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This is very interesting: http://www.skimi.net/
On the Sunset Commerce sim, you can see someone who bought the above "Rothenburg Mall" and set up his own mall. They even have their own equivalent of "camping chairs": cleaning windows for L$!
So, Medieval European settings sell well. They create a good shopping environment. People flock to them — both quality merchants as shoppers.
What are we doing so wrongly? 
"I'm not building a game. I'm building a new country."
-- Philip "Linden" Rosedale, interview to Wired, 2004-05-08
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Gwyneth Llewelyn wrote:This is very interesting: http://www.skimi.net/
On the Sunset Commerce sim, you can see someone who bought the above "Rothenburg Mall" and set up his own mall. They even have their own equivalent of "camping chairs": cleaning windows for L$!
So, Medieval European settings sell well. They create a good shopping environment. People flock to them — both quality merchants as shoppers.
What are we doing so wrongly?
Looks like a very close copy of Ulrika's old Fachwerks but done with a bit more style and variation.
Maybe we should notify her so she can do a DCMA takedown.
IMO, "what we are doing wrong" (in terms of business activity), is not so much to do with the buildings themselves as it is with business policy and organisation. Primarily because all the good store spaces are taken up by "marginal" businesses and there is no incentive to either succeed or fail. Problems I see:
- The lucky few who manage to get the good plots at the beginning are allowed to continue ad infinitum even if all the store "sells" is cobwebs.
- New members with great ideas for businesses are often relegated to the back streets because all the prime locations are gone.
- Several of our best plots in CN are taken up by galleries (that don't have much on display), or organisations who use the space to put up a single advertisement prim, why? A town notice board would serve these folks better, not a store.
- To make a store (especially in CN), you often have to buy an outrageously oversized lot, but one with most of the prims already used up by the building. you then have to buy a prim lot (if you can find one) to start up the store. This is a really really really really high barrier to entry.
Personally, I think the answer is some combination of zoning coupled with a CDS business association that can decide who gets what plot and what they have to do to qualify to keep it.
The reason this little village idea works, is not because it's a little village, but because it's likely bought and owned by one person and then rented out like the typical mall in every other sim in Second Life. If the Town square of NStadt was treated in the same way, as a [b:1sm1p93q]mall[/b:1sm1p93q], with a mall manager, and vendors etc. I think it would work.
The way it is now, people with excellent businesses or business ideas may not be able to find a good shop, nor be able to afford it given the return they may or may not get on the goods. At the same time, people who own shops that do atrociously in terms of sales and interest in the business, can stay forever and have no incentive to ever close.
The best business we ever had in N'Stadt was at the Fair when we had all those little booths for all the different builders. People sold tons of stuff then. It didn't hurt that daily events drew people to the sim at the same time.
I think Dianne has hit the nail on the head. I think we have too many businesses on the Neufreistadt Marketplatz (mine included) that sell little more than cobwebs. I think we'll be able to encourage greater traffic and higher sales through advertising and further activity by the CDS Traders' Association but... if the goods that people want aren't there, they aren't going to come shopping.
I have a shop on the Marketplatz because... I have a shop on the Marketplatz. It doesn't generate enough income to be 'worth it' in strict business terms but I like having it. As Dianne alludes to, there's no real incentive to make it work or move on if you can afford the monthly fee. This is a situation we need to address. The idea of selling the NFS shops was a good one - they'd been empty and unused for too long by the time they were sold - but it clearly hasn't worked out the way we hoped it would. Time to look at it again.
I like the idea of treating the NFS Marketplatz (and perhaps CN too?) as a commercial enterprise. I've run something similar in Orient for about eight months now. I have fourteen shops opposite 'The Shelter' which range in size from subsidised shops at 10L$/week for 10 prims through to larger shops at 300L$/week for 100 prims. It's taken a while to establish a rental policy that I'm comfortable with and attract businesses that can be successful but now thirteen out of fourteen shops are usually rented out and I have some tenants who've been there pretty much the whole time. Traffic varies but is pretty good, and the extra land (on top of my mainland home parcel) now pays for itself. There have been the occasional difficult tenants but this hasn't really taken up a lot of my time to manage. I think this model would work quite well for NFS (and possibly CN) if, as Dianne suggests, we had a mall manager and were really clear about what we would want as businesses here. (I'm not bidding for that position btw and would refuse it if offered!)
