Limelight Forums

1.      Introduction

Ever wondered what it’s like to put away your weapon and stand behind a counter, serving others with dignity? Well, why not try it? I can assure you that it’s a wonderful experience if it’s something you wish to do. But don’t be fooled, all first attempts are difficult but once you get into the role of being a brilliant shopkeeper.. No one can stay away from your wonderful shop!

2.      Think of an innovating concept

This is the first step into your career of being a shopkeeper.

How will you advertise the products you’ll sell?
Do you even have an idea what products you want to sell?
Who do you want to sell your products to in the first place?

There are a lot of questions you’ll have to answer in this first step. But don’t let it scare you. Prepare well, because by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

2.1.   What products will I sell?

Type 1 (e.g. chef, gun dealer… )

This type of vendor can be classified as both in-character and out-of-character.
For newer players, this is an easier option to start out with due to the lack of items you can sell. This gives you the opportunity to skip the innovating concept because people will always need your items. You do not have to call upon your imagination when it comes to selling your products.

You can easily stick to the market items you’re allowed to sell. Examples being portions of Chinese food for chefs and guns for gun dealers.

Tip: Chefs can still sell fish even if they aren’t market items!

Type 2 (e.g. a citizen being a pumpkin vendor)

These vendors purely rely on the in-character sphere. Type 2 vendors are citizens having changed their job name to something that resembles their shop’s concept. These vendors need some innovating concept to attract people for they usually don’t have the market items as chefs have.

Thus, people aren’t obligated to come to their shop to sustain themselves. The only way to attract someone is by having a good concept that’ll attract your fellow roleplayers. Your concept can rely on your name, your shop design or even the rare products you sell.

Type 2 vendors require a lot of imagination and sometimes, a lot of planning as well. But in the end, it’s all worth it. You’ll create a wonderful roleplay not only for yourself, but for those willing to join too.

2.2.   How will I think of an amazing name for my store?

Try to create a funny, trendy and inspiring name for your store. A name that portrays the core business f your store is what you’re looking for. Make sure the name can be easy to remember so no one will forget your amazing shop!

2.3. How will I design my shop?

Try to use realistic props when building your shop. Stray from using unrealistic materials along with useless props. Make sure it isn’t cluttered but still has the right amount of props to give it the atmosphere you’d like your shop to have. 

A nice façade will help attract more customers that happen to drive by. This could for example mean you re-build the wall surrounding your shop or simply place some flowers down. An eye-catching feature could also be made by the usage of a sign.
A good way to make great use of your sign is to plant it above your door.

The difference between a mediocre and a great shop usually lies within the details one put into the build. Details maketh great stores! Details can range from plants to a carpet placed on the ground.

The right build all depends on your own taste and style. Some people will not like your preferred build style, but that doesn’t mean you should quit all together.

Usually, when one puts effort and thought into their build it’ll turn out wonderful.
Make something you’re proud of. If it isn’t something you are proud of, try again and again. I assure you that one day, you’ll get there.
 
Tip: You need 1 REP to use one sign with a maximum of 4 signs placed down simultaneously.  (https://limelightgaming.net/services/replist/)

2.4. Who will I sell my products to?

Your customers can vary and sometimes you need to take that into account. If you want to serve the richest citizens of the planet, then you’ll have to create something suitable for them.

Try to think of creating a space for your customers in which they feel at home.

3. Advertisements

3.1. How to make a decent advertisement


Try to make your advert relatable, funny and memorable. Fill in as many pieces of information in as little space as you can. Try to switch up your advert a bit if you keep using the same one over and over again. 

Make sure you have your company registered in the phonebook. Everyone can access the phonebook, so it’ll be a lot easier for them to find your business. 
Not recommended for criminal activities. 

Commands:
/ladvert: Advert + location
/advert: Advert
/phonebook: A list where you can sign up your shop.

Tip: You can mix up your advert a bit by playing with caps. However, don’t overuse it.

Example: /ladvert The Loaded Pistol presents: A GUN for all kinds of fun! We offer cheap high-quality weaponry for competitive prices. Come and visit our store now!

4. Market Strategy 

Profit is the key to earn some money to compensate for the time you have invested into your shop. You can add an additional number on the market price so you can gain some well-deserved money. Some may just add a simple 10% extra on the total price, but you can make your profit system as detailed as you like.  

To encourage your customers to buy more than they’d usually do, you can always give them a 5% (quantity) discount on some of the wares. This gives them a say in the process and might just make you some extra money!

A great strategy to consider is going mobile or not. It’s appreciated by some that they can purchase any item they want without leaving the comfort of their own home. However, take your transport costs into account. A great way to compensate for fuel costs is to add an additional fee for home deliveries!

Tip: Try to make your customer as involved as possible in the purchasing of your wares. E.g. Giving them a description of the wares they are about to purchase.

5. Enthusiasm! Enthusiasm! ENTHUSIASM!

Don’t lose hope if no one is coming to your shop. Chin up and try again. From my experience, people don’t know they want to visit your shop until you tell them to.
 
So go ahead and try it, you never know what the future holds!

Thank you for reading this!