Comments on: Lucky Chair Fans: Your Hopper Helper is Here!

By: Evansmom

Evansmom — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 08:03:11 +0000

Thanks for letting me know you do have experience with this. I use lucky chairs as a way to find shops or sims I wouldn’t otherwise, and I have actually found some good shops where I’ve spent lindens, having liked what I got in the chair. Sure, some people abuse it. But I think a freebie in whatever form is good.

By: Queen Coronet

Queen Coronet — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:19:36 +0000

I’m a small shop owner and a lucky chair fanatic.
As a chair hopper I think an important part of the lucky chair groups has been the socializing that occurs while one waits for their letter to come up. I still see groups congregate around a chair with a unique quality item as the chair is flipped repeatedly and I enjoy chatting with others about the latest news and happenings. I would much rather spend time in a small shop with a one or two chairs containing something super special than in a laggy mall with a chair farm.
As a shop owner it is a fun way to make my products available and I’m confident that once girls wear my silks they’ll come back to shop becuase I know they have and I know I’ve gone back for shopping once I’ve tried the goods out. It is the chairs with quality items that get the attention becuase they contain something worth having. So for me it isn’t so much about getting my traffic up as it is about connecting with others who are interested in my creations.
Gwen’s HUD makes it easier to get to the chairs worth sitting on. As for the people zipping through…that happens, but if it is a good chair they’ll be back and they’ll bring friends.

By: Nobody Fugazi

Nobody Fugazi — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:05:42 +0000

Oh, and as far as traffic ratings - I can’t wait until they actually change those ratings. Camping, including lucky chairs, is a poor indicator. The people who defend it have successfully gamed that system to death - which is fine, I suppose. Me? Not my cup of tea.

Obviously you disagree. That is completely fine. I don’t ask that people agree with me. I’m not here to convince you. I simply expressed my opinion.

By: Nobody Fugazi

Nobody Fugazi — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:00:17 +0000

I’ve expressed my opinion. You’ve expressed yours. I’ve had stores with lucky chairs, I’ve played that game - and all I’ve seen are a bunch of people who zip through and don’t actually buy anything. That ruins it for everyone - and I see the HUD as an enabler. I frequently give stuff away at stores, but no more lucky chairs.

By: Evansmom

Evansmom — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:36:44 +0000

Sorry, typing too fast and too late at night. My last sentence should have read “But I stand by my statement that this HUD — desigened by a shop owner who DOES have a chair AND a mobvend and who has seen both increase her traffic and sales measurably — is a good marketing device, and shop owners who offer good prizes would do well to offer it in their stores and to try to get their shops on Gwen’s list.”

By: Evansmom

Evansmom — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:32:38 +0000

Oh, I disagree with you vigorously, based on what I have heard from shop owners. If we follow your thinking, then we should also eliminate the lucky chair calling groups, which alert members to which letters are up, what’s in the chair, which store and where it is.

What’s more debilitating to the whole lucky chair process — which if it goes away because of changes in traffic ratings as you hint at; perhaps you would like to explain that, too? — is the movement lately of shop owners to pay residents to call their chairs. Most of them repeat the same stupid marketing message over and over without saying which letter or what prize is up. Likewise others who recycle freebies in their chairs or use business in a box items of no real value. But a shop owner who has one or two chairs in his/her store and offers quality prizes will often have a group spendng time in the shop waiting for their letters to come up, and that stickiness is what leads to shop exposure. Also a new movement among some malls to have 85 chairs, not one of which has a quality prize in it. That will devalue the lucky chair as a marketing and promotion effort and more than this well-designed HUD offering links to a select list of top-quality locations.

If you are a chair owner or a dedicated chair hopper and you have a different experience I’d like to know it. But I stand by my statement that this HUD — desigened by a shop owner who DOES have a chair AND a mobvend and who has seen both increase her traffic and sales measurably.

By: Nobody Fugazi

Nobody Fugazi — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:03:23 +0000

Quite simple, actually. People camp the lucky chairs more easily, don’t buy anything and don’t even stay long enough to really affect the traffic rating (which, thankfully, will be changing sometime in the future). That isn’t too good for the person who owns the lucky chair. No real benefits.

By: Evansmom

Evansmom — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:28:34 +0000

Why would you think that, Nobody? In fact, this will help build quality traffic because it’s real residents who did this. Please explain!

By: Nobody Fugazi

Nobody Fugazi — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 08:54:55 +0000

Suddenly the value of a small business owner having a lucky chair may be severely degraded. Hmm.