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How do I start selling stuff on the Marketplace?

There are three basic steps explained further below:

  1. Create a store - Accept the Marketplace ToS and customize your storefront.
  2. List your products - Setup a Magic Box and customize your listings.
  3. Promote yourself - Use the onsite "Featured Items" ads and other tools to attract customers.

If you already have an existing Xstreet store, see "Migration help for Xstreet SL merchants".

Create a store

Before you get started

KBtip2.png Tip: Are you a brand-new merchant? This section is for you!

You can dive right in and create a store in just a couple of steps; however, if you're brand new to selling in Second Life, there there are a few things you should know and some preparations you'll want to make.

  1. Read the Listing Guidelines to be sure your products and listings will meet Linden Lab requirements.
  2. Get your products ready inworld. Currently, that includes putting them in a "Magic Box". Magic Boxes will eventually be obsolete, at which point products will need to be moved from the Magic Box to a to-be-determined special folder in your inventory.
  3. Have your store information and graphics handy (logo, banner, store policies, inworld and out-of-world links, etc.) and make sure they meet the requirements defined below.

Accepting the Terms of Service

KBcaution.png Important: Make sure to do this first or you can't list your items (as explained further down the page)!

Now, you can create a web storefront. This may be in addition to an inworld store you already have setup (and there are ways to connect the two).

  2. If you've never done this before, you'll be asked to agree to the Marketplace Terms of Service. Read it carefully so you're aware of what you're agreeing to, then scroll down to the bottom and click Accept.

How do I edit my store info?

^ Click the question and learn how to customize your storefront.

How do I view my store?

So you've listed at least one item and setup your store info... you are awesome. Bask in the glow, then preview your store for all to behold (that almost rhymes):

  1. Go back to My Marketplace > My Store (which you should be familiar with now... wash, rinse, repeat).
  2. On the left-hand side, click View my Store. This is how your customers see it — but it also helps to browse the Marketplace as an alt to really walk in your customers' shoes.

List your products

How do I add a new item to my Marketplace listings?

KBcaution.png Important: If the following sounds more confusing than it needs to be, you're right. Due to various complications with using Magic Boxes, they'll will eventually be obsolete and replaced by the Marketplace directly reading your inventory for item listings. Stay tuned for details.

You use a special object called a "Magic Box" that connects to the Marketplace website. Basically, you drag objects into the box so the Marketplace recognizes them. Then, you can enable their listings and start selling. You can have multiple Magic Boxes, but for the sake of simplicity, start with one.

Here's how you add a new item:

  1. Login to the Marketplace website and get a Magic Box.
  2. In the Second Life Viewer, go to a land parcel you own or can reliably rez objects on. The Magic Box must stay inworld or your items can't be sold.
  3. Open the sidebar, click the My Inventory button (the suitcase icon), and rez the Magic Box.
  4. Right-click the Magic Box and choose Edit.
  5. In the build tools, click the Contents tab.
  6. Drag an object from your inventory into the Contents area. You should see it appear.
  7. On the Marketplace, choose My Marketplace > Merchant home (upper-right).
  8. Click Manage Inventory (left-hand side).
  9. Click the Sync Marketplace with Magic Boxes button.
  10. Edit the new listing to complete at least the required fields. What do all those fields mean?

You can also watch this video, which may be easier because it shows you what's going on:

How do I remove an item from my Marketplace listings?

As of 2010-09-13, there doesn't appear to be a way to completely remove an existing item from your Marketplace listings. Merchants are currently limited to unlisting an item. Removing the object from your inworld Magic Box only changes the item status to Unavailable.

Until Magic Boxes are obsolete as mentioned above, to unlist an item:

  2. Click Manage inventory.
  3. Next to the item you want to unlist, click Unlist. See also "How do I update the listing of an item I'm selling".

How do I update the listing of an item I'm selling?

  1. In the upper-right, click My Marketplace > My Store.
  3. Here, you see all the items you're selling. Towards the right, click Edit next to the item you want to update.
    • You can also Preview how an item listing looks to potential customers, or click Unlist/List to hide/show an item (this can be changed whenever you want).
KBtip2.png Tip: Get more help with managing your Marketplace inventory, including bulk-editing items.

What do all the fields mean on the Edit Item Listing page?

^ Click the question to get your answers.