Categories: "Complete Avatars" vs "Avatar Component Bundles"

[Johnny Magic]

Well, I originally placed my items under Skins but it was suggested they should be under Avatar Component Bundles. I guess I can understand the reasoning here. Although my gut feeling is that if the item contains skin, shape, hair and eyes, it would be a Complete Avatar. I think I will add some clothing to them and then they can be listed under Complete Avatars instead of sitting out there by their lonesome in the "bundle category"...

[Sierra Jakob]

Ilan, it may be that I still don't understand the intent of "Avatar Component Bundles". Please correct me if I'm wrong. I think you are saying that the product......

---must have skin and shape
AND
---might have something more... like hair, eyes, or a bowtie,

BUT
---does not have skin, shape, hair, eyes, shoes, and full clothes.

Do I have this part right?

[Sierra Jakob]

Well, I originally placed my items under Skins but it was suggested they should be under Avatar Component Bundles. I guess I can understand the reasoning here. Although my gut feeling is that if the item contains skin, shape, hair and eyes, it would be a Complete Avatar. I think I will add some clothing to them and then they can be listed under Complete Avatars instead of sitting out there by their lonesome in the "bundle category"...

Hi Johnny. I hear you! I think it might be easier to make my stuff so it fits nicely into a category. I'm just still puzzled though, because I see Ada's things under "skin" that look like they should be under this "Avatar Component Bundle"--I know she has to go by the same rules we do, so I know I still am not understanding the set up. In SL I see merchants often put "extras" in the package. I just want to be clear about whether doing that might force me into a category I don't really care to be in. Of course the category can have an impact on sales, so sometimes it has to be chosen with care. Anyway, I ramble on. Studying the market aspect is where I get my kicks, so do forgive.

[Ilan Tochner]

An Avatar Component Bundle includes items from more than one Avatar Appearance category. It doesn't have to be a Skin and Shape. It doesn't include all the components + full clothing.

If you label a product listing as belonging to Avatar Skins while it also includes other items then people who try set an "Avatar Shapes" filter won't be able to find it and won't know what other places too look for it. If you place it in Avatar Component Bundles or Complete Avatars then people will know that those other categories might include additional items they are looking for. In any case, if your item has a proper description then people who don't filter out items based on category but rather use the text field search for "skin" will be able to see your product.

The analogy is choosing to sell a complete house pre-fab in the Chairs category because it also includes a chair. People seeing the product image that includes a lot more things may not react in the way you wish them to, they may decide that your product is a bad search result and skip it entirely. The more precise your metadata is the better fit it will be to what people have searched for and that will result in more people clicking to view your product in search results.

As for Ada's product listings, she listed most of her products before the marketplace opened to the public, which is why I haven't reviewed her items recently.

[Sierra Jakob]

ok, so "Avatar Component Bundles" are just "Multiple Avatar Body Parts"?

[Ada Radius]

I kind of remember doing this - one of the problems was the lack of skin attributes in the bundle category - I forget what the choices were. I'm primarily selling skins - other stuff in the bundle (shapes, browshaper) is essential and easy to make and anyone can do it, but not everyone wants to. And yah I throw in eyes and a hair and beard tat for demo purposes mainly, and a pair of shorts so that guys can pull on a folder and not be naked in a G-rated public place by mistake. I thought I should have the skin attributes in my listing as that's the first thing men ask me when they find out I make male skins. Skin color, followed by age. Was it the best choice for people finding my products? I have no idea, lol, and no way to test it.
Ada

An Avatar Component Bundle includes items from more than one Avatar Appearance category. It doesn't have to be a Skin and Shape. It doesn't include all the components + full clothing.

If you label a product listing as belonging to Avatar Skins while it also includes other items then people who try set an "Avatar Shapes" filter won't be able to find it and won't know what other places too look for it. If you place it in Avatar Component Bundles or Complete Avatars then people will know that those other categories might include additional items they are looking for. In any case, if your item has a proper description then people who don't filter out items based on category but rather use the text field search for "skin" will be able to see your product.

The analogy is choosing to sell a complete house pre-fab in the Chairs category because it also includes a chair. People seeing the product image that includes a lot more things may not react in the way you wish them to, they may decide that your product is a bad search result and skip it entirely. The more precise your metadata is the better fit it will be to what people have searched for and that will result in more people clicking to view your product in search results.

As for Ada's product listings, she listed most of her products before the marketplace opened to the public, which is why I haven't reviewed her items recently.