How to Be a Customer in Second Life

Normally, my slice of life conversations in Second Life are about what not to do - examples of boorishness, boringness, demand and despair, but this time I have something very special for you all - an example of a customer doing things right when making a request - a requested that was not fulfilled, by the way, in case you think this is a normal "Customer is happy getting what she wants" sort of thing. She also got prizes in the end, but I want to remind people to be polite and nice to others even if there aren't prizes in the end (though I'll admit to a similar prizes-are-awesome weakness). In this case, the store owner, my darling friend Charlie, has included some of his own comments which will be set out from the text of the IMs. If I have anything to add, I'll use my usual italics, but he pretty much marks things out the way I would have so good job Charlie.

((OFFLINES))
Vanria Resident: (Saved Thu Feb 06 19:04:31 2014)Hiya
Vanria Resident: (Saved Thu Feb 06 19:04:50 2014)Sorry to bother you. I bought the Digital Deamon full set
Vanria Resident: (Saved Thu Feb 06 19:05:23 2014)I know you probably get asked this alot, But where do I find the hair you have on the pic of it? Do you sell it and I am just missing it in your store?

((ONLINE))
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/30592 It would seem like the store is sadly, no longer around anymore.
Vanria Resident: ahhh now
Vanria Resident: no
Vanria Resident: the hair was so cool
Vanria Resident: well if the store is gone, is the creator still around?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I know! The store was awesome too!
Vanria Resident: awsome? Awww why did ya have to tell me that
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I'm not sure. Their profile is pretty much cleaned out, they have a partner, and only one pick, but it's not in english
Vanria Resident: joy
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I wish I could help more.
Vanria Resident: it is ok
Vanria Resident: thank you though
Vanria Resident: I am fixing to go back to your store to buy the skin packs
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Sorry it took so long to get back to you
Vanria Resident: no it is ok
Vanria Resident: RL should aslways come first

((This is why she gets the best Customer Support EVER! plus free stuff. She understands that shop owners have REAL LIVES!))

Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): You have no idea how much I'm grateful you said that! LOL
Vanria Resident: well it is true
Vanria Resident: I can not get mad at you just cause things come up
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Not everyone believes that
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): What color skin were you planning on getting? or was it the full set?
Vanria Resident: might get the full set
Vanria Resident: I am using my nightelf skin now
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): so the darkest ?
Vanria Resident: well my night elf is pink
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): oh!
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I'm not sure I made a pink skin.. *frowns*
Vanria Resident: lol it is ok
Vanria Resident: it is the only skin I have that does not have glowing tats on it
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Female, right?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): (seriously, half the time I am wrong)
Vanria Resident: yes although male Nightelves can be a darker pink
Second Life: Inventory item offered
Vanria Resident: I am at your store now if you want to see it
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Now, it's not a deamon kit... but its the pink skin I made for the Fantasy Faire this year.
Vanria Resident: oh thank you very much
received your inventory offer.
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): erm, last year
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): yeah, it's lighter than that, but you might like the markings on it. *shrugs*
Vanria Resident: let me switch to what I normally wear
Vanria Resident: well minus the tail
Vanria Resident: Nightelf from World of Warcraft
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): very nice. I don't play it, but.. LOL
Vanria Resident: I do not play at all
Vanria Resident: but loved the look
Vanria Resident: ok so where are your skins here?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): the deamons skins come with and without the scales
Vanria Resident: is there a buy all pack?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I also have more skins in another building. I should really reorganize so they are at least somewhat together. lol
Vanria Resident: or a TP map
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): the big vendors are the buy all packs for the  individual colors
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): the smaller ones are just the parts, or just the skins
Vanria Resident: huh?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I tried to make it so that if someone just wanted the skins, or the attachments, they could get them separately
Vanria Resident: ok
Vanria Resident: so where is the button to buy all the skins
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): you have to buy them by color. No fatpack of all the colors as one.
Vanria Resident: awww
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): the smaller vendors in the center, Flesh Only is just the skins
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): are you planning on buying all the colors?
Vanria Resident: think I will stick just withthe skins
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): wait!!
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): LOL
Vanria Resident: ok?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Are you in the DLS VIP group?
Vanria Resident: no
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): ok hang on a second.
Vanria Resident: I found your digital deamon on the marketplace
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): make sure you have room for a group. I'm going to remove the cost to join, cause you're planning on buying a lot. Wearing the tag in my store will give you a 10% discount on everything.
Vanria Resident: yeah
Vanria Resident: how much does it cost to join?
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): 150 usually, but I removed that for you.
Vanria Resident: stick it back on
Vanria Resident: I do not mind supporting
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): You sure?
Vanria Resident: yep
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Okay! LOL It's back on

 This is where I think she deserves a note of commendation - it seems like a little thing, but the sense that creators deserve the prices they are asking for different things is a major thing for me. Now, I'm not a huge fan of group fees, mostly because one tends to get locked into a group which might go from very generous to entirely inert without warning, but Vanria's dedication to giving that little extra is commendable and sweet.

Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Some vendors will give two pay buttons. If you have the tag on, the lower  price is the one you should choose.
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): is it awkward that I am still standing here? LOL It feels awkward, like I'm hovering at your shoulder whispering "Buy allll the thinnnnggssss"
Vanria Resident: I am working on it
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I'm really not saying that though! LOL
Vanria Resident: riiighhhht
Vanria Resident: your thinking it
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Well... yeah but I'm not SAYING it!
Vanria Resident: ok I got them
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): awesome!
Vanria Resident: now I have to find cool funky hair
Vanria Resident: youmight want to put in your market place ad that the hair no longer exsist
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Yeah, I should do that.
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): If you're looking for cyber ish style hair, the only place I can think of is Ash Soyinka's Blue Galaxy... or uhmm... the place that has this hair
Vanria Resident: hmm ok
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): I knew I kept this funky ass demo for a reason lol
Second Life: Inventory item offered
 received your inventory offer.
Vanria Resident: thanks
Vanria Resident: will go unpack the skins and play with them before I go there
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): uhm... I don't have a LM to blue galaxy i think
Vanria Resident: thank you very much
Vanria Resident: eh that is what the search button is for
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Ash (ash.soyinka)
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): that is the creator of it. She doesn't have much in the way of hair, but maybe something you'd like nonetheless
Vanria Resident: Blue Galaxy shows up
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): awesome
Vanria Resident: I will check her out
Vanria Resident: thank you again
Vanria Resident: above and beyond
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Not a problem! :D
Vanria Resident: BAMF
Charlie (lerochelle.destiny): Have a nice day! and weekend too!
Vanria Resident: you to

An there goes the sweet customer in her natural habitat. Fight on, Night Elf; fight on.

A couple few notes on my look, which I adore. The dress is a new release from Sublime Shroud Kreations, and is his first foray into mesh. He's not at rigging his own clothes quite yet, but don't worry - I'm tapping a foot impatiently at him <3 This was his playing with transparency, and he made a rainbow overdress which simply took my breath away, and the simple sheath dress underneath can be worn independently. My awesome hat is from Coco and was one of her entire huge room of free stuff. I've already outfitted a bunch of my alts - I recommend you grab all your friends and check it out because her offerings are awesome. Finally, the shoes are from Deviance, the awesome creator of my ever-present wings, and despite the marked lack of rainbow (*ahem*) they are awesome. All of the base colors are commons, which is fantastic as I love them all, and her rares are a couple of Alice in Wonderland themed slippers, and two glass slippers which appear to be the runaway hit of the Fantasy Gatcha Carnival. I have two Alice Shoes - you have two glass slippers - you want to trade with me. You are getting sleepy... sleepy... you want to give me your glass slippers... sleepy... and anything rainbow you own... sleepy... *snore*

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: Izzie's, Irene
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Cookie
Crown: Kouse's Sanctum, Breeze Circlet
Hat: Coco, Flower Petal Hat
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow
Eyeshadow: De La Soul, Simple Rainbow
Eyelashes: SLink, Mesh Lashes
Lipstick: Mock, Everwinter Lip Jelle
Wings: Deviance, Sidhe
Hands and Feet: SLink, Rigged Mesh Hands and Feet
Jewelry: Earthstones, Tumbled Stone
Nails: Nine Inch Nails, Butterfly
Dress: Sublime Shroud Kreations, Sweet Pastille
Shoes: Deviance, Miladys Slipper (Gatcha Prize)

Poses: Ilaya

Location: Mimikri
Light Settings: TOR, MIDDAY Cheery Cyan
Water Settings: Mirror Water

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

A Doll's Life

Mesh is a somewhat controversial thing in Second Life right now, both because it's not currently deforming in reaction to most aspects of peoples' shapes, and because a lot of people still use browsers you can't see mesh on. Full mesh avatars are even more controversial, because they can't work with system layers at all, which means that only full mesh or full prim clothing will work on full mesh avatars. I have a soft spot for Ball Jointed Dolls, though, and so when I heard about Doll Coco coming out with mesh Ball Jointed Dolls, I hurried over to check it out. Sadly, so far it doesn't work with any of my other mesh clothing (I tried it with a Dilly Doll's dress and the doll body stuck out unnaturally) but it does work with prim hair and my prim wings, as well as prim accessories like this Dilly Dolls packaging (post on newest Dilly Doll releases to follow, assuming I don't become completely distracted by something shiny). Have I mentioned I love the new trend in awesome item packaging? I have a folder labeled "cool packaging" that will be gradually showing up in my posts (assuming I don't become completely distracted by something shiny).

SOMETHING SHINY!!!!!

Oh, wait, what was I saying?

Oh, right. One of the nice things about the Doll Coco setup is that the body and one outfit is free, and the heads aren't too high priced for what they are (450$L). However, other mesh attachments, like this awesome dress I'm wearing, are on the high end of what I'm willing to spend on clothes at around (others are available for cheaper, but the dress I'm wearing is 750$L and other full-body outfits are in a comparable range, with the cheapest at 300$L). There also isn't a large selection in mesh clothing yet, though more is showing up including some separates. What this means is that in general, your doll may have one or two outfits (if you spend the linden) but for the moment the styles and colors you can wear are very restrictive - and I'm sure there are no few people who will find that a serious sticking point. One of my friends also found that her shape became somewhat "broken" when she moved between the mesh avatar and her regular shape - something else to keep in mind.

What non-mesh compatible browsers will see.

I know this sounds like a total downer, but really I found myself charmed by my doll, and I'm considering using it as the basis for a bunch of inventory-pictures of my group poses due to it being both highly stylized and yet still very attractive. The jointing is exquisite (not that you can see in my pictures) and the face and hand poses are completely charming. It really looks like a ball jointed doll in a way which skins on a regular avatar simply cannot. I'm sure as time goes on, more clothing will be made and perhaps a few more free outfits will round out the offerings and offer some variety in style and color. In addition, the new parameter distorter thingies being made might enable mesh clothing to be fittable over the Doll Coco mesh with some modifications of shape. We're still in the infancy of mesh, but the possibilities seem really exciting and I'm enjoying being on the cuttingish edge (even if it is hard on a girl's wallet!).

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Mesh Avatar: Doll CoCo, Body Snow
Mesh Head: Doll Coco, Alice
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Chloe Hair - Flaming Cherry
Dress: Doll Coco, Classic Dress - Floral Red
Doll: Dilly Dolls, Packaging

Location: Alchemy Immortalis
Light Settings: TOR, EUPHORIA low saturation

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only