In the vast virtual universe of Second Life, where creativity knows no bounds, certain individuals rise to prominence with their exceptional talent and entrepreneurial spirit. Among them, Kiria Velour, the renowned creator behind the Velour brand, has captured the attention of both virtual fashion enthusiasts and fellow creators alike. In this exclusive interview, we delve into Kiria’s remarkable journey, focusing on her unique experience navigating the modifications to Second Life’s Marketplace algorithm—a change that resulted in a downturn for many creators, but paradoxically led to an upswing in Kiria’s sales.
As the virtual world evolves, so too does the landscape for content creators. For years, the Second Life Marketplace has served as a platform for creators to showcase and sell their wares, including Kiria’s stunning array of skins. However, when an algorithm update sent shockwaves through the community, causing a contraction in sales for numerous creators, Kiria’s business took an unexpected turn.
In this captivating interview, we uncover the secrets behind Kiria Velour’s triumphant ascent amid the algorithmic upheaval. How did she manage to turn adversity into an opportunity? What insights and strategies allowed her to navigate this unprecedented shift in the virtual market?
Oema: Kiria, many creators have reported a decline in sales after the algorithm change, but your store, Velour, has experienced an increase in sales. What strategies or changes have you implemented that you believe contributed to this positive outcome?
Kiria Velour: First, thanks for giving me space to talk about it.
I didn’t care much for the SL marketplace, in fact, I had no idea that it could be a lucrative market, I thought it was in disuse, but when the Bonnie Bots controversy came to light, with the leak of sales data, I saw that yes, it was a lucrative market, then I started to list all my products on Marketplace.
What I did was use all my data from my vendor system in my favor. When I listed a face skin, for example, I searched in the vendor system what skin tone was the most sold, and then I put that in Marketplace Listings, always listing on the home page & payment receipt page.
Also, I noticed that the people who consume on the SL marketplace are a different audience, so I always try to keep the store updated with new things, placing items little by little, so that if they come back in the future, they will have new items.
I realize that in SL if you disappear for a while, you are easily forgotten, as it is our culture to be consumerist, and so designers are obliged to always be in evidence, releasing new things. I used this observation to keep the marketplace always updated on a weekly basis.
With that, since March 2023, we have had an increase of 213% in Marketplace sales.
Oema: Could you share any insights or observations you’ve made about the changes in the algorithm and how they might have impacted your store differently from other creators?
Kiria Velour: I’m seeing many creators complaining about this algorithm change in Marketplace, so it must have been a very sudden change, but I honestly don’t know what I’m doing differently from the other stores, since I know some of them also use listings in the products and have sales going down and down.
Oema: Have you noticed any specific trends or patterns in customer behavior that might explain the increase in sales for Velour despite the algorithm change?
Kiria Velour: I have a theory, for example, Velour is mostly a beauty store, and we don’t sell just one type of product in this field: we sell face skins, body skins, lipsticks, eyeshadows, face add-ons, and eyebrows.
My theory is, the person sees one listing of ours on the home page or payment recipes page, checks the item, and then looks at the whole marketplace store, then buys more products. I see many customers buying many products at once like face skin + makeup + face add-ons.
Also, I used to make clothes in the past, so I have a few old clothes in the marketplace too. Maybe they feel like in a place where they can buy everything at once?
Oema: Did you make any adjustments to your marketing or promotional efforts to adapt to the new algorithm, and if so, what were they?
Kiria Velour: The only thing I did differently was hiring a person to make my marketplace listings, but it wasn’t because of the algorithm. The point of me wanting to invest in putting products on the marketplace had only the objective of earning more passive income after I discovered that the Marketplace was a potential market after the Bonnie Bots controversy.
Oema: Were there any changes in the way you designed and developed the skins that you believe made a difference in attracting more customers and boosting sales?
Kiria Velour: Regarding the face skins, no, but regarding Body Skins, we released the new Picasso babe body skins this year, in February, and since then we released for the first time the VELOUR Body Skins in Marketplace, and it’s our best body skin ever, we put so much work on it, so I think maybe it has affected in a positive way all our sales in Marketplace since people buy skins for the body and then buy more stuff from us.
Oema: Did you actively engage with your customer base or community during the transition period to address any concerns or provide them with additional value? If so, how did that contribute to your increased sales?
Kiria Velour: Unfortunately, I didn’t.
Oema: Have you received any feedback from your customers regarding the changes in the Marketplace algorithm and how it has affected their shopping experiences? How did you respond to their feedback?
Kiria Velour: Unfortunately I haven’t also, but I would love to hear that since I’m always open to feedback.
