Featured Merchants Requirements

[Ilan Tochner]

Hi Sierra,

The whole purpose of the early-bird promotion was to give merchants an incentive to upload their goods into Kitely Market before there were any customers using it. The people doing so took a risk, not knowing in advance whether it was worth their time to do so. As that was the case, we were willing to give 1-year benefits to people who invested enough time to create at least 100 high-quality product listings (there were a few merchants who listed more than 100 products that didn't fulfill the other Featured Merchants status requirements). This promotion, and the significant help of our early adopters, succeeded in getting us almost 1000 product variations listed when the marketplace opened. This in turn has helped make Kitely Market real enough for other merchants to list their items as well and there are now almost 3500 product variations listed in the marketplace, a 250% increase in less than 3.5 months.

While there are several merchants that have made more than $100 in revenues in Kitely Market, we've yet to reach the point where we can rely on marketplace sales to attract merchants. In other words, we need to make sure merchants continue to be happy listing in Kitely Market so we can't afford to take steps that might jeopardize their continued good will toward Kitely. Adding new Featured Merchants may help increase marketplace sales but it can also drive away some merchants thus making it a less viable long-term option for repeat non-Kitely customers.

That said, showing just 2 Featured Merchants is far from ideal, so the decision isn't clear cut (if it were then we would have done it by now). If we had several professional merchants that were as prolific as Amiryu then the choice would have been easier but, while there are several merchants with smaller inventories that could be granted merit-based Featured Merchant status, choosing them would be a lot more contentious than giving that status to Amiryu.

[Amiryu Hosoi]

My dear friends,

I just came back from a birthday party at the theater. While I feel very much flattered and honored with the positive posts and nice words I really would not prefer to get a special status. I am very happy to be able to list my items on Kitely Market and will continue to list when I have a little bit of free time again. I also have a very big world to shape;-) I like Kitely to grow and get bigger and better and I am sure I am not alone here. A bigger and better Kitely benefits all of us. But like Ilan said, when you make a promise, one should keep to that promise. The featured merchants slots are a reward for the early adopters and so it should stay. On the other hand I think the featured merchants slots are not used to its full potential.

Maybe the featured slots could be exchanged with a nice high quality banner. The featured merchants should keep their space for free for the time agreed and other merchants could buy a slot for a banner add. The banner adds should then be rotating. The result, happy featured merchants and happy merchants that want to highlight their store or product and happy Ilan and Oren because a banner programm will also put money in the pocket.

Hugs to you all,

Ami

[Ada Radius]

I actually am one of the Featured Merchants, and my vote would be, after the year is up, eliminating the Featured bar entirely. It clutters up the screen. The great merchants (no one could accuse me of being a particularly effective merchant, lol) will rise to the top without any help, and via ratings will be easy to find.
I am one of the "Featured" because I had a lot items I could import, and while I was recovering from medical issues earlier this year I put in hundreds of hours to get them up and listed. Beta testing for Ilan and Oren, in other words. Most of my products are not particularly commercial and were made or built for virtual world theater or screen capture video, and will be needed again soon. I will be, when I have my head above water on other stuff, be bringing in many more items. mostly avatars, because I need them inworld for screen capture projects - they're not up there now because they either need to be converted to mesh or need to have their attachment points re-done. It's handy to have my stuff up at the marketplace - a portfolio, as it were, and I even occasionally sell something.

Ada

[oopsee joseppe]

Hi, I missed the deadline for "featured store" on MP, sent off the email and didn't know there was a deadline, duh! Thank you llan for pointing me to this set of posts. Soo, here is my thinking...It takes courage to list items on MP for a few reasons and I think anyone who decides to start a presence on MP is special. Pay to be "featured", find some criteria to strive towards, best selling, etc. all good ideas.
How about a rotating spot for a period of time for each and every special persons store who has a presence on MP? No criteria except to start a store and add content (excellent or less than). My thinking is every store should be recognized by being featured for a short time. As the market grows with creators each and every person (store) can be queen (or king) for a period of time, a day, a few days? Be nice to keep a level playing field for those with limited budgets who may not be able to invest in a spot, for those with less than super sales, for those who may not make the most excellent products but try? Everyone gets recognized this way and it is equal, fair and level. Or as Ada Radius suggests just toss out the "featured banner" all together. Whatever happens I am confident that shoppers will find and discover what they desire with or without a "featured" banner no matter how it is configured to qualify.
oopsee