Socially|Mundane

As of this writing, there are three permissions you may grant or deny the next owner of your creations: Modify, Copy, and Sell (Transfer). Use these permissions to control your sales - and at the same time, provide the most flexibility and satisfaction for your customer. To control sales through permissions, follow this simple rule: If it is worn, it should always be copyable and modifiable. If it is rezzed on the ground it should always be transferable, unless it is modifiable. If it is modifiable, it should always be copyable.

I know it might sound a bit confusing, but here is how it works:

If it is worn (hair, clothing, attachment to avatar) it should be both modifiable and copyable. This gives me the comfort in knowing that if I muck it up through modification, I have an original copy to go back to. Because it's copyable, I can also create different "outfit" folders for "quick-changes". Also, if I create an alt or want a friend to have this, I must purchase another one (rather than you losing a sale because I gave my copy away.) Copyable items should always be boxed - as this forces the buyer to unbox it, thus leaving a copy in inventory for back-up. (And remember to set the box your product is in to the SAME Permissions as the product itself. A copyable product inside a no-copy box can cause problems, especially if it doesn't rez correctly and becomes lost!)

If it is rezzed on the ground - such as furniture - it should be no-modify and no-copy. If I rent homes for example, I must purchase a set (of furniture) for each home - maximizing sales for you. It is very rare that I would give away or gift this kind of thing - the main argument for making clothing, for example, no-copy and yes-transfer.

Even for rezzed items, if it is modifiable it should be copyable - this saves you headaches in the long run with support calls ("I ruined my no-copy skirt! Can I have another?") and prevents you from appearing to be a complete ass ("No, you can't have one, buy another, idiot!") and furthermore again gives me the comfort in knowing that if I ruin it, I have an original to go back to. Also, it maximizes sales for you as I must purchase again for gifting or alts, etc.

There is the unfounded fear that a modifiable object can be duplicated and resold via "prim replicators" (here's news for you, those aren't necessary any more and even no-modify items can be "ripped" easily with bootleg viewers). So, if you do sell your products "no-modify" - do not include a resize or "modify" script in every prim. In such cases you are contributing to lag and becoming part of the problem. There is no good reason to not sell any item as copy/modify, except in cases like the example above with furniture. Take a little time-out and think of what permissions will increase your sales, or better yet: offer two versions: one being copy/modify and the other being transfer.



I personally only buy copyable items unless there is no alternative (meaning I'll go with your competitor for a similar product if they offer a copyable version and you don't.) I am fully willing to purchase again for gifting or alts. The simple knowledge that I have a back-up copy sitting in inventory is a comfort I cannot describe. As for gifting (the main argument most will make for setting their creations to transferable) is a moot point as most vendors offer a gifting option and so does XStreet SL - where you really shouldhave a point of sale anyway. You can always look at the AubreTec GiftServ system, too.

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Want the whole kaboodle? There is far more detail in the 'how' and 'why' in my book: Successful Business in Second Life (SBSL - Second Edition for 2009/10; 270-pages) is available at XStreet SL. The book includes both, an in-world and eReader version. There also is an  Amazon Kindle version, (you receive both: ereader and in-world versions no matter where you purchase it.)

So even if your art is optimizied for fast-rezzing in-world, does that mean you should use a "scripted vendor" machine? Or peraps you should consider the "system prim set to sell" instead. You might be surprised at the reasons you should choose one or the other.