Oema: Have you collaborated or formed partnerships with other creators or businesses within Second Life to leverage their audiences and increase exposure for Velour Store? If yes, could you elaborate on the impact of such collaborations?
Kiria Velour: Yes I did, an in-world collaboration. In February we released the Picasso Babe Body skins with ItGirls, the owner is my Real Life best friend.
For the release, we invited Lelutka to release a new head, Legacy set the mesh bodies with a 50% discount, MASOON released a lingerie set with the Picasso Babe skin tones, and several skin stores to release matching face skins, such GLAM AFFAIR, GLOOM, IVES, REVOUL, LUEUR, PURPLE & DEETALEZ. Since then, we always promote collaborations when we have new stuff for Picasso Babe in our mainstore.
It was an epic collaboration, all the designers were satisfied with that, the store reached 100k traffic one of the days, and it was such an amazing experience for both designers and customers.
Oema: How do you think the quality of your skins, in terms of design, textures, and overall user experience, has played a role in attracting more customers and sustaining the increase in sales?
Kiria Velour: I believe that the name VELOUR is synonymous with quality and excellence in body skins, so the customers always associate that with a great choice for their avatars.
In addition, it is a store where they can count on big compatibility, since today, at the end of June 2023, we have more than 750 stores that make face skins compatible with our bodies.
Oema: Looking ahead, how do you plan to maintain the upward sales trend for Velour Store in light of potential future algorithm changes or shifts in the virtual marketplace landscape?
Kiria Velour: I hope to keep the marketplace updated, and always release things that complement the avatar, so customers can feel like they’re in a place where they can find almost everything they’re looking for. It’s a strategy that I replicate very well at VELOUR MALL, the mall I created with my personal friends in 2020 and people there can buy skins, shoes, cosmetics, and soon even hair.
Thank you so much, Kiria, for sharing with us your experience and knowledge in improving our Marketplace Sales Strategy.
Discover the game-changing features of Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View, designed to revolutionize inventory management. Streamline your workflow, save time, and boost productivity with these powerful tools. Explore how these features enhance efficiency, simplify organization, and provide real-time insights. Upgrade your inventory management game and stay ahead of the competition.
In today’s fast-paced digital world, efficient inventory management plays a crucial role in the success of businesses. As a leading provider of innovative solutions, we are excited to introduce two groundbreaking features that will revolutionize the way you manage your inventory: Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View. With these powerful tools at your disposal, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and boost productivity like never before.
1. Inventory Item Preview: A Glimpse into Your Inventory’s Potential
With the new Inventory Item Preview feature, you can now get a comprehensive overview of your inventory items at a glance. Gone are the days of tediously opening each item to examine its details. This game-changing feature allows you to preview item information, including descriptions, images, and attributes, without the need for extensive clicks.
2. Single Folder View: Simplifying Organization and Navigation
Navigating through a complex folder structure can be time-consuming and frustrating. LL understand the importance of a streamlined inventory organization, and that’s why they’ve introduced the Single Folder View feature. This feature allows you to view all items within a single folder, eliminating the need to traverse multiple levels of subfolders.
With Single Folder View, you gain a bird’s-eye view of all items contained within a specific folder. Whether you’re managing products, documents, or multimedia files, this intuitive feature enables you to locate and retrieve items with exceptional ease. By reducing the time spent on searching and organizing, you can focus on core business activities, ultimately boosting productivity and profitability.
3. The Synergy of Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View
When combined, the Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View feature creates a powerful synergy that revolutionizes inventory management. These tools work seamlessly together to optimize your workflow, providing a more intuitive and efficient experience.
Imagine effortlessly navigating through your inventory, previewing item details in a flash, and swiftly accessing items within a designated folder. With this dynamic duo at your fingertips, you can save valuable time, make informed decisions, and stay ahead of the competition.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the new features, Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View are poised to transform the way you manage your inventory. With their intuitive functionality and time-saving capabilities, you can streamline your processes, improve productivity, and gain a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
Don’t settle for outdated inventory management methods. Embrace innovation and unlock the true potential of your inventory with our cutting-edge tools. Upgrade your business today and experience the power of optimized inventory management.
Remember, success lies in embracing change and staying ahead of the curve. Start leveraging the power of Inventory Item Preview and Single Folder View today and witness the remarkable difference they make in your business.
Is there a size limit on preview images? Yes, a maximum of 256×256
What is the cost to upload preview images? It’s free!
Which items can preview images be applied to?
Clothing
Body parts
Gestures
Environment settings
Calling cards
Landmarks
Notecards
Scripts
Objects
Folders
What about no-mod items? You can add preview images to no-mod items as well.
Will inventory item preview persist? Yes, items with previews attached to them will persist when rezzed in world and taken back into inventory. Previews will also persist if an object is added to inventory and then taken back out.
Protect yourself from cunning Facebook scammers! Discover the insidious world of Second Life Giveaway scams and learn how to safeguard your personal information from fake Facebook pages seeking to exploit unsuspecting users. Stay informed and stay safe.
Introduction
In the digital age, social media platforms like Facebook have become popular platforms for connecting with friends, family, and even businesses. However, where there is interaction, there are also individuals looking to take advantage of unsuspecting users. One prevalent scam on Facebook is related to the Second Life Giveaway, where scammers createfake Facebook pages that comment on original giveaway posts, asking for email and financial information to supposedly confirm the giveaway winner. In this article, we will delve into the details of this scam and provide valuable insights on how to identify and protect yourself from such fraudulent activities.
How to Spot a Scammer on Facebook?
Scammers on Facebook can be difficult to identify, as they often employ sophisticated tactics to appear genuine. However, by being vigilant and paying attention to certain red flags, you can increase your chances of spotting a scammer. Here are some signs to watch out for:
Unverified Facebook Pages
Scammers often create fake Facebook pages that mimic legitimate businesses or organizations. These pages may have a similar name or logo, but they are usually not verified by Facebook. Always check for the blue verification badge next to a page’s name to ensure its authenticity.
Unsolicited Messages or Comments
If you receive a message or comment from someone you don’t know, especially regarding a giveaway or contest, be cautious. Scammers often target unsuspecting users by reaching out directly with promises of prizes or rewards. Remember, genuine giveaways are typically announced publicly and have clear terms and conditions.
Request for Personal Information
A significant warning sign of a scam is when someone asks for your personal information, such as your email address, phone number, or financial details. Legitimate organizations would not request this information through Facebook comments or private messages. Never share sensitive information with unknown individuals online.
Poor Grammar and Spelling Mistakes
Many scammers operate from non-English speaking countries, and their messages or comments may contain noticeable grammar and spelling errors. While this is not always an indication of a scam, it can be a useful clue to consider when assessing the authenticity of a Facebook user.
Suspicious URLs or Links
Scammers often include links in their messages or comments that lead to malicious websites. These websites may attempt to collect your personal information or infect your device with malware. Exercise caution when clicking on any URLs shared by unknown individuals.
How to Protect Yourself from Scammers?
Now that you know what signs to look for when spotting a scammer on Facebook, let’s explore some preventive measures to protect yourself from falling victim to their deceitful tactics:
Verify Page Authenticity
Before engaging with any Facebook page, verify its authenticity. Look for the blue verification badge next to the page’s name, indicating that it has been verified by Facebook. Additionally, check if the page has a substantial number of followers and a history of legitimate posts and interactions.
Conduct Online Research
If you come across a suspicious Facebook page or receive a message that seems too good to be true, conduct online research to gather more information. Search for the page’s name or the message content to see if others have reported it as a scam. Often, people share their experiences and warnings about scams on online forums and social media platforms.
Exercise Caution with Personal Information
Never provide your personal information, such as email addresses, phone numbers, or financial details, to unknown individuals on Facebook. Legitimate organizations will never request such information through Facebook.
Conclusion
In the vast realm of social media, it is crucial to remain vigilant and cautious when navigating platforms like Facebook. Scammers are constantly devising new ways to trick unsuspecting users, and the Second Life Giveaway scam on Facebook is a prime example. By being aware of the red flags and signs discussed in this article, you can better protect yourself from falling victim to these deceitful tactics.
Remember to verify the authenticity of Facebook pages, be wary of unsolicited messages or comments, and never share personal information with unknown individuals. Stay informed by conducting online research and seeking out community warnings about scams.
By arming yourself with knowledge and staying alert, you can safeguard your personal information and enjoy a safer online experience. Let’s empower ourselves and work together to expose and combat scammers on Facebook and other social media platforms.
Stay safe, stay informed, and keep enjoying all the positive connections that social media has to offer.
Boston made a video to explore how Second Life is undergoing a transformation with the introduction of Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials. PBR brings a new level of depth, realism, shininess, and reflections to the Second Life virtual world. Whether you are a creator or a resident, this video will guide you through the process of creating and applying PBR materials, using tools such as Blender, Adobe Substance Painter, and the Second Life Viewer.
Exploring PBR Materials on the Second Life Beta Grid
To begin our journey into PBR materials, let’s log into the Second Life Beta grid. This is where testing for PBR materials is currently underway. Here, we have created a dedicated space to build furniture and experiment with different materials.
