Tuesday, March 11, 2008

A Penny For Your Thoughts.....




I don’t blog much, I’d love to say it’s because my real life is so overwhelming busy that I just don’t have the time but, alas, that isn’t the case. Several things factor into my meagerness in the blogging department, a lack of material that hasn’t been written about ad nauseam and a terrible sense of ennui about many of the fashions being released. Not that a myriad of the designs aren’t wonderfully done but the indistinguishability of them all has settled me into a dreary fit of doldrums.

While pondering my motivation or lack thereof, I asked myself what, besides au courant designs do I look for during my shopping experience? The answers seemed to come fairly easily.

Lightening! If even with proper settings I cannot see the display pictures well then I am not going to purchase an item(s) no matter how delicious everyone else says that they are.

Large and unedited photos of the item(s) that are up for purchase. If it is glaringly in evidence that the photo of the item for sale has been manipulated beyond credence, it simply gives one the impression that the designer has something to hide.

Ease of maneuverability in a store. I have shopped several boutiques that are nightmares to peruse. While the build might be stupendous, if I can’t move about easily or use camera to view your wares I’m not going to take the trouble and I will leave to spend my lindens elsewhere.

Customer Service is also pivotal! No matter how much I adore a designer if they have a reputation of poor customer service they are to be avoided. One very well know designer in particular, who has wonderful items, I will no longer patronize because of a lack of timely response to a problem.

A well-established landmark and landing point. Seems self-explanatory I know, but how often have arrived at a landing point only to have to search several stores in order to find the one you needed. An often blogged hair designer has just such a problem. My first visit to his establishment took me on a tour of all the neighboring marts till I finally found the intended salon.

Far thinking designers with the ability to offer demos, while not a must, certainly earns the person(s) major kudos with one and all. When a creator has no hesitation about putting his or her products out to be see or tried on for all to see you know you have a person who is confident and proud of their products.

As random as this post seems it was brought about by specific events. The latest, and what spurred me to jot these thoughts down was the wonderful customer service of Sachi Vixen of Adam n’ Eve. I cannot, sadly say, that I was an avid and well-known shopper of the brand, purchasing randomly items that I had seen in blogs that appealed to me but not a fanatical faithful, as are many. But two events in the past months have elevated the shop and its designers to my must shop list. Neither, I’m sure, made an impression on Sachi Vixen or Damen Gorilla but made an immense one with me. When active designers on there own initiative move to solve a problem or fix a mistake inadvertently made by a shopper without prompting then these are the type of retailers you need to reward with your lindens.

On several occasions I have had sterling service at many of Second Life’s unparalleled designers submitted below are just a few of them, in no particular order of importance. Without a doubt I am sure I have unwittingly omitted a shop or designer that has gone above and beyond for me, for that please except my most humble apologies.



Hexed
Maitreya
Muse Fine Jewelry
Persona
Blowpop
Illusions
Balderdash
Armidi
Blaze
Shapes by Zada




Hair: Armidi - The Poynter (Tropez)
Eyes: Shapes by Zada - Eyefidelity Real Eyes (Moss Green)
Skin: TAP/Fluer - Vivant (Blush Candy 1)
Shape: Shirs Doodle by Shir Dryke
Pants: Elephant Outfitters - Leila Bermuda Shorts (Spring Moss 1)
Shirt: ::elDee:: - Pomme Shirt (Pink/Green)
Belt: Persona - Helena waist sas plumh (tinted)
Shoes: Maitreya - Slinky Stilettos (Lime Green)
Jewelry: Muse Fine Jewelry - Eclectic Set (Lime)
Bag: Chapeau tres Mignon - Apple (Green)

2 comments:

sachi Vixen said...

Thank you Saint I'm overwhelmed by your kinds words, it was such a small thing really. :)

Saint Barracuda said...

Small to you, but as I posted it made a major impact. Quality, goes with out saying as one of the things that most shoppers in SL look for, but if the creator isn't available to solve small glitches or open to suggestions than I feel that he or she will most assuredly see the impact of that in profits.