I'd quite happily give up (well, sell ) my NFS plot if someone had a better idea of what to do with it, and especially if someone were coming in to manage our parade of shops on behalf of the CDS. I think we should try to avoid NFS and CN becoming 'just another mall' if we can but the idea of running our commercial plots in this way makes sense to me.
(BTW this is my personal opinion, not CDS Traders' Association or CSDF policy! I just thought I'd chime in since Dianne has articulated so clearly something I've been considering as well.)
Dianne,
I agree with your assessment of the problems.
I'm not sure if SLBounty falls in your category of "organisations who use the space to put up a single advertisement prim", but would like to point out that the plot of land I purchased and advertised at 26 prims actually gives me an allowance of 5 prims (can't be asked to check the exact numbers now)
This prohibits me from putting anything I make up for sale on that plot and am effectively limited to having my service (which I think has lots of potential to generate traffic to CN) represented by a few single prims!
Not only this, but as an individual I'd love to buy another stall in CN for my alter ego, but have been thwarted by silly rules. I've even offered to write a program to enable the administration of this 'artifical barrier to trade', but have received very little feedback from those who need to tell me what this program is meant to do for them.
And now for my last gripe. The central landing point makes it difficult to promote anything. You can't use the Second Life tools to get people to visit any specific location. For this reason it is absolutely imperative to have a stall near the landing point.
Regards
Leon
Dianne wrote:- The lucky few who manage to get the good plots at the beginning are allowed to continue ad infinitum even if all the store "sells" is cobwebs.
Small point of information. The covenants which apply to the parcels comprising the "Marktplatz Zone" include a provision that the business actually be able to demonstrate business activity (I forget how it was worded). It was not suggested that enforcement would be absolutely mandated. Enforcement would be at the discretion of whoever was in charge of such matters, and the real intent of the provision was to emphasize that "selling cobwebs" might cause the owner to lose their property.
Sudane.....
As for my own, private opinion on the matter...
I've felt the biggest value of the CDS sims to date has been residential. Having commercial plots, to me, was largely useful to the substantial number of 'artisans' who would want a home AND be able to sell their wares.
This is not to say Pelanor has a bad idea, but I'm not entirely sure it's good to degrade the performance of the two residential sims by trying to make the two 'commercial districts' more like a regular SL mall. It's not just body-count; a business will generally be more texture and script heavy as well!
On the other hand, let us say we placed a third sim between NFS and CN, and (as opposed to the sandbox or a new style of residential sim ideas) we made it "the shopping sim". Of course, I do not mean to imply that it would be limited to traditional retail outfits; any venture would be possible.
This would have several advantages over trying to shoehorn the Plaza and Forum. For one, without the concern of porting into someone's home, we could dispense with a mandatory landing point (but still list a 'central square' in the Places search). Performance and prims would not be such an issue, as the design would take this especially into account. Furthermore, it would be easier to manage, as we would not have the headache of keeping to the sim theme.
This is simply an idea, mind you, and without expansion other ideas are more likely.
What Sudane refers to is:
Covenant for NFS parcels adjacent to the Markplatz wrote:(1) The primary purpose of the parcel is commercial, either goods or services. The ground floor, at least, must be devoted to commercial purpose. The upstairs may be residential. The owner may apply for free "rental" of the Platz area in front of their parcel for the purpose of moveable objects… tables, chairs, vendors. The Executive Branch reserves the right to arrange such objects consistent with the free flow of traffic through the Platz; and removal of the objects for various events (such as the regular Sunday flea market).
