Does a Business Friendly "Virtual World Platform" Exist?

I've been exploring CyberSpace (or virtual worlds) for a year now. Without a doubt I'm an early adopter and willing to put up with BETA and the short comings of the current public platforms. I have not been on all public platforms and don't have the time to explore them all and so I must rely on Virtual Worlds Connect to help with my question, does a business friendly virtual world platform exist?

I'm have several businesses with content. For example, 9mm Books Produces, Publishes and Sells Popular Contemporary Art Books. Hence, I have a ton of content to bring to the virtual worlds. Not as digital items to sell but as Branded Content to Market.

So which virtual world platform should I bring this content to as a branded business rather than subscribing as an individual? That is, I'd like to register as a business rather than an individual. I'm willing to pay a premium subscription price FOR being supported as a business that brings valued content to the virtual world.

Provide me with the tools to build zone models and the methods to integrate these zone models and I will provide luscious content for the subscribing individuals to enjoy.

9mmbooks

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Cotton on January 22, 2008 at 12:20pm: You have a number of options. Linden Labs' Grid AKA Second Life, or possibly There.com would be the obvious choice if you wanted to attract people with an established understanding of virtual worlds. Otherwise, if you would like to market to the general populace, and you have a requirement that prevents one of the major platforms from being a practical option you may be able to set up an OpenSim.

Virtual worlds share a lot of the same qualities as the real world in terms of the question 'where should I set up my business'. Setting up a bookstore in a mall will give you lots of traffic, but a storefront in an area such as the Design District in Miami or Berkley, CA might target your audience more specifically. As with most business questions, a general answer is probably not good enough to base your strategy on, so I would have to know more about your requirements, resources, and goals.

I don't want to go more in-depth because it might be construed as advertising, but e-mail me if you'd like some one-on-one advice. My company helps people do exactly that - develop a strategy for entering 3D cyberspace, plan the development project, and implement the design.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on January 23, 2008 at 8:36am: My original question is "does a business friendly virtual world platform exist?"

To date I have not been able to identify a "business friendly virtual world platform". I purposely left off any criteria for classifying a platforms friendliness towards business so as not to sway any responses.

I think its time to set up a criteria for classifying a platform as "business friendly" or "not business friendly".

In Terms of Registration on a Platform:

IF you are allowed to register as a business based on your real world business credentials
THEN the platform can be classified as BUSINESS FRIENDLY
ELSE the platform is NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY

Supporting example - When you register with the "phone company" you register as an individual or as a business. If you register as a business you pay a premium and receive premium services.

Using this Initial Criteria the following platforms would be classified as follows
Second Life NOT Business Friendly
There.Com NOT Business Friendly
Kaneva NOT Business Friendly
Club Penguin NOT Business Friendly

(note which other platforms should be classified/); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SlashL on January 23, 2008 at 11:37am: I would suggest amending your statements to read "small business friendly." Don't think that any of the platforms you list are unwelcoming to corporate interests....

SlashL; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on January 23, 2008 at 1:35pm: The size or influence of a business should not matter in terms of registering on the platform. If you have legitimate business credentials then you should be allowed to register as a business. To allow any other configurations would open the door to discrimination and other forms of abuse.

Take for example the Kaneva Platform. TBS is one of those corporate interests you mention. Because of their size, corporate wealth, connections and negotiating powers they are listed on the Kaneva Public Areas Menus. While 9mm Books is placed in the menus with non-business ares called community hangouts and homes. If I tell one of my customers they can review my Art Books in a 3D virtual world I would want them to be able to easily find my site on the platform. BUT because Kaneva does not allow me to register as a business and list my sites under a Business Menu I have to say KANEVA IS NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY at this time.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Louis Platini on March 12, 2008 at 11:20am: I would classify a virtual world platform as business friendly if a business can make money using the platform. There are many more aspects than just the possibility to register as business. The registration process (that doesn't exist) is a minor annoyance.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on March 12, 2008 at 8:40pm: Sorry - I disagree, not being able to register as a business makes the site NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY. If the site allows you to make money as an individual that has created the "appearance" of a business presence in the world thats wonderful... BUT its Swap-Meet-Style business off the beaten path of every day Business Commerce. I want my Brands, Trade Marks and Associated Web Sites and E-Commerce Engines registered and protected. I want to register my employees under my Business Name so visitors know who they are talking with when they enter my business. I want it recognized by the visitor they are entering a "real" business. I want to conduct Business-to-Business (B2B) as well as Business-to-Consumer (B2C) activities.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brandon Cotton on January 25, 2008 at 2:07am: OK, I understand the issue now. The fact is you do not need to 'register as a business' to achieve the same result in other virtual worlds that you do in Kaneva. Kaneva is a very limited platform, and has only a few hundred users on at any one time. In the absence of information about your budget or business requirements I would recommend looking into using Second Life for your store. The playing field is a lot more level, and there are tens of thousands of users on at any one time. Furthermore, you can give them a link from the Web directly to your store to your store like this: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Goremoor/41/57/112; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on January 25, 2008 at 9:25am: So you are implying that I can register in Second Life as a business?

By any other means to "achieve the same results" is missing the point of a classification criteria.

Its extremely simple which makes it mathematically elegant.

IF you are allowed to register as a business based on your real world business credentials
THEN the platform can be classified as BUSINESS FRIENDLY
ELSE the platform is NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY

IF Second Life allows me to register as a business
THEN Second Life is BUSINESS FRIENDLY
ELSE Second Life is NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY

Long ago i looked into registering with Second Life. I found I could not register under my Business Name HENCE Second Life is NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY.

I'm not interested in "achieving the same results" - I'm interested in finding a Business Friendly Platform. Hence my proposed Criteria Test.

Prediction: The first high fidelity platform with cyber-sex restricted to private locations to allow businesses to register under their business names will sweep the industry and step to the top of the competition.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lorraine on January 25, 2008 at 9:30am: Hello! Have you found a platform that will allow you to register as a business? I am a PhD student and am interested in real life businesses in the virtual world.

Thanks for any information you can share :)

Lorraine; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ken Walters on January 25, 2008 at 12:56pm: I'm using Second Life to host my gallery at the moment, I've looked at the other worlds and they're not useful for businesses i.e no fiscal market or market led economy.
I wonder if Second Life allows trans national corporations to register as individuals, businesses or other memberships?

9mm has a valid point though, I'd certainly like to sign up under my business name ( and claim it all back under taxes) as well as having a link to other virtual worlds that would allow business trading and protection of copyrights.

We also need to differentiate between game worlds and virtual worlds.
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Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on January 26, 2008 at 8:00am: Actually you should be able to claim your Virtual World expenses as Business Advertising.

I agree with the need to differentiate between game worlds and virtual worlds - but they both should allow business to register as businesses. There are numerous businesses that cater to the Game Platforms.

And I agree with linking to Other Worlds.... I'd like to see that as well

9mm; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 9mmbooks on January 26, 2008 at 7:53am: No I have not found a platform that will allow you to register as a business based upon your business credentials such a a DBA (or fictitious Doing Business As name). If you find one please let me know.

9mmbooks; ▶ Reply to This