That appears to be today’s question.
I’ve been experimenting with my [CRAP] line recently – freebies upon release versus just releasing a new item. When I released the Crop Fur Coats – the orange at about $1L – there was almost an immediate swarm of avatars after Cher blogged about them on FabFree, Eyva blogged about them on Style Advisory, and Gillian blogged about them on Deux Looks. (Fantastic women! <3 )
Three days later, I have sold 232 of the orange jackets at $1L, and thirty-three of the others at $100L, the highest sellers being the Koolaid color and the plain black.
Two hundred and thirty two! One has to ask themselves if it’s worth it to put out freebies, unless it’s just to gain recognition within the SL Fashion community and elsewhere. I’ve heard many other designers grumble that they don’t like freebies, and will never release a freebie.
I can understand that to a point. Freebies benefit the other people, certainly not the designer. It gives them something new to wear, something nice to play with, at little to no cost to them. The problem for the designer comes if there appear to be no return or associated sales from that particular freebie. What then?
I’m not saying I haven’t been guilty of the grab-and-go. I’ve done that several times (in-world and in groups) to get an awesome freebie, but it never really occurred to me how this may affect the opinion of freebies for the designer. Is there a way to gain more return sales? Or, failing that, how are freebies often handled by the designers? There have also been issues lately with the freebie groups passing around stolen items (items obtained by way of Second Life hacks) and thinking not much of it. What’s with this sudden swarm of freebie grabbers, anyway?
So tell me, designers – what’s your thoughts on offering freebies? What kinds of ways do you give freebies out?
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Freebies are great for initial advertising but I have found that return on those freebies is very minimal. Often a person might buy the dollarbie or get the freebie and then never come back and purchase anything else. I also question the type of person/avatar it attracts. Not that everyone who grabs the low-cost item is suspect but looking through my sales log and comparing names/purchases, usually if a person is there to shop they shop – if they are there for the freebie they just grab and go (never to be seen or heard of again). The only time that dollarbies and freebies benefit the designer is when it is done for newbies. New Avatars usually sign up and want to look good so getting the freebie incites them to remember the designer and come back or purchase more. I have a L$5 grab box in my store that is chock full of stuff (skins, shirts, jeans etc) mainly for new people wanting to try stuff out or for those who are looking for a deal. I have noticed about 50% of those who get the box never return. I don’t know why. Although I have seen long-time customers pick up the box as well as people buying it and then purchasing several items in the store that same day. Soooo – I think that dollarbies or freebies in general are good for exposure but long-term they can get stale so refreshing them and offering maybe a freebie when they join an update group?
I have rarely offered freebie with royal blue simplt becuase it such a selective market im never going to appeal to everyone. The last thing iv put on as a freebie was a home sweet home house that i was cheeky and soarced the textures for. Ill admit it. But i have so little time on SL that when i make somthing and its good i want somthing out of it.
Some people might see me as a bit of a bitch for this but i support my SL all off my shop as i cant afford to pay RL money into it (student life :p)
Equaly when i buy somthing if theres a freebie around ill pick it up but often keep it as refrence of a designers work. I like quirky freebies becuase im paying nothing for somthing id prefer it to be about an idea that possibly didnt exicute quite right.
I think freebies have a stigma that puts alot of designers off becuase they think it almost lowers there “stock” as a designer. If everyone got somthing then they cant charge as much. RL high end deisgner do the same. They dont want EVRYONE and the mum carrying a LV bag so the jack the prices up so there more exclusive.
I think thats a very big diffrence between you and I tenshi you have always been more that willing to help noobs and others (possibly your just alot nicer) were as iv always been a tad decerning and think that learning your own way often helps people alot more.
Having alot of freebies can defiantly make a shop seem cheap or tacky i think. Even just having low prices. Look at Bare Rose hand down a wonderful exicutionist but its always had a slight noob stigma becuase everything is so cheap.
Marni
xxxxx
“Freebies benefit the other people, certainly not the designer.”
I don’t think this is true, and this is why: what else have you sold since offering that freebie? How has your store traffic been impacted? I have often gone to get a freebie and discovered a great new shop or other items that I would not have otherwise found.
Remember, too that there can be a lag effect. You had 232 people visit and buy a $1L jacket. But in the next days, weeks and months, many of those people will remember where that got it and return – when they need something new or when they get $L’s. The impact cannot be measured instantaneously.
When I was a new, Apple May gave a free outfit to newbies. I had no $L and was just learning the shops back then and really needed a pretty dress. I have to tell you that without that freebie, I may not have discovered the store. And when I finally had $L’s, I went back and got a bunch of other things I had seen while there – including other colors of the dress I had received for free. I am a thoroughly loyal customer now.
Designers who are disappointed about their use of freebies actually can get better results if they are creative about it. For example, what about offering items that compliment one another? Think about this – if you buy Oreos what do you need? (Ok…yes I am hungry right now…lol) Milk. So a sale on Oreos or free Oreos should theoretically increase sale of milk. This is a very simplistic (and yet delicious) explanation.
What I mean is – could you offer a freebie belt that matches a full price pair of pants perfectly? Or bracelet that matches a full price necklace and earrings? Or a freebie sarong that matches a new full priced swimsuit. Then, display the freebie item alongside the full priced items. That is one way to use a freebie to attract more sales.
You may not have sold as many full priced jackets if not for the increased traffic. Yes, freebies can potentially take sales away from other products but when used well, they can still really increase your bottom line. And they have additional impacts – don’t underestimate the value of building good will or of being able to show off your quality to someone who has never shopped with you before.
Very good points, Tymmerie, thank you.
i disagree with marni as i don’t think at all that price makes quality tough quite often good things are not so cheap.
anyway i think that’s a too elitist speech and totally agree with tenshi abt the spread a freebie or a sale can give.
for example, i had a 50% off sale until xmas in my tattoo shop and sold lots of pieces. this made people aware of the quality of my designs, spent less money and could take more than one piece… but maybe i say this things as i am quite new to sl business and my business is abt tattoos and not clothes… anyway i think that if my freebies where reviewed by excellent blogs, affairs could go even better lol
i’m sorry but my poor english prevents me from structuring better my talk
I dunno, 33 sales for 232 freebies is about a 14% buy through. I bet that would be considered pretty good ratio in alot of industries. Your figures are pretty close to the figures I’ve gotten with my 49L natural skins. Roughly 12-13% of those people came back to buy full price skins., which I figure is pretty good.
You should look to see how many people who took the freebie also bought something fullprice (not just the new coat, but anything in the store). Also, what are your typical sales on a new item? Did the freebies boost that or hurt it? You also can’t discount the possible long-term effect as 232 people could now be walking out there as walking billboards for your store.
It would be interesting to compare a release with freebie to a release without and compare the figures. Unfortunately there’s probably no way to compare 2 releases on an apples to apples basis since you wouldn’t be able to tell if its the freebie or if one item had more appeal than the other.
There does seem to be a glut of good free stuff lately, and it can all seem to run together in a big mush. I also tend to subconsciously view freebies as designer’s rejects and really dont get too excited about them. When I started my business, a friend gave me a very good bit of advice. She told me that what shoppers like even better than free, is a great deal. So that’s why I priced my natural skins at 49L instead of 1L. Its still cheap enough that its hard to pass on, but its not free. And most of the buyers try the demos first, so they do consider the purchase before spending. I would like to think that those buyers value their 49L skins more than they would a free one, and feel like they got a great buy. I save my freebies for my update group as incentives to join and stay in it, and I try to make them exclusives so that they have more value.
oh, commenters beat me to the punch while I wrote. I think Tymmerie makes some very good points too.
Freebies are a good way to get people to notice your store. They let us try on the items to see fit, detail and overall quality of an item without purchasing. If I like the free item I will often go back for another color of the free item and check out the rest of the store.
Maybe the free items should be in an “off” color or have your store logo stamped onto it somewhere.
I do agree i can tend to have an elitist opinion on things but im a RL fashion student so i guess my morals run throgh.
Fashion is elietist
i hate to say that but all art has that side. For people to be fashionable people have to be unfashionable too. For somone to be induvidual they have to have a norm to move away from. Sl isnt that bad but you can for see that it will get worse as the fashion industry moves forward.
Denying this side of things is ether blind or ignorant.