(2) The owner is expected to devote substantial effort to the growth of their business at this location. We expect you to make money. A city approved vendor may be required so as to track the success of this. Some form of money or dwell tracking may be performed, and there may be a criteria permitting continuance. Should the owner fail to achieve a success commensurate with the goals of the City for its Platz, the City may exercise the right of eminent domain and "Reclaim" the parcel at fair cost.
(3) The owner is required to take care to maintain the theme of Neufreistadt. Because this location is the Platz, additional oversight will apply. A compliance committee of the Guild reserves the right to prohibit signage, objects, or goods for sale which it feels contrary to the intentions of the City with regard to the Platz, a decision which is appealable to the SC.
I have to put my 2 yen in on this subject. The CDS is suppose to be a place where the residents have rights but are responsible to the majority not to infringe on them. However the majority also have the right not to infringe on the minority.
Who is writing this stuff? Where and when is it getting approved? These "covenants" are being changed day by day and month by month. My question is by whose authority this is being done?
I do not like at all the direction the goverment of the CDS is taking.
TOPGenosse wrote:What Sudane refers to is:
Covenant for NFS parcels adjacent to the Markplatz wrote:(1) The primary purpose of the parcel is commercial, either goods or services. The ground floor, at least, must be devoted to commercial purpose. The upstairs may be residential. The owner may apply for free "rental" of the Platz area in front of their parcel for the purpose of moveable objects… tables, chairs, vendors. The Executive Branch reserves the right to arrange such objects consistent with the free flow of traffic through the Platz; and removal of the objects for various events (such as the regular Sunday flea market).
(2) The owner is expected to devote substantial effort to the growth of their business at this location. We expect you to make money. A city approved vendor may be required so as to track the success of this. Some form of money or dwell tracking may be performed, and there may be a criteria permitting continuance. Should the owner fail to achieve a success commensurate with the goals of the City for its Platz, the City may exercise the right of eminent domain and "Reclaim" the parcel at fair cost.
(3) The owner is required to take care to maintain the theme of Neufreistadt. Because this location is the Platz, additional oversight will apply. A compliance committee of the Guild reserves the right to prohibit signage, objects, or goods for sale which it feels contrary to the intentions of the City with regard to the Platz, a decision which is appealable to the SC.
This is not new stuff, it's old, I cannot say how old, I merely highlighted it. I think it's actually a good clause, if it were enforced cobweb-shops would be removed = more real commerce in NFS/CDS. (Like that one next to Sudane's café where the 0,5+ year owners or 1+ year owners, not even bothered to put down a floor!!) But very likely, it's *not going to be* enforced since we don't have have an imminent domain law/procedure and no spelled out details.
I did not intent to use this for good willing 'services' people like Pel or Redaktisto but against the most utterly useless Platz-occupiers. Not personally but very much so business wise.
Unfortunately: no enforcing = no movement but more inertia or stand still. Hooray
So sorry, but the wording is a little different. I do not have all of my files with me in Iraq but the wording is just a little different. I propose a committee be set up by the RA to review all documents to ensure they are correct and the wording and meaning has not been changed either by accident or design.
TOPGenosse wrote:This is not new stuff, it's old, I cannot say how old, I merely highlighted it. I think it's actually a good clause, if it were enforced cobweb-shops would be removed = more real commerce in NFS/CDS. (Like that one next to Sudane's café where the 0,5+ year owners or 1+ year owners, not even bothered to put down a floor!!) But very likely, it's *not going to be* enforced since we don't have have an imminent domain law/procedure and no spelled out details.
I did not intent to use this for good willing 'services' people like Pel or Redaktisto but against the most utterly useless Platz-occupiers. Not personally but very much so business wise.
Unfortunately: no enforcing = no movement but more inertia or stand still. Hooray
np
Ranma Tardis wrote:I propose a committee (...) to review all documents to ensure they are correct and the wording and meaning has not been changed (...)
