Thursday, May 1, 2008

What the hell, groups??

What is the deal lately with fashion groups being so selective with who they let in? Now, I understand spam thing. Who wants to be hit with "Great Mall Only Good Designers $10L For Ripped Skins And Clothes Come Nao!" while just sitting around? It's the reason I don't have an open enrollment group.

However, to get into my silly little group, you just have to shoot me an IM or leave me a comment here. No big deal. It keeps the spam out and it keeps people from getting completely huffy that they got an unsolicited group invite.

But a few days ago I saw a freebie in the MM Skins group. I thought, oh good, I'll join. After all, the Minnu group was one that I'd kept in my group list for a few months before needing to drop a group for the space, but now that I have a few extra slots open, I can be in it again.

No dice. Not only is it closed, but the application process is a bitch. You have to send a notecard to someone saying why you want to be in the group. Well, ok, maybe that's fine. But then this line in the group charter had me rolling on the floor. "Information will be reviewed and you will get an invite if accepted." What? Is there a review board? Is there a background check? Oh please tap me for your group. I'll wear a pickle on my head and dance around a flagpole in my underpants if you'll just let me in.



Not to mention once you're accepted into their prestigious sorority, you sure as hell better not chat in the group. That's an instant out.

Then I noticed that the Rosemar group, a group that I had been in before, now has a joining fee of $250L. Are you kidding?! They say it's due to the value of the freebies that are often given. Umm...what? Shouldn't free gifts just be free? [If you're a Rosemar customer, you can IM the designer to get in the group for free, so I guess that's nice. At least she doesn't have the secret service examine your fashion history to get in.]

I'll be the first to admit that there are some groups that I've joined just to get a gift out of it and then left shortly after. But there are other groups that I joined to get a gift and stuck around in. And because the gifts were good quality, I now shop at their stores. There are also groups that I suggest to newbies so that they can outfit themselves with great stuff and learn early the difference between a low quality freebie junk from a Business In A Box and high quality great items that just happen to be gifts.

Here's the thing, and I think this is the main reason why people have to group cycle a lot. Group LIMITS. 25 groups in a world where there are 25,000 stores is just too little. There are people who have jobs in SL and that usually requires a minimum of 2 group spots that HAVE to be taken up, and if you have more than one job, you're screwed. If you have land or you're renting somewhere, that's another group. If you have your own store, there's another group. Plus your friends invite you into their groups so you can build on their land or have the proper tag at a wedding or something like that.

I think the stores that use the subscribe-o-matics [despite the cost to run those] will end up being more successful sometimes. Click, poof, you're in and you don't have to worry about spam, group chat, or anything that smacks of being social. Designers can send out gifts and updates as they please, and no one has to use up a group slot.

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go make an application for people to fill out in triplicate and in Latin before I let them into my group, and find a flagpole for the hazing ritual.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

*A*M*E*N* Alicia... the group limit is totally limiting! LOL
Half of my groups are grups belonging to family/friends and I can't drop them w/o MAJOR issues!!Have also signed countless lists begging LL to up the group limit (guess they'v got better things to do... or NOT!) ;)

Alicia Chenaux said...

I still want to know which Linden said "Oh sure, 25 groups is PLENTY for these people" just so I can go smack them. LOL

Anonymous said...

"Group LIMITS. 25 groups in a world where there are 25,000 stores is just too little."

That ought to be the next blogger's strike motto.

I think there has been a JIRA for an increased group limit since the day they created the JIRA system, right?

I'm so writing M about this. (But I'll sign your name to the letter) ;-)

Alicia Chenaux said...

You know what, Wrath? I would TOTALLY strike if it meant the group limit would be expanded to 50 groups.

And it's me saying this, so you know this is something I feel strongly about. LOL

Anonymous said...

i post on my wordpress like once every 3 months but i would TOTALLY strike for more groups. :P

yeah, 25 is so low. and they say you should join the fashcon so its all in one group but theres so many posts in a day i can't keep up.

the hardest time I had getting into a group was at Bare Rose. you had to be wearing their clothes & talk to their staff to get the invite. not too bad but changing clothes in that lagfest is a pain.

Aisuru Rieko

Anonymous said...

I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.
-Groucho Marx

Anonymous said...

Wow, I always suspected Groucho Marx was still alive and well - but to have him leave a comment on your blog? Amazing!!
;-)