Creating Furniture Models in Blender
Blender, a popular 3D modeling tool, is widely used by creators in Second Life due to its comprehensive features and open-source nature. Using Blender, we can design and texture 3D models, such as furniture pieces, to bring them to life. We focus on adding textures to the coffee table model, specifically the main structure and the glass piece in the middle.
Enhancing Textures with Adobe Substance Painter
For more specialized texturing, we turn to Adobe Substance Painter, often referred to as the Photoshop of the 3D world. While a paid subscription is required, Substance Painter offers powerful texture-creation capabilities. We export the model from Blender as a COLLADA file and import it into Substance Painter. Here, we apply textures by utilizing the smart textures included with the subscription. These textures can be easily modified and layered to achieve the desired visual effects.
Importing Models and Textures into Second Life
With our textured model ready, we move on to importing it into Second Life. Using the Second Life viewer, we upload the furniture model, choosing the desired level of detail to optimize resource consumption. After the upload, the model appears in our inventory. To complete the process, we upload the PBR material textures created in Substance Painter. These textures, in GLB and GLTF formats, are associated with the material objects in Second Life, allowing for easy application through drag and drop or selection from the inventory.
Applying PBR Materials to the Model
With the model and textures in place, we can now apply the PBR materials. By modifying the properties of the PBR material, such as metallic and roughness factors, we can control the shininess and reflectivity of the texture. Additionally, we address any transparency issues and customize specific parts of the model, such as glass, by adjusting the alpha mode. This ensures that the materials accurately represent their real-life counterparts.
Personalizing Your Second Life Experience
For those who prefer not to create their own 3D models, Second Life offers a vast marketplace where you can purchase furniture and other items for customization. To make sure you can personalize these items, ensure that they have modifiable permissions, as stated in the item’s description. The marketplace also provides a filter to display only modifiable components, streamlining your search for customizable options.
Optimizing Reflections with Reflection Probes
To enhance the realism of reflections in Second Life, a new feature called Reflection Probes has been introduced. While these probes are automatically placed in-world, manual placement allows for better control, particularly in scenes such as homes. By creating a reflection probe using a basic prim, we can adjust its size to encapsulate the room’s interior, ensuring accurate reflections. It is advisable to use the fewest number of probes while covering larger spaces, and setting them as modifiable enables.
Now that we have explored the process of creating and applying PBR materials in Second Life, let’s delve into the benefits and possibilities that PBR brings to the virtual world. PBR, which stands for Physically Based Rendering, revolutionizes the look and feel of objects and environments by introducing enhanced depth, realism, shininess, and reflections.
PBR materials add a new level of visual richness to Second Life, making it even more immersive and captivating for both Creators and Residents. Whether you are an aspiring Creator looking to bring your own unique creations to life or simply an enthusiastic Resident who enjoys exploring and appreciating the creations of others, PBR materials open up a world of possibilities.
To fully experience the transformative power of PBR materials in Second Life, you can log into the Second Life Beta grid, where testing for PBR materials is currently underway. The Beta grid allows you to explore and experiment with the latest features and advancements before they are rolled out to the main grid. For more information on how to access the Beta grid, you can visit the “Accessing Aditi” support page.
In addition to the visual enhancements, PBR materials in Second Life also offer improved performance and efficiency. PBR shaders are optimized to utilize modern graphics processing capabilities, resulting in smoother rendering and reduced strain on system resources. This allows for more complex and detailed scenes without sacrificing performance.
Furthermore, PBR materials are compatible with advanced lighting systems in Second Life, such as Light Projectors and Light Domains. These lighting tools can enhance the overall ambiance and realism of your virtual space by casting dynamic shadows and illuminating objects with accurate light sources.
As the adoption of PBR materials continues to grow in Second Life, the possibilities for creativity and expression are expanding. Whether you’re designing a realistic urban cityscape, crafting fantastical creatures, or creating a serene natural environment, PBR materials empower you to bring your imagination to life with unparalleled realism and beauty.
For those interested in learning more about PBR materials and their application in Second Life, there are various resources available. The Second Life Knowledge Base provides detailed documentation and tutorials on creating and applying PBR materials. Additionally, the Second Life community is rich with experienced Creators who are often willing to share their knowledge and offer guidance to newcomers.
In conclusion, the introduction of PBR materials in Second Life marks a significant milestone in the virtual world’s evolution. The enhanced visual quality, realism, and performance provided by PBR materials elevate the virtual experience, making it more immersive and captivating for both Creators and Residents.
Remember to keep an eye out for updates and new features in Second Life, as the platform is constantly evolving to offer even more possibilities for creativity and immersion. Enjoy your journey in the virtual realm!
