"Hmmm......seems this is not about cults, but more about hidden agendas. LOL." Yep, personal resentments from the same old anti-DAZ voices. It's a poor substitute for substantial critique, and in a twisted sort of way, comic for its predictability. If you want to criticize DAZ, speak maturely of their actual shortcomings, don't just make stuff up and insult their customers. I buy frequently from that store, but if anyone wants to accuse me of mindless or cultish behavior, I'd be happy to offer some reality orientation. :-) Who with expendible income doesn't occasionally blow it on things they don't really need? If merchants want to compete with the dominant venues, the best thing they can do is excel at product and presentation. I realize that for example Anton is frustrated because Apollo is a superior product, but people aren't buying the support items in the hoped-for numbers. If he's frustrated, at least he, RDNA, and the content creators can say they gave it their best professional shot. It's frustrating for me, as someone who purchased almost everything ever made for Apollo, to read about the disappointments and the possibility that the female counterpart won't be released, but still ... at least that stuff has a reputation for high quality. Perhaps part of the problem there is the value proposition. "M3 is free ... why should I shell out for another male when what I really want is booby Barbie?" Marketing is important indeed, but word of mouth is almost as powerful in this scene. In my opinion, the Sixus model is exemplary, even if I'm only a "sometimes" customer. They've managed to build a strong reputation, a unique identity, and a very loyal customer base. They make it fun, and that matters. They're not afraid of "niche" products, and are often quite generous with freebies and low prices. That helps with loyalty and sales volume. I can think of examples of less intersting stores that I'm uninclined to visit frequently. One of them is making a sincere effort at self-promotion, but unfortunately their stock is quite uninspiring; the products appear to be of less-than-stellar quality. Not necessarily their fault as it's hard to attract "top" merchants with pre-exsiting alignments, and I don't wish them harm, but they're not doing anything that makes me think "gotta see what's up over there." Actually, there's been a bit of the opposite ... turn-offs. Avoid turn-offs within reason if possible. :-) Because we're a bit of a "closed circuit" scene, it's not commercially advantageous to have staffpersons who behave in volitile and insulting manners in public. Many of us couldn't care less about the personalities ... the product should be the thing, but realistically speaking many are put off by ugly behavior and boycott such individuals based on perceptions, for what they're worth.