Featured Listing Spots - IMVU Catalog Survey

InamorataSylaraia · Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 2034 Location: USA - WY

I agree that a major catalog reorganization is about 13 million products overdue, but honestly, I don't see how it would ever be accomplished at this point without grinding IMVU to a halt for half a year. I mean, other than building a completely separate database to do the reorganization in, and making all new publications double place their products (once for the old, once for the new). And who sees IMVU spending that kind of money?

No, I see a catalog reorganization as being a cosmic diorama of chaos, much like the big bang. Everyone will be in here grousing and threatening to remove their products from the catalog, going on strike. Maybe half, if we're lucky, would actually get recategorized. Why? Because I think as much as half the catalog is stuff owned by people no longer here, people who would be dead set against it, people who have lives outside of IMVU that won't allow them the time any longer, and the remainder would be claimed by the epic glitches we all know comes whenever IMVU looks crosseyed at the server. They can't even do tests on how people search through the catalog without making part of it disappear and reappear on some Russian website dedicated to Potato Patch Kids.

Celyng · Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 3827 Location: USA - CA

Slightly off topic, but on the topic of catalog re-org. My idea is somewhat simple.

Create the base categories and base sub categories you need. Lock out submissions to all other categories (leave them able to be browsed). This allows active creators to move their own creations as required. Run a recursive script to move products from the unused categories to the 'miscellaneous' sub-category under each main category. Run that over 6 months to a year. Have these categories displayed in both client and website. You should be able to finally remove the unused categories and work on refining Shop options that are not dependent on those category organizations.

To touch upon some of the comments made previously. I do have an 'ad block' built into my head (this is how I can actually forget that Pulse exists). I know that they have a wishlist suggestions, but I really never look at that. The What's New that shows on the website catalog only shows Pro (and is only GA products) and is sometimes not that 'new'. I tend to only pay attention to that when an AP product shows up rated GA.

I am happy that IMVU has finally listened to us when we asked for increased marketing opportunities.

As with anything IMVU proposes, I question their implementation. I hope this does not become a flash in the pan 'good idea' that gets forgotten 2 months down the road.
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LestatDeLioncourt · Joined: 15 Oct 2009 Posts: 2232 Location: USA

iix · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 9 Location: India

paying rl money for promoting the product ? .. sounds like a bad idea ....which leads to bad quality products in the shop.... Crying or Very sad

CherryNoire · Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 425 Location: USA - CA

We're just throwing ideas around Lestat, don't worry Razz

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NoirMimi · Joined: 02 Nov 2010 Posts: 109 Location: USA

I still think paying will not help in anyway, because people who game their way to the top will still be able to buy those spots, as well as those who do not NEED it. Now what about us? I may be the first level of pro but im still an unknown, and i go by my sales, i can't afford to buy credits. I cant even afford to get myself things! I like the idea of maybe one or two slots at random, for no cost, though if there is a cost, say bye bye you hard working devs who cant afford this until some miracle happens. And yes we do need to fix a LOT of things, like the policy on thieves. (off topic) but i'm still seeing the same thieves circulating products, from people they have already stolen from! Its getting out of hand.
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Brilliant · Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 26 Location: USA - NC

I usually do not get into these discussions, because sometimes I feel that while I am not "new at developing", I am new to caring about my tiers and "money" I am earning. With that being said...

I think this has the potential to be a good idea, if it is put into motion in the right way, but I do believe IMVU has some kinks they need to work out with the current system now. For instance, the way products are flagged. I would hate to pay real money, possibly get hundreds of sales from that advertisement, just to have some random person for whatever reason go through my catalog and flag something like, let's say a pair of shoes. Then because they flagged that product and it almost seems that it is IMMEDIATE that IMVU re-rates your product and takes your credits away without even looking half the time as to what they just gave out reimbursements for, I could then go in the hole and have to pay MORE real money to get my account back. I only mention that because of the fact that I just recently had someone flag a pair of shoes. Regular heels, nothing vulgar or anything about them, just regular shoes LOL. On the emails I got regarding this, IMVU's email of setting them to restricted and then issuing refunds or taking my credits away were only seconds after the email I got about the flagging of the item, as if IMVU just said "Oh, okay, it is violating things" and punished me without even checking. So, with that little story, I am just lucky that they hadn't sold too many since they were pretty new, because it could have really messed me up.

I think before something like this that has the potential to really get us some HUGE sales, IMVU needs to fix how they handle other situations with the catalog, products, PR, flagging, stealing, copybotting and all those issues. If that stuff got handled? I would be more than willing to pay a little money to get me one of those spots and utilize my talent in a way I didn't think I would.

Hope everyone has a nice day/night. Smile

xLadytot · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 1075 Location: Australia

xLadytot · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 1075 Location: Australia

LestatDeLioncourt · Joined: 15 Oct 2009 Posts: 2232 Location: USA

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