Purchasing on SL Marketplace

[Breehid McCallen]

Lately, I have been running into a problem with delivery of kitten boxes purchased on the SL Marketplace. 3 of 3 purchases this week (from 3 different vendors, and with 2 of my alts) failed to ever appear in my inbox/inventory/received items or objects folder. So far, the merchants (with the help of the KittyCatS staff) have been considerate, and I hope to have all the cats sent eventually. However, I do see that SL Marketplace is a poor site for KittyCatS purchases. It seems that the in-world markets are much more reliable. Folks who are selling, as well as people who are buying, might consider the track record of venue reliability before they post to the SL Marketplace (or search there for a cat).

I have had some successful transactions through SL Marketplace, but this glitch seems to be becoming more common. Just a heads-up for others!

[Tad Carlucci]

Frankly, I never understood why anyone would ever consider purchasing a cat from the Marketplace.

OK, so maybe you want a junk box for L$75 to send to the Menagerie because you just need one more to get the Special and don't want to burn one of your own.

But, other than that, it seems the height of folly to purchase sight-unseen. Think about it: what's your recourse if it claimed to be a 9-trait showing true-recessive across the line, and what you got was a 4-year-old Coco/Water generic box? None!

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

[Oselkhandro Resident]

Yes, I guess I tended to trust the integrity of a Linden run site, but clearly that is naïve. No more SL Marketplace!

[MsMagick Resident]

There are plenty of people just looking for inexpensive pets. The first KittyCat I bought was a Petite Domino IV that I carefully selected on the MP. She is still very precious to me and why I intend to keep offering them. I'm personally aiming at a mix of cute and affordable kitties, 8T & 9T's, collectibles, etc.

Also, sometimes people don't want to have to wander through a bunch of different secondary markets hoping that the kitty they are looking for is named in a way where they can find it with Area Search, and then find that the in world pedigree link isn't enabled. There is a reason that I always include a screenshot of the pedigree with the ID# shown in my MP listings.

I haven't had ANY reported issues with my MP store. *knocking on virtual wood* If anyone does have a problem, just contact me with the sale info and I'll get it out of the Magic Box & send it directly, or provide the needed information to the KittyCats team.

[Aubreygrace Starlight]

I actually sell more on MP than in world. I don't even have that many cats on mine, just a few of my new traited ones and a couple of collection cats. But if there's this issue that's going on I will limit my listings on mp now.

I also provide all info from the pedigree including a gyazo ss on most of them.

[Malayaa Resident]

I've been selling cats on Marketplace since October 2012, and I looked at order transaction summary and counted 75 boxed cat sales, with no delivery issues. O problems out of 75 is a pretty good track rate

However, I also sell collars, and I have encountered delivery problems a few times when buyers order several collars, so I added this note to my collar listings: Buying multiple quantities of the same collar? Due to SL limitations for limited quantity items, ordering more than one collar at a time may result in partial delivery. If this occurs, please buy the collars one at a time, thanks!

There are definitely pros and cons to buying and selling on the Marketplace: fees to the seller, buyers can't see the kitty box directly before they buy, the Marketplace lags too just like SL, especially around Christmas! The positives are being able to shop online (which is enormously popular, I think there are a lot of people goofing off at work LOL), and also being able to narrow down a search using keywords and price ranges is a plus.

I will keep offering cats on Marketplace since there are customers who like to shop that way, but my favorite way to find a kitty for myself is still visiting the marketplaces in world, there is just no substitute for seeing a beautiful kitty "in the fur" and being able to zoom in on all the details!

[Nino Heartsdale]

Like Mal - I too sell kitties on the Market Place. I have over 400 good quality kitties that I place there (often with the latest traits), simply because placing 400+ kitties inworld would be unviable! I dont often have any problems with the sales. IF (at all) there is a problem, I will offer a full refund or a replacement kitty.
I believe, that breeder who take their reputations seriously, will not offer dud kitties, either inworld or in the market place.
But each to their own - if kitties are available both inworld and in the market place, it offers people a greater range of choice and they can choose whatever is the most convenient way for them to shop.
That's my penny's worth!

P.S. I intend to continue offering my best kitties both inworld and on the market place. If anyone has a problem - they only need to IM me!

[MsMagick Resident]

*nods* I agree. I know that as a new and smaller breeder, my reputation is very important to me. I also always try to be business-like, fair, etc., and readily admit that I'm still finding my niche, getting a feel for pricing, etc. I like it when both buyer and seller are happy, whichever side I'm on.

Personally, I sell mostly on the Marketplace, and mix that with renting prims as needed to use the Love Shacks, Live Tables, etc. in world. Some times I've even been sharing a bench with an RL friend who's even newer than I am. (McDoogal aka Doug/Darlene/Danielle - I would say that his interest in KittyCats is all my fault, except that I know that it's just a natural extension of how much he loves his RL cats, past & present.) I briefly had an In World store, but didn't have enough kitties for sale to make it viable, and find the Marketplace more cost effective in general. I'm also loving these forums as an avenue for direct sales and trades, as well as information and community.

*

P.S. If there is something in my MP shop that you're seriously interested in and would prefer me to put out In World so you can purchase it, IM me. It is a bit of work, but I fully understand that some things you would rather see or do in person.

Showcase Panel (most items not for sale): http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zo...218/41/517
Shared Bench (location may change, only have gems for sale there right now): http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pa...h/99/79/22

[Oselkhandro Resident]

All good information! The problem, in my experience, is NOT with the sellers, who (with one exception) have always been conscientious about either restoring the kitty box or giving a refund. The problem, unfortunately, is with Linden Labs. Delivery, not quality or integrity, is the problem that I encounter. KittyCatS was helpful about restoring the one kitty I purchased that the seller refused to make good. It is annoying to have to keep writing to vendors and/or KittyCatS for lost transaction reparation. However, I totally agree that searching the Marketplace is more convenient (when it works as intended) than walking through a lot of booths in-world. I have no intention of disparaging our conscientious KittyCatS sellers on SL Marketplace. However, it would be lovely if Linden would clean up their act.

[MsMagick Resident]

(03-27-2015 01:01 PM)Oselkhandro Resident Wrote:  All good information! The problem, in my experience, is NOT with the sellers, who (with one exception) have always been conscientious about either restoring the kitty box or giving a refund. The problem, unfortunately, is with Linden Labs. Delivery, not quality or integrity, is the problem that I encounter. KittyCatS was helpful about restoring the one kitty I purchased that the seller refused to make good. It is annoying to have to keep writing to vendors and/or KittyCatS for lost transaction reparation. However, I totally agree that searching the Marketplace is more convenient (when it works as intended) than walking through a lot of booths in-world. I have no intention of disparaging our conscientious KittyCatS sellers on SL Marketplace. However, it would be lovely if Linden would clean up their act.

Agreed & understood. Considering they had to put the latest spiffy new general selling method on hold last year because of delivery issues... yeah! I wish they would consider breedables and other one-of-a-kind items when developing new methods and then test the heck out of it before releasing it.

FYI - I've also read that Magic Boxes have problems syncing when they have too many items inside. I found old guidelines saying to limit it to 50 - 100 items, but the only sync issue I've had (old items were suddenly unavailable after adding new items) was after I went over about 55, so I keep it under 50/box.

I do think that sort of thing does fall under being a contentious and informed seller, which isn't easy when parts of what you are using isn't supported anymore, info pages have been removed, etc. It took me work to figure it all out, and then I tested my first listings by having a friend buy "menagerie cats" at L$1 each just to make sure everything was set up and working.