Dorra: Yes, that’s why I chose the orange to be the free color; I figured it wouldn’t sell!
However, now that I’ve sold that many freebies, I’m very glad I included LMs to both my shops in the boxes.
Marni: I think your opinion needs to be extended out a bit, please, I don’t fully understand. Are you saying the freebies are bad, because everyone (ok, most people, a few people, whatever) grabs them, and will end up looking the same?
Sorry you got a half train of thought (a common problem of mine)
Let me re explain:
I dont like freebies becuase yes everyone starts to look the same and i think if a shop has too many freebies or puts the prices to low it make the brand too accesable and over expossed. Thers a reason in RL high end brands charge so much for the items.
They dont want regular joe smo to own them.
SL as it eveolves i think we will see the same devided in the high street and high end sort of shops. Freebies will be a common way to brand shops e.g by having them your branding yourself as high street.
All fashion has elitisam and i honestly think its a good thing not everyone has taste so we should celibrate those who do.
Freebies mean noob become your advert for you shop more often than not poorly dressed noobs. Therefor i think designers lose that selective image if thats what there atfer.
If your still confused by what i mean let me ask you this
Would you prefer to wear somthing that you and a select few have? or eveyone whos just joined SL with the default ruth shape and city girl girl hair puffs?
psst tenshi go on gtalk
Frankly, I wear what I like and don’t much care who else has it. I also don’t see the appeal of owning a very limited edition or even a one-of-a-kind item unless I love it and then the draw has nothing to do with how exclusive it is. I may hold off on wearing something often if it seems to be everywhere on the grid, but that’s about it. I do agree that fashion is elitist, but not everyone responds to that in the same way.
Morrigan : youve kind of controdicted yourself if you say you would wear somthing you have seen everywere. But then you say having somthing doffrint isnt important……
Hmm, not sure I understand. All I meant is that once an item becomes common enough that I see it everywhere, I give it a break for a bit. An example would be the Europa hair by Cake – for a while, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing 3-4 avies wearing it. I never said I didn’t mind if I looked like every other blog reader on the grid – just that I have no preference towards buying something that “only a select few have”. Does that make more sense?
Hmmm. I like to give presents to my group. I usually make it a special edition. Like a colour that will not be sold. I recently did that with my shoes. The first ones to get it are the people that remained after the grab-and-run folks for the last free gifts. First of all it’s a way of saying thank you to them, for staying interested in what I release. Second I found that if they like it, they have a demo in their pocket which is actually usable, and they will come to my store to purchase some of the colours that actually are for sale. . I do notice however that once someone blogs my free groupgift, my group expands hugely.. to shrink after a bunch of days again, but they do see my things that way. and changes are they will return to my store, and I have gained a littlebit of positive thought
. I am quite a giving person, so I feel good about doing it this way, and it has a bit of marketing in the back of my mind as well. And that marketing applies for all those people who join my group for the free gift, and hopefully like what they get and come back for more 
It doesn’t end up all over SL either.. For it is only there for 30 days, and not even 1 percent of the people on sl join my group for it 
Tymmerie – that is an excellent marketing strategy! Offering a piece of an outfit for free to incite the buyer to purchase the full set…. Hmmmm.
I also like some of the other ideas everyone has come up with. With freebies – I think if they are used correctly they can really enhance your stores image and get you more exposure for certain. But just offering random ones maybe isn’t the way to go (my 5L box is looking rather stale).
I just have to say “Wow” – I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this article and the responses. Thanks for posting it – really.
I like to give out freebies, but I don’t judge on anyone’s decision on how to run their own store either. This is how I run down whether to freebie or not to freebie:
Giving Freebie: There are a few designers well known for being generous with their designs, Popfuzz has a stellar reputation for being both very giving and professional for example. It also creates goodwill, and loyalty if your freebie changes regularly to create a routine of customers checking your store out. Some advertisers are also misleading, and a free sample gives you the chance to see a designers work on your own skin. The badside is I would imagine that there are always those who think free isn’t good enough, and will complain either to try and score themselves more freebies, or try to take advantage of a good reputation for fishing for more freebies.