A common and widespread problem in Second Life is spam. There are various types of spam, but the most common is realized by creators who send information to their customers regarding their new products. However, some shops are more aggressive, and in some cases, merely visiting their store is enough to be added to a mailing list that sends periodic information about new releases. These two behaviors are often seen as annoying by customers. Being added to a mailing list without having requested it beforehand is particularly bothersome. Another aspect that makes this behavior unpleasant is the difficulty in unsubscribing easily.
However, it is not only shops that behave in this manner. In some cases, even simple event organizers such as DJs, club owners, art gallery owners, and the like send their invites to not only their friends’ list but also to people who have simply visited their venue. It is quite common for the systems used to send this spam to make it difficult to unsubscribe from the mailing list.
For this reason, I use a system called Allomancy, which allows users to unsubscribe directly from the local chat when I send a newsletter to those who have subscribed. The newsletter sends a message locally with a link that the recipient can click to unsubscribe. They do not need to go to my store to click on an unsubscribe button; it is sufficient to click directly in the local chat.
It would be desirable if all mailing list distribution systems had this unsubscribe system. So what should you do if you are inundated with spam and have to waste precious minutes closing all these messages and possibly even deleting another resident’s object? There are two main solutions: the first is to mute the person who is spamming, and the second is to blacklist the object that is sending the spam.
Each time a message is sent to us in Second Life, we are provided with two types of information: the sender and the name of the object that sent the message as well as its location. If we have authorized Linden Lab to communicate with us by email regarding activity in Second Life, the same information is sent to us by email. The solution I recommend is to go to the location where the object is and proceed to blacklist it.
Why do I recommend this solution? Simply because we will not have aggressively blocked the sender, but rather the object that sends the spam. However, in some cases, the person sending us spam is present on our friends list. For example, I sometimes receive an event invitation through a mailing list service, and even manually from the same friend on my contact list. In this case, I believe there is little to do but mute the person, of course, after removing them from our friends list. Alternatively, if we believe removing them from our friends list is sufficient, this could be a solution.
Another solution that is possible is simply to hide our online status, but this will not prevent our friends from sending us communications.
In conclusion, I believe that the problem of spam is indeed particularly bothersome for Second Life users, and the solutions to consider are mainly blocking the object that sends the spam by adding it to our Black List. At the end of this article, I will include all the useful references to proceed in this direction. Additionally, I will attach further information that may be useful regarding object rendering and changing an account if necessary.
The Second Life Marketplace has undergone some changes compared to the past. Something has happened because while in the past it was easy to find items based on keyword searches, now everything has become much more complicated and the search results don’t seem to be relevant to the search terms used.
Both designers and customers are dissatisfied because designers are no longer able to sell as before and customers are unable to find the items they are looking for. This problem had already arisen a few months ago when some modifications were made to the Marketplace in the “beta version”. At that time, creators had noticed that something was wrong and sales had decreased. I have received several comments from dissatisfied creators who have asked me what happened to the Marketplace. Honestly, I couldn’t give an answer. The only idea that came to mind is that somehow the algorithm has been changed and that this change did not bring any improvements, but rather highlighted older items instead of more recent ones.
As I also have a store on the Marketplace, I tried to implement SEO on the items I sell. Somehow this seems to have helped, but I don’t have a benchmark as my Marketplace is recent and I have no idea how my store sales would have been before the algorithm change.
Currently, creators are wondering what to do to return to previous sales. I don’t have a solution to propose except to ask Linden Lab directly what happened. What is certain is that creators are no longer investing in the Marketplace’s advertising as before because they have noticed that the views are significantly reduced compared to the past. Therefore, sales have decreased and creators are complaining about this, as well as customers who are unable to find what they are looking for.
This is a problem of considerable importance and I believe it should be solved rather quickly considering the importance that commercial activity has in Second Life.
If you have this issue, one possible solution to the problem you’re facing with the Second Life Marketplace’s algorithm is to refine your search terms and use more specific keywords. Try using more detailed descriptions of what you’re looking for to narrow down the search results. Additionally, you may want to try using filters such as “category” or “best-selling products” to help you find more recent and relevant items. Finally, consider reaching out to the Second Life community or support team for further assistance in navigating the Marketplace’s search function.
Please note that I Love Events(TM) is not associated with Linden Research, Inc. or any of its affiliated companies or products, including Second Life (collectively known as "Linden Lab"). The opinions and views expressed on this site belong to the content creators and do not represent the views or opinions of Linden Lab or its employees, directors, officers, agents, or representatives. The usage of the SLBN logo by I Love Events(TM) does not indicate endorsement or representation by Linden Lab.
