Are freebies hurting the Second Life economy?

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

I don't write down.

Still bewildering, can we buy a vowel?

 

[Free]

Still bewildering, can we buy a vowel?

Anarcho-capitalist.

 

[Lady Darnk Juniorette]

Darnkbies are best bies!

 

[Myficals]

 

[eku zhong]

blah, blah, blah, fishpaste, blah, blah, blah, Ayn Rand, blah, blah, blah...

.

ooo its catching on.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

ooo its catching on.

I've used it in RL a few times....

 

[Khamon]

It was an interesting and relevant question in December of 2004. Fourteen years later we can safely answer “they are not” and move along. Next Topic: Are flexible prims hurting the Second Life economy?

 

[Pamela]

As with Walmart, it depends on which parts of the economy you mean. Walmart, for example, saves consumers money, puts small merchants out of business.

Freebies have contributed to prices falling, which is good for consumers, not so good for some merchants. However, many merchants have found that they can drastically reduce time costs, and therefore prices, by importing rather than creating content.

 

[Khamon]

It is true. Mesh has damaged the Second Life economy almost as much as Linden Lab has. But who’s gonna argue against having mesh on The Grid All Hail The Central Grid?

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Sculpties already totally ruined building in Second Life AND the Second Life economy long before mesh ruined the Second Life economy, so take that.

 

[Plurabelle Laszlo]

are free's bees hurting SL?

 

[Casey Pelous]

Well, something is hurting the Second Life economy.

Bet it's those damn millennials.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

But I'd be interested in hearing other people's opinions on the topic. What do you think?

I think I'd be interested in reading and responding to your thoughts if you'd post them here.

 

[Free]

are free's bees hurting SL?

Shockingly. Yes.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Next Topic: Are flexible prims hurting the Second Life economy?

*hugs her flexiprim pretties and hisses!*

 

[Free]

Is it true sculpties murdered SL and buried it deep in the woods?

 

[Robert Jung]

SL has always had freebies and they never hurt to economy that I can tell. Noobies got started with free stuff, then eventually bought lots of stuff. This is a good thing!

 

[eku zhong]

Well, something is hurting the Second Life economy.

.

It is gacha more than anything that is hurting the economy IMHO.
Not only does it create an endless supply of cheap resellables for some (maybe more than a few) unethical individuals who use the (not yet fixed) exploits to make duplicates of no/copy items but it floods the market with cheap stuff.
Not cheap in quality though because a lot of decor gacha items especially are downloaded from the web or outsourced to 3rd world freelancers who then .. wait for it.. download it from the web anyway.
The end result is that people expect high quality at rock bottom prices.
Merchants who are doing well, do it in one of two ways.. massive quantity low, low price items of dubious provenance or by finding a niche market that is hard to compete with.
herendethelesson.. amen

 

[Eli KittyWitch]

I love to collect freebies. If I see a shop I wander into has a freebie, I get excited and check it out. If I like it, I go back and see what other stuff the store has I might like. I've spent a ridiculous amount of coin after getting freebies on some occasions.

 

[Sid]

I love to collect freebies. If I see a shop I wander into has a freebie, I get excited and check it out. If I like it, I go back and see what other stuff the store has I might like. I've spent a ridiculous amount of coin after getting freebies on some occasions.

Now that is exactly the concept behind freebies.
Draw attention for the business and lure customers in for sales.
Freebies are a great marketing tool.