In the mean time the following commission was instated: "Commission on Legislative Reorganization" (NL 6-1), a Simplicity initiative. Afaik, Publius, and maybe Pel are working on this. Why not do the following? :
1. Ask the Leg. Reorg. committee to keep their eyes open for inconsistencies.
2. Ask the webmaster (Gwyn) to remove prehistoric versions of the covenant and Constitution.
I do not see things like that, as the constitution and covenants are "updated" the wording and meaning of them are being changed as well. True some of the words are being changed because of actions of the RA but not all of them. A creeping change is occurring to the government of the CDS. It is almost Orwellian in nature. After all the state keeps the records the official records are the correct ones. If you see any changes it is your own invention.
I still think the great democratic experiment of neufreistadt is a failure and all we did was create another oligarchy. I do not think it is possible to create one in Second Life and perhaps real life as well.
TOPGenosse wrote:np
Ranma Tardis wrote:I propose a committee (...) to review all documents to ensure they are correct and the wording and meaning has not been changed (...)
In the mean time the following commission was instated: "Commission on Legislative Reorganization" (NL 6-1), a Simplicity initiative. Afaik, Publius, and maybe Pel are working on this. Why not do the following? :
1. Ask the Leg. Reorg. committee to keep their eyes open for inconsistencies.
2. Ask the webmaster (Gwyn) to remove prehistoric versions of the covenant and Constitution.
Ranma Tardis wrote:(...) After all the state keeps the records the official records are the correct ones. If you see any changes it is your own invention.
Not really, (depending how much you trust Aliasi), the Wiki has been keeping track of changes since January 25th 2006 afaik.
wording and meaning of them are being changed as well
I don't share your concern, but: I think it would be good if we had a journalist who did some investigative work now and then (like checking if there are citizenship loopholes in practice). And this is one reason why I welcome (new citizen) Draxtor's radio plans so much.
Ranma Tardis wrote:I do not see things like that, as the constitution and covenants are "updated" the wording and meaning of them are being changed as well. True some of the words are being changed because of actions of the RA but not all of them. A creeping change is occurring to the government of the CDS. It is almost Orwellian in nature. After all the state keeps the records the official records are the correct ones. If you see any changes it is your own invention.
I still think the great democratic experiment of neufreistadt is a failure and all we did was create another oligarchy. I do not think it is possible to create one in Second Life and perhaps real life as well.
As TOP says, there's a changelog on the Wiki; you can see every revision made to every document. This doesn't guarantee the authenticity of the original, but it does mean there's a 'paper trail'. It's also still not 'records kept by the government' by any stretch; the government makes use of my private property. This would be a tricky situation in meatspace but it's not really any worse than our reliance on an Estate Owner. It's better, because there is absolutely nothing stopping you from starting your OWN wiki and keeping it updated!
I think this maybe even be a good thing, since it 'open sources' the records. You'd have to subvert every repository out there to pull a 1984.
Of course, this requires people to trust me... and whomever else might stick an archive up... but my interest in subverting the CDS and becoming the Hidden Secret Grand Master For All Time is about nil. Hell's Bell's, I'm still trying to figure out how I talked myself into running for a second term as Chancellor.
As for the CDS becoming an oligarchy... hm. There's a school of thought that says any government of any kind is ultimately an oligarchy. On the other hand, I think in our case the citizenry gets exactly the kind of government it deserves. The 'drawback' to democracy is it requires the citizens to care; last election's turnout was absolutely pathetic compared to our historical rates.
Perhaps this means that most people are actually pretty content with the way things are run. I think I can honestly say for the average non-political person, having land in the CDS is not particularly worse than renting from any random land baron. At most, the themes and covenant restrict a certain desire to do whatever one wishes... but one can already do that very well on the Linden-owned mainland. And so can everyone else. Which is why the covenants work.
We do have quite a few documents out there. I've applied for the archivist positions to try to clean them up and possibly move them from the aliasi.us wiki to a slcds.info wiki. Wish me luck.