Recently I bought a $1L skin from Style Your Destiny after reading this post at Fabulously Free In SL. I really liked it, in fact I thought it was great except for the 3 or 4 moles on the face which I thought was a bit too much. So rather innocently I commented on this in the Fabulously Free In SL Group chat and of course the response was defensive of the product, they liked the mole and so on and so forth. Fine. Then one person, Laynie Link or Laynie something wrote back and reminded me about the Freebie ettiquette that can be found in Fabulously Free In SL blog. Now I have read that in passing, I agree with it in principle. Designers are of course not obligated to give free or dollarbies out and so being the one downloading the stuff, I must of course be content and happy with what I got. Some who didn’t like it gave really cruel and childish remarks, some went as far as standing in front of the shop and airing their dissatisfaction. My comment was made innocently but what Laynie brought up struck a nerve in me. More so when I say designers may be giving out freebies to check out market response and designers create products to cater for the market, which is simple economics. But Laynie shot back with who says they cater for the market, and that got me big time. I was writing my reply when my Second Life viewer froze and yanked me out. When I logged back in, I calmed down. Why I should even bother to argue with someone as clueless as that girl/guy/whatever is as mysterious to me as to why I even bother to comment in the first place. She did say we should be grateful for what we got, shouldn’t complain, reciting the mantra from that list of ettiquettes. I checked it again and yes, they’re all there.
It is merely a guideline. It is not the rule of law. I was kind in my comment, I just said 2 moles too many, which is a sincere feedback to the designer and not some useless pointless crticism meant only to incite, not to encourage. Which is really stupid for the response I got. So it was said if you don’t like it, don’t wear it. So I shot back which is what I am doing exactly!
If you’re a designer and you’re reading this, do you prefer someone to just take your product at face value and use it with no comments? If you like it, of course you must send an IM to the designer and say thanks and why you like it. If you don’t, shouldn’t you have the same right to comment on it in a constructive way? Aren’t designers catering for the market would wish to hear feedback or are these designers so arrogant that they think they set the market and not value opinion? Where is thick skin when you want it?
I was appalled at the idea that I am a beggar. That I should be grateful, take it, shut up and move on. That is not the point of giving a freebie. For me, taking a freebie give me an opportunity to evaluate a product and often time I would buy other colours, other stuff. For others maybe it is their reward for begging I suppose. I am a staunch believer that even if it is a freebie it must be a good freebie, something that represents the quality of your products. Some freebies are just so badly made, it is like a discarded item that the designer just thought to give them free, again to the eager crowd who doesn’t buy, but expects everything free. I don’t like demos either so I appreciate an all out freebie but never take your potential customers for granted. When they wear your freebie, it is free promotion. Like the beautiful free dress from Ivalde. Amazing texture, beautiful design, and I found myself with many others in the same place wearing the same dress, with someone immediately said that was Ivalde. So we are giving them free advertisement.
Funnily enough it is not the designers who are complaining but the freebie hunters who have never paid a single Linden and expect free. For hunters like these of course beggars can’t be choosers. But for individuals like myself and I am sure the creators of the Fabulously Free In SL blog, it is more like a promotion for up and coming designers or an occasional treat for fans of certain high end products. Comments when made sincerely, politely and with reason must be accepted. I cannot agree that just because it is free I must take it at face value and I am sure that is not the designers’ intention too.
Moreover, I paid $1L for it. It is almost free, and I stress the keyword ALMOST so really in the end I did pay money for it. So it is not really free. And even if it is free, an opinion is still a good opinion unless it is made maliciously.
And commenting on 2 moles too many on a face is not made maliciously.
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Funnily enough it is not the designers who are complaining but the freebie hunters who have never paid a single Linden and expect free.
Oddly, you were the one complaining. Unless you’re referring to me. I think the entire second floor of LaynieWear/SYD would imply that we do, in fact, both design and spend quite a bit of money in SL. The one explaining how much she liked the moles? She’s the one who MADE the skin.
If the freebies that Teagan gives out were market testing, then by all means give feedback. However, they aren’t. They’re a gift to people who come to shop at our store, a little “thank you” for taking the time to visit. By adamantly stamping your feet and exclaiming how many moles are acceptable or too many, you became one of the crowd you’re saying is rude.
Comments when made sincerely, politely and with reason must be accepted. I cannot agree that just because it is free I must take it at face value and I am sure that is not the designers’ intention too.
Funny- the person who was explaining it, “defensive of the product, they liked the mole and so on and so forth” was the maker of the skin in question. So honestly? I think she knew what her intention was… it was to have moles.
Had you taken the time to actually look at the pictures, you’d have seen the moles. As it was, you jumped and ran for a freebie, then complained because it wasn’t the way you want it. If you want it your way, do like Teagan and I have done- learn to make your own.
You have missed my point entirely and made me into a mindless selfish greedy freebie hunter. I am not deleting this post because it illustrates my post, rather than refute it. I did look at the picture, I did not notice any mole and jumping a bargain is not a crime. If everyone learns to make their own skin there won’t be any business. Your arrogant reply has me fuming with the injustice in your accusation when like you said, I was commenting, not complaining about the moles. It is a comment, not a complain. It is feedback, an observation. If you do not know the difference between an opinion and a complain, please stop replying to comments.
I’m not making anyone anything. I show your own words, from this very post:
“I thought it was great except for the 3 or 4 moles on the face which I thought was a bit too much.”
Clearly, Teagan (the designer of the skin) didn’t think it’s too much. There’s no arrogance, there’s simply the fact that designers make things the way they want them to. Had you said, “Oh wow, Teagan, I adore this skin, could you perhaps make one without the moles?” No one would have blinked.
Instead you said that more than 1 mole was too much. I’m still not sure how this is making you into something other than what’s clearly illustrated in your post.
By the way? You’re the one who mentioned removing this post, not me.
But for individuals like myself and I am sure the creators of the Fabulously Free In SL blog, it is more like a promotion for up and coming designers or an occasional treat for fans of certain high end products
Please do not speak for me and put words in my fingers that I never typed. My blog is to show new players and freebie hunters places to get great deals with a varying degree of tastes. If this helps out the new and up and coming designers this is an added bonus but we, the freebie hunters, are the ones who benefit from freebies. Clearly other group members did not share your feelings that this was just a comment/suggestion because I received complaints from 20 different members(non-designers) and 7 designer complaints about your comments. You are playing your part in this down a bit to allow yourself to be the victim but if that many people felt you were not being respectful then perhaps you need to reflect.
This is how I will reflect …
Fuguist says : I absolutely agree with this !