
PoBa: yah in 2006-2007 lucky chairs were fun and lead to alot of business
AmMa: Isn't the best way to get rid of the freebie culture to make something fundamentaly better?
JuSo: recently I did a buy one get one free and had some success. I think it brought in about 15K over 2 days. In the past those kind of sales would have brought in a lot more. I still made people spend to get a deal.
TaBa: go back to the world of foo-foo expensive limited editions?
AEHa: yes but like what???
NeBl: if I was in a productive state, I'd be tempted to switch almost everything over to limited edition. Seems the only way to really make things different. But then all it takes is some clown to come and steal it and then it's no longer LE
ChNa: I hate when group chat borks and I've just said something REALLY enlightening.
AEHa: what did you say??
JuSo: lol
TaBa: lol
PhVa: loyalty cards, reward the people taht suppirt your business
ChNa: Meh...I'd have to re-type it.
ChNa: Exactly PhVa...those are the people who deserve the extra attention...not the freebie vultures.

Edited on 9 Feb to correct a typo and to add the notation.