So, you want my money (Tips and hints from a buyer who spends $100 a month) Now this is not intended to bash or promote any one, or group of vendors. Or to bash or promote any one or group of artists. I am well aware that money is tight (even thought I spend a great deal on poser items) I know that vendors are always looking for a new ways to get just one more sale. So for those who wonder late at night who buys poser stuff and why, and how can I can some of that. This is for you. First, a little about me, and my addiction. Im a divorced 39-year-old male, with a lot of free time and no life. I have a pretty well paying job in the computer field, and the types of poser work I do is stills and stills for stories that I write. This means that the images I do will have a lot of stuff in them and there will be a lot of them. The most stuff I have used in a poser image was 37 figures, 20 static props, and a few high res textures. I have an 80GB HDD with one thing on it, POSER. My runtime folder is 32.2 GB in size, about a third of that is compressed with the power of ProPack. As I said at the beginning I spend on average $100 a month between the major locations. Though most is bought right here at renderosity. Though sometimes I can buy up to 200 a month. I have spent, just here, this year from 01/01/03 to now, $1236. This would list me as nearly completely insane. But its my money and I could/can afford it. So, how do you get some of that? Heres what I look for and make my decisions on. Free Stuff- Do I have free stuff of yours? Is your free stuff easy to get to, how does it install, and how does it work. I look at free stuff as your portfolio, how do you do what you do, what is your style, can I use it for commercial renders (Im a published artist and one day I may luck out and sell more work and if I cannot use your free items then why should I download them). Are your free items only for what you sell? (This eludes that your support is not good since I have to rely on seeing it available instead of getting an IM or mail after the sale so I can get them.) Summary- Free stuff lets me have a taste of what you can do. If the free stuff is good, what you sell SHOULD BE a better quality and/or have more tricks it can do. (Example, BAT, who hasnt used or downloaded his stuff. So when he started selling what he sold supported all Vickies and has more morph targets.) If there is no free stuff from you the other factors below become a lot bigger. But free stuff is my biggie. Forums- Are people talking about what you sell? Are they having problems or are things great? How quickly do you respond in those forums if at all? Are you fixing the things people are having problems with? Galleries- Do you use what you sell as you advertise it, can you use it as you intend it to be used? Do you actually do work with it other than to sell it? If not then why would I? (Example- Ecstasy, TT, Daio, Syyd, all do real work with what they sell, if they believe in their work to use it why would I not?) Store- (Your golden opportunity.) Thumbnail- Does it show me what you sell, or are you doing art? If you want my money, show me what it is. Cropping a gallery image you posted shows me art, not item. Price-If I know your quality from free stuff, Ill consider paying more. But if I am seeing you for the first time in the store then I am less likely to pay a lot. Details- What can this thing of yours do, what can I use it for. Does it have moving parts, does it have morph targets built in. How many things am I getting by buying your thing? If Im getting more than one thing does that match what you are asking. (Example- 1 thing for 30 dollars versus 15 things for 30 dollars. If you think the one thing got bought, try again. However, if again, I know you from free stuff and that was cool, then maybe.) Product renders- Do they show what you sell in good detail, or in action. Again are you selling or impressing me with the artist that you are. If you are impressing me, then do that in the galleries not on the sales floor. Feed back- Who bought this and what did they think. Did they find it easy to use, are they a power user, meaning do they do complex renders with multiple figures and props. (Caution- I dont put a lot of weight here, except if I personally know the person leaving the feedback. Since I know that an item can be sold and images of it dont get posted in places I look. But I will read feedback mostly to see if it seems sincere. Purchases- Have I bought from you before, if I have and if I liked, then Im likely to buy again. Especially if I have left feedback or I use your thing right away. OR you have done a complete set of something, meaning for Vicky,Mike,Posette,Dork, (Like uniforms, or space suits, or armor.) Sorry for the monster long post and blather, but again, If you are wondering who is looking at buying poser stuff then this is something to think about. Im sure that there are people you spend more than I do. And possibly follow a similar trac, and likely there are a good number of people who spend far less and use the same guidelines. There are many reasons people buy poser stuff, many are impulse, and others are pros and semi-pros, and collectors. And for each type they have their way of buying. Im just illuminating one reason, mine. Thanks for the time and good luck! lalverson, member since 1999