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RL T-Shirt Store Opens Branch in Second Life

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the get-your-red-hot-shirts dept.

ches_grin writes "The (very real) t-shirt maker American Apparel has opened a virtual store in Second Life, becoming the first major retailer to set up shop in the SL universe. Though items cost only $1, the company hopes to bolster real life sales. Article includes some screenshots of the store and clothes." From the article: "The amount of money American Apparel has made so far on Second Life is probably not as much as they would make in a day at a single store ... But the idea meshes existing Korean online game models in which players can buy accessories for their avatars in micro-transactions, with the idea of the social Web--an online, virtual community. American Apparel's store suggests a new form of videogaming only starting to be explored in the U.S."

6 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Like they say, by Clockwurk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A fool and his money are soon parted.

  2. Think Geek? by miller60 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Where's the Think Geek boutique? All those Second Life folks need to get themselves some Slashdot T-shirts.

    --
    RichM
    Data Center Knowledge
  3. Re:Made in the USA? by Minwee · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So it's a perfect match with Second Life.

  4. doomed for failure by crossmr · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It'll never sell. Most clothing in game is extremely cheap. Especially things like basic Ts. Most people either give the stuff away or charge very cheaply for it. I've seen boxes of Ts like 50 for L$25. They want to charge L$150 for a pair of socks? Good luck with that.
    This is probably why the store is devoid of any traffic, and the only person there is some linden who appears to be trapped in the floor.

  5. RL Advertising by blueZhift · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This actually looks like a nice advertising move. Imagine if your first encounter with the Gap was in some game like SL and later you discovered the real thing in RL. It might be amusing/cool enough to make you more likely to buy something at the RL store. It's probably too soon to tell, but American Apparel might just see some RL store sales from this. Heck, this /. story about them won't hurt either. The only real problem here is that SL is not the most popular MMO around. Now if they could open a shop in Azeroth, then they'd be talking!

    --
    To the making of books there is no end, so let's get started
  6. What's the appeal of Second Life? by BigZaphod · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This may be slightly off-topic, but I have to ask.. I tried Second Life once a few months ago and it seemed like a huge, slow, disorganized mess with bad graphics and a terrible user interface. (I was using the Mac client - which may not be as good as the windows one, I don't know). What's the appeal there? I have this sinking feeling that it is a success for the same reasons MySpace is - but I'd really like to think I was just missing something. :-)

    --
    Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch