Linden Labs recently released stats for the past 12 months unsurprisingly show that premium accounts are in decline, whilst hours spent inworld increased dramatically.
Some have attributed the decline to lack of any particular benefit to being a premium account holder, most can own land on private estates which are usually preferable to mainland anyway. A L$300 a week stipend, hmmm a reason to pay each month? Access to better support? What support? LOL.
As to why user hours are up, some have said this is due to those already spending a lot of time inworld are engaging more, basically enjoying being inworld. My opinion is that the user hours are up simply because with the huge amount of stability issues the grid faces it actually takes twice as long to get anything done! Call it perseverance by the majority rather than enjoyment or engagement.
What the Stats do show is a flattening out of new signups, which also shows that more and more are exploring other options - I would love to look at Open Sims stats after the advent of the banking ban for instance, I am willing to bet their signups got a huge boost!
Look out Linden Lab you are turning the population away from you.
Feel free to comment if you disagree with me, this is just one persons opinion on the trends shown.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Premium accounts down but user hours up:
Posted by Dana Vanmoer at 2:07 PM
Labels: eye on the blog, linden lab, second life, secondlife, statistics
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3 comments:
Does it show they are turning to other choices though? just because sl figures are down doesnt meant they will go somewhere else they may just give up. anyone researching linden now and having sense to read other material not that linden gives them would turn away in disgust
When you are in a country other than the US, being a Premium is almost the only way to get some real money into your account, by way of credit card. I can use that money to pay tier and buy things I can´t build, because I don´t know how to and I don´t have time. But Otherwise I would never pay. I agree: support stinks. Lindens should understand they need to make it worth the while. Other wise... what's the difference between being a paying customer and a griefer?
Hi, I agree that LL can do a bit more to make (second) life easier for Europeans and other people from outside the USA. However, you don't need a Premium account to own land in SL. On any private estate (including mine), you can buy land without having to have a Premium account.
You also don't need a Premium account to put a bit of 'hobby money' (as I like to call it) into SL. You can do that using your creditcard or PayPal. And there are other ways to buy L$ in SL as well, but they use ridiculous exchange rates.
I own several sims in SL and I've been on a basic account for more than half a year. Because I'm a sim owner, I have access to live chat, and I must say that there are some great people working there, very willing and able to help out. But I do have to agree with you, Anonymous, other than that, support can be greatly improved.
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