Second Life Product Market Value
Look at this item
https://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=1084130
. (be sure to check out all the screenshots)
It sells for about $100 USD, and people are buying it. I estimate that it takes about single person 3 weeks to make. If you compare it to software, the ratio of market value over effort is way higher. For example, if you are a game programer, you can code for 3 months, and resulting a product that you can sell for maybe $20. And, to be a game programer actually takes a few years more training and knowledge than building and scripting in Second Life.
My Particle Maker [https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Marketplace/307626] sells for ~$14 USD, and i sell close to 2 per week since i made it in 2009-04. It took me about 3 weeks full time to create. I have not even spend time on marketing for the past 7 months.
I think the reason for this is because Second Life is a new market. For example, computer games market have been around for 20 or 30 years, Second Life only few years and not yet main stream.
A bit of rare juicy info on sl business. Here's a quote from Wikipedia Second life:
According to figures published by Linden Lab, about 64,000 users made a profit in Second Life in February 2009, of whom 38524 made less than US$10, while 233 made more than US$5000 [21]. Profits are derived from selling virtual goods, renting land, and a broad range of services. In March 2009, it has become known that there exist a few Second Life entrepreneurs, whose profits exceed 1 million US$ per year[22].
Some companies generate US dollar earnings from services provided in Second Life. Examples