Not Giving Freebie: If people take the time to rezz your store and see you have quality items, the freebie isn’t going to matter unless it includes demos I believe. I would guess a majority also came to the store already intending to buy, and a portion of those won’t take a freebie just because it’s there. Also, as stated before, people may come for the freebie and not even wait for the store to rezz before tp’ing off to the next one.
So I decide to do it because even if they buy nothing else, that freebie is in their inventory, they can have fun with it, and if they like it, they have that awareness of the store and it may result in a return visit. It sounds a bit marketing-speak, but building a good relationship with your customers should be the second highest priority, the highest being your responsibility to yourself, your designs and techniques.
I like the way also that designers keeping inventing new ways to offer freebies. Above all, the group. Once you’re in the designers group or subscribe to their updates, a lot of people give away bonus or exclusive group/subscriber editions at a release, or just because they want to. This I think is a goldmine for customer loyalty and if you can make the customer squeal with glee at a new item that they get for free I think it just creates word of mouth and a positive reputation, more than if you didn’t offer anything.
I think reading this i might hand out freebies to people i know are loyal, i wish there was a way that people had to be in a group for say a few weeks before the recived items
As someone who works in stores in SL, and does not own any, I have to say, there are always the few who will bitch if your “freebie” is L$1 and not L$0.
They suck.
Marni, my friend Surrealia has handed out free AO’s to her group members, but she does it one-by-one (her group is not huge so far) and that’s how she tells the loyal customers from the ones just looking for free stuff.
thats not a bad idea actuly
I think there is such a variety of freebies, dollarbies, almost freebies, whatever a designer is calling them today that if you wish to find your own style then you can. However, freebies that really reflect the designer’s ability show me if I want to buy from there or suggest that store to others.
I don’t get the people that bitch about $1L. It’s less than a US penny, isn’t it??
I agree with handing things out to groups. I’m not so sure any more about keeping *boxes* in my shop.
Some of my thoughts on freebies…
For designers with whom I am not familiar and look interesting, I occasionally pick up a freebie to see what kind of style or approach they have in general. If I like it, I’ll come back and spend money. That said, I am actually a lot more likely to purchase from a new (or new to me) designer when there is a sale or “good deal” underway to test the waters first, rather than picking up a freebie. I think Eyva said something similar above.
Skins are a bit different. If a new skin designer – or new skin line of a known designer – is offering a group freebie or group discount, I nearly always check it out and then buy a lot more if I like it. I think GROUP discount or gift skins are a fantastic way of building a skin brand for those who want to walk around in something without the demo stamps to see if they like it first.
There are still those designers who use their groups for true customer appreciation – and sometimes gifts are a part of that – and those kinds of groups build huge customer loyalty and goodwill for the long run.
If designers are worried about people joining and then leaving their groups right away, they might consider having discounted – not freebie items – available for purchase for group members only. They wear their tags to get the discount. Shut the group 48 hours (or whatever) before you offer the discount/gift, and that way, it’s truly for your loyal customers who keep a group slot for your brand.
It is so hard to keep a group slot open for update groups. I think I only have maybe 4? open for every single update group I want to be a part of. So I do rotate them around a lot. That being said, I do have a lot of alts (nearly all of which are not used), and they are all full of update group memberships. That way, I get the email when something is released, and I get to know about it, when I am not able to be in the group on my main av. With so many non-update groups I need to be a part of, that’s the only way I could do it for myself.
And yep, Tenshi, when I was working at NnD, I had a customer bitch about the holiday skins costing L$1. She was really mad and even though her av was brand new she’d “been in SL for over a year!” and had never ever seen anyone abuse their freebie advertising like that! ZOMG!
i’ll chime in…
i LOVE giving out free stuff… for a lot of reasons… most i do “freebies” cuz i love my group, and it’s a way i can tell them, hang with them, and express my gratitude and it’s fun to find creative ways to do it.
i’ve been doing… ‘free outfits for 5 minutes’ for well over a year… and basically my gals can come in, pick what they want, and we always have a blast… they have fun, i have fun, and it’s a great way to connect with them as i don’t always have the time i’d like.
those are fun free events, and we often end up dancing and being crazy….
i have a few free things i leave out, nothing that spectacular, but NOT rejects. that’s for sure… i wanted at one time to do a free shirt of the week, but honestly, didn’t have time….
i’m trying a fun new idea i’ve had for uh over a year now? ki and i tried to do it before we got our sims, but never did…
for me freebies are primarily for my group in mind, and i try to make theirs very special… and i think it’s nice to have a few free items there for visitors who like to get free stuff.
honestly, if one wanted, with all the freebies around… one could never shop again and look just fine! but of course… that’s NO fun! hahaha…
so ok i ramble!
nice topic!
xoxo,
caLLie
Coincidentally, Marni’s “Home Sweet Home” hat is one of my favorites EVER.
hahahaha rele?
