Iris Ophelia's ongoing take on etiquette & ethics in virtual spaces
This week I'm answering three questions about the drama that can come up with starting an SL business!
I've been a clothing designer for awhile, now my friend just opened a store selling clothes too. She's excited but I feel kind of betrayed. Should I?
- Anonymous
It may be tempting to accuse your friend of copying you, but remember that they're your friend because you have similar tastes to begin with. Additionally, while some shoppers can develop pretty hardcore brand loyalty, most people do go to more than one store for each part of their avatar, so the fact that she has customers doesn't mean that you'll be losing them as a direct result. If your friend is designing in the same niche as you, you're probably wise to embrace it--use it as an opportunity to do projects and events together, so you can both gather a larger audience, as well as learn from each other. If you're both honest and respectful, there's no reason for your friendship to be hurt by your businesses.
Keep reading for two more dilemmas, on store name overlapping and trade secrets!
Someone has the same store name as me and they want me to change mine. I don't think it matters, and if it bothers them that much shouldn't they change theirs?
- The Name Game
Generally, whoever made the brand official first should be allowed to keep the name. You might not think it matters, but considering the iffy state of Second Life's in-world search, brand confusion is a recipe for disaster for both parties. Your brand might manage to draw a few customers from your competitor, however if someone is looking for your newer brand, they're likely to find your older name-doppelganger first. And, depending on how established they are already, your work might get credited to them by confused shoppers. Branding matters! Just like RL businesses, when you're just starting out it's incredibly important that you search the name you plan to use (along with alternate spellings) to see if anyone else has beaten you to it.
People keep asking me to help them learn how to make stuff, but I don't want to give away my secrets. How can I let them down easy?
- Purse-sued
This is an issue that comes up often for popular creators, and some handle it better than others. You don't need to give out your trade secrets, but often they just need help finding a starting point. If you used any tutorials along the way, keep a notecard with links or quotes to hand out to your inquisitive admirers. If you find yourself running low on patience, remember how you felt when you were first starting out. Who were your SL designer idols, and how did you handle the learning curve to get to the point you're at now?
Submit your virtual etiquette dilemmas to ophelia.iris [at] gmail [dot] com, or submit anonymously to the Metaverse Manners Formspring. Be sure to include a pseudonym (i.e. "WTF from the Welcome Area") so you know when I'm addressing your query!
Iris Ophelia (Janine Hawkins IRL) has been featured in the New York Times and has spoken about SL-based design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and with pop culture/fashion maven Johanna Blakley.
Good points, I think that the betrayal thing would be more of a feeling of abandonment rather than competition though.
Often designers lean on their friends for support through times of uncertainty and may feel that now that is one friend she cannot lean on. Most likely not the case, but possibly something running through their minds.
As for the name thing, I did a post just recently on the same thing, I am more long winded than you though :P.
http://www.sasypants.com/whats-in-a-name-2/3842/
p.s awesome picture
xoxSasyxox
Posted by: Sasy Scarborough | Thursday, June 09, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Good post.
I suppose a person's reaction to such scenarios is a revelation of their character.
Good self-esteem, confidence, and personal style goes a long way in cutting down on the drama.
Posted by: Nalates Urriah | Friday, June 10, 2011 at 10:21 AM