Ive got a few more hats designed and ready to go when i get back in world!
Uhhh hell yeah. You’re super good with primwork on your accessories. <3
yey! im out fo world atm and might be for a few days still but lots to come!
I’m just a consumer, not a store owner like most of the postees here seem to be – but for my 2 cents? I scour the blogs for freebies, and go collect them. But I make it my mission to linger in the store checking out the rest of the goods. I try on the freebie, and if I’m pleased with the quality and workmanship I buy more. I’ve discovered many places this way, and passed on those landmarks to my friends with a thumbs up. It is a great idea to always include one; whoever it was that mentioned it. So – personally I’d like to implore you to not feel discouraged. It’s worth it.
Oh – lovin’ the coat, but I didn’t go get it. I’m a redhead, and I’d look dreadful in orange.
I’ll check out everything else though.
I swear by freebies. Yes, they fly off the shelves _way_ more than the items you pay for- but when you’re a new designer they bring attention and traffic you wouldn’t get otherwise. Even in my Fashcon announcements I tend to lead with freebie offers to grab people’s attention, to lure them in to have a look around.
I’ve had a number of people come by hearing about the freebies then look around and say “OMG why didn’t I know about this place before?” and buy multiple items. I don’t freebie a lot I would sacrifice wallspace to sell- my favourites are odd little things that I’d rather more people have the toy of, which themselves give out little items to anyone who touches them; other things include seasonal things that I don’t feel like rearranging the shop for and odd little bits that are fun, but I’d rather have the space for other things; and the occasional working version that was good enough for needing it right now, but isn’t perfect.
People do tell me I should sell them sometimes, but for the toys, which are the most impressive, it misses the point really. Besides, all any of it costs me is a little bit of time (I’m having fun with my free time, so I’m not looking for an hourly wage), a few Lindens in upload fees, a little bit of rent and Classified listings. I don’t need to make a lot to break even, and that’s fine, for now.
But then, I’m also not in SL for a cutthroat business model, I’m here because it’s fun. People liking my stuff and someday down the road being able to make some money off of it is gravy, but the vast majority of things I make are because I’ve got an idea that has to be done for ME to be happy.
On the flip side, I “shop” for freebies myself a lot, and when I’m looking for something in particular, if I already have a freebie of good quality that I like, that shop is the first place I go. It may be months later, but if it grabbed my attention I will go back.
My main complaint with most of the L$1 items is that if I can’t see them, I don’t know whether they’re worth even that. I mystery meat box most of my freebies, and so do a lot of people- things without a picture may just be tossed as soon as I try them on (even freebies that look lackluster I won’t bother to pick up, because I’ve got an out of control inventory as it is). Even L$1 can add up if it’s all trash, considering the massive amounts of things you can find.
I know I’m not a designer but I felt really compelled to comment because of the things I deal with. One – I run Lucky Kitty Crew, which is a freebie/fun group/lucky chair/etc. group for people who may be down on their luck or just wanna do fun hunts or what have you. I’ve been on SL since 7/21/2005 and when I first got on there were barely any freebies at all. It was very depressing for me at the time because I felt I had no where to go and without L$ I would run around in n00b av forever. Granted things are very very different from back then as they are now.
Also I noticed a comment about BareRose in there, and as a BareRose staff I am so disappointed when I read the blogs and how many people turn away because of the low costs. I know you, Tenshi, are giving but working for June Dion and seeing certain positive things in SL gives me light within the darkness of a lot of stores. I will willingly buy things if I know the person is a nice and fair person. Seeing certain places with high prices and never giving out freebies says something even when you do have L$. At least to me, I think just because someone doesn’t wanna put out a freebie isn’t a terrible thing I just think it seems a lil selfish. Some people out there would like to look good and enjoy SL, yet maybe they don’t have the L$ required to.
I definitely agree with Tymmerie, and that people should probably think outside of the box with freebies if they’re interested in increasing sales.
I also think it’s a good point someone made (Sorry I got lost in these comments) that they help people see what your designs are like. There are many places I’ve bought items and the picture looked way better than the actual product. :s
Have to agree with Morrigan too because in IRL yeah Marni’s thing applies maybe to the elitest types but in SL, I wear what I want, I look how I want, if people want to be elistest there’s definitely stores out there for them. But in SL, this is my (and a lot of people I know look at this the same) SL, and I want to wear what’s good and not try and compete in some lame elistest rat race.
Sorry if this post doesn’t seem to fit in too well with the rest but I feel others opinions besides designers make thing point very well rounded. X3
I also am not a designer. I love to freebie hunt AND I love to shop.
I’ve discovered more designers from Freebie Hunting groups such as “Lucky Kitty Crew” and the like, than I ever would on my own.
For example, TRUTH offered a freebie a month or two ago. I just went back and bought 3 or 4 new hair pieces from them.
If designers don’t want to offer a “Freebie,” that’s fine. I just don’t have to shop at their store. Ever.
BTW, I spent 5,000L last week alone. So, it’s up to you whether you want a piece of that pie or not.
On the L$1 freebie topic: If it’s free it’s free. L$1 is not free. Those I call Dollarbies.
On the keeping boxes in your store: YES keep the boxes in your store. How else am I going to call out on my group “Hey, there’s a super free xxxxxx at xxxxx. You better get down here.”
On the joining groups to grab a freebie and then leaving them: I have to do that. There’s a 25 group limit. It sucks. So, I have to keep “checking in” so to speak, by joining a group, checking past notices, and then leaving the group. I have a list of groups that I check regularly. I would love to be able to stay in them all.
BTW, absolutely love the Subscribe-O-Matics. It seems to solve the whole 25 group limit problem. The only problem I’ve been having lately is that I’ve joined so many of those Subscribe-O-Matics that if I have a bunch of messages when I first rez in, I have to wait a few minutes, because if I don’t my SL viewer crashes.
Like Kira above I am not a designer, at least not a successful one, but that is for another time. When i pick up a freebie/dollarbie I always check the outfit/quality of the store before I get a freebie. Typically I try to look at the rest of the store to see if there is something that I want to buy from the designer. I also tend to keep my searches to designers i like or new stores that are looking for some free publicity. I have also found some really cool designers by doing freebie hunts. Plus I don’t have a lot of money to spend each month, 3000L$, so it is nice to have quality freebies. I also really love Subscribe-O-Matics because I can get updates without the mess of the group limit issue. I try to stay in the group if I really like what I got, but some days I just want to join get the freebies and head out.
Tenshi, I don’t know if i would have picked up the freebie coat if it wasn’t orange. That is the risk of issuing in colors that the designer doesn’t really like, but is a color other people love. Also I bought the 10L$ version because I heard about it a tad late.
Ok, I’m not objective. I have a freebie blog. But I feel I need to comment. The whole purpose for me behind doing it was to make things less complicated and more fun for new people so they would stay. The more people stay, the more potential customers. Someone who rez’s, buys something for five hundred lindens, wears the box on his head and can’t figure out how to get it off will not be back. Some of the finest designers in SL are very generous and I don’t think anyone is going to say that Ivalde, Tete a Pied, Dutch Touch, Another Store, Maitreya,ETD, MG fashions, etc.etc. are inferior in any way. If they do, they are on crack. Because of TaP I figured out which kinds of skins I like. Before that, I spend thousands of lindens on skins that I never wore. Yes some freebie hunters are jerks, but the majority of them are just new people having fun.
I really appreciate the oppurtunity freebies or dollarbies give me to try a style.If I like the product, I do come back and spend like crazy. Actually, I only spend my lindens on the places that offer freebies because I want to give back in gratitude for the kindness offered me. I may not buy immediately as someone mentioned earlier because I may not even try the freebie for months, but if I like it I will definitely buy more and sometimes half the store. So thanks to all of you that offer this to the community as I do realize the long hours and hard work you put into your creations. Also please remember to include your landmark in the package so I can find you again.
I’m not a designer or a shop owner either so my opinion comes from a customer’s point of view.
I appreciate all stores that offer freebies BUT:
“it ain’t what you do, but the way that you do it”.
I read the “Fabfree” blog and if I like the look of your freebie I will go to your store (you just won my attention!). I will then look around the store and if I like what I see I may buy something.
If you put a LM in with your freebie and I like the freebie I *will* come back again! Maybe I will buy and maybe I won’t but you have my attention a second time.
If your freebie was a “reject” item, or you didn’t include a LM, you probably won’t see me back again because I will rate the quality of your work based on the example that you gave me.
Let me give a real example: Mirada had a “freebie special” where one colour pack in each hair style was $0 and it was blogged about. So I went in to have a look and picked up some free hair. While I was there I saw that they also had a 50% special on some avatars so I seized the opportunity to pick up a Shiva avatar. Then I showed my friend and she bought one, and so did two more friends (I can give names if anyone doesn’t believe me). Then more people asked and I believe at least 2 more have bought one too.
So my point is:
- a freebie offer got me into the store,
- another sale at the same time on other products convinced me to buy “now”,
- I didn’t buy any hair (which was what the freebie was).
- good (other) products and a LM in the folder meant sales in the store, none of which would have happened without the initial “freebie”.
Please don’t “diss” freebies – they get people into your store who wouldn’t otherwise have gone there. What happens afterwards is up to you and may not happen straight away and may not be directly related to the “free” product.
Faerie
generosity is good for business. freebies are a cheap way to spread your landmark around without spamming and skyrocket your traffic without camping cheats. when i release a freebie together with a regular priced item, my sales are a blast. even when i just release a freebie, sales go way better than average.
I just made a comment on The Rummage Box, about the ethics of joining groups merely for the freebies, then leaving. http://therummagebox.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/pondering/#comment-96
So, unashamedly cutting and pasting…
“I think designers who are offended by people joining and leaving need to think about this….. just WHY are you giving out freebies? Is it a marketing policy? If so, be glad loads of people can be bothered to come looking for your stuff. I’d be thrilled to know my product had reached a wider audience. Is it to reward loyal customers? Then do it differently. Invite them to a special event, freeze the group for a day and drop a gift on each member (or get a minion to do that for you), look through your customer database (kindly provided for you by the Lindens, in the form of Transaction History) and drop a gift to the people who REALLY spend money at your store. Think outside the box.”
“I should also add, designers, it is NOT good marketing to use your old, rejected designs as your shop freebie (unless clearly marked as such – see Illusions for an example of how to do this well). It might be the ONLY item of yours I try on. If it’s cack, and you know it’s cack, then how likely am I to want to buy more of your stuff? It might ALL be cack! I’ve only got the one item to go on. So give me something at least half decent, a good representation of your current quality/style. Make me want more.”
Although many of us shoppers are on a budget, it wouldn’t hurt us to think about the ethics of freebie hunting. I’ve been astounded at the number and quality of freebies in the last couple of months, have gone to stores I otherwise would never have heard of thanks to the freebie blogs, yes,to grab freebies, but also keep that designer in mind. We won’t have these opportunities if designers aren’t encouraged and don’t make enough money to make it somehow worth their time.
So as our budgets allow and when we find quality stores or styles that fit our tastes, we SHOULD be looking for and buying other items to support those designers we like. I’ve even paid designers more for their freebies or refused an offer of another item for free, preferring to pay to support the designer. How many of us paid Eloh Eliot for this last skin when given the opportunity to pay what we wish? There was an opportunity to support her for her amazing generosity, even a token amount. If we could, if we weren’t new or broke, did we?
As for elitism, whatever. Quality rises. Quality is the lynchpin of SL success stories, regardless of price or designer generosity. I don’t shop at Acedia because I can’t afford much, even though she makes the most inventive, interesting stuff. I’ve shopped spent far more at Ivalde since my first days in SL and will go back again and again because she’s affordable and gorgeous. Her daily Christmas freebies for group members were astonishingly generous. I only bought one outfit from her full price in all of December, but I’ve been her customer forever and will be back because she makes beautiful things. Same thing with Second Mirage–I already owned half the store and Ali and Brit practically gave away the other half, but I will come back again and again for their lovely jewelry.
Freebies aren’t going to make or break anyone–generosity, however, builds good will and I wlil return to Callie Cline, Evie’s Closet, MM Skins, Ivalde, Second Mirage, Tuli, and many more great people as much for their appreciation for their customers and their generosity to the new and the poor as for the wonderful quality of their work.
I’ve only just caught on to this post and of course, it’s a topic close to my heart. I’ve got a survey about this on my blog with lots of interesting comments.
Early last year, 2007 BC (Before Creamy). I began to notice the quality of freebies were becoming much higher, I started wearing them with full price stuff, like mixing designer and high street. People were always asking where I got my clothes and were so surprised when I said some of them were free, then I would be passing the LMs about. This is why I created Creamy and the Free*Style group, (it’s not a secret she is my alt, my fully paid up rich bitch member is Mini May).
I love how delighted people are when they find a great freebie and I love that designers in far flung places are being discovered due to their free gifts.
If I visit a store with a beautiful free gift I always look around at the rest of the store and if I like what I see I come back as one of my other Avatar’s and buy, buy, buy!!! I know a lot of other people in this situation also, so I do not believe store owners are losing out at all, the Avi who bought the freebie may well have an Alt who will buy the full price stuff.
Not only that, it’s a great way of introducing people to your store who might not otherwise have visited. A recent example for me is Allegory’s ‘Schadenfreude’ store. I would never have known her store if it wasn’t for the beautiful free gifts I was told about and I’ll definitely be revisiting this store in the future.
I believe the store owners who regularly give their group members free gifts develop a closer affinity with their customers and their customers become loyal. I will aways revisit these stores and remain in their groups (even though I have to make Alts to be in them all…..ho hummm)
Also, I agree with Skinki, giving away stuff which you don’t think is good enough for selling isn’t always a good marketing ploy. The way I see it is, if the freebie is great quality, chances are the rest of the creations are too.
Tenshi, I also blogged your fur coat. You are right, initially I wouldn’t have gone for orange, but once I wore it I realised how great it looks and I am now an orange convert
Thanks guys
That’s some really great discussion, I think many people benefited from it – I know I did!
Creamy, I’ll pass you a current project in-world, but to Mini, since it isn’t for sale yet – and probably won’t be in that particular texture.
“Although many of us shoppers are on a budget, it wouldn’t hurt us to think about the ethics of freebie hunting.”
I don’t think it is unethical to Freebie hunt any more than it is unethical for us to make a meal out of grocery store samples. The exchange is not one sided – even though you may perceive it as such. The vendors get something out of the exchange. It is but one of a multitude of promotional strategies companies use. Companies pay fortunes for eyeballs, exposure, to grab your attention for one small moment, etc. It is a cluttered world advertising-wise and, well, it is a cluttered grid also.
That is one potential goal of giving out a freebie – getting a shopper’s attention long enough to be able to show them what else you offer. Freebies can help a seller break through the clutter – when done correctly.
Manufacturers do not think of you as a charity case – their samples and freebies should be part of a long term strategy for building a customer base. Even the items intended to give newbies some help, should be given with the goal of making those people into loyal customers.
And yes, getting a freebie triggers a psychological obligation toward the seller – one more strategy behind giving them out. But, that does not make it unethical to accept the freebie or hunt for them. Nor is it unethical to choose not to buy something from that vendor.
But that is also why is it important for the sellers to put some thought into the strategy behind the freebies. Sellers: to whom are you giving freebies and what result do you desire? If you are feeling bitter or cheated when you give out freebies, you are doing something wrong.
I would be happy to help sellers put together a marketing plan and/or discuss promotional strategies. I work in Marketing in RL. Just im me or send me an email.
I like making things free so that people can have them for no Ls. This is balanced out by my need to pay for my SL with sales of things that I charge for, but I like the feeling of someone wandering about in something I made even if I didn’t get any financial return from it. Possibly this is my Hobo side showing, or maybe I’m just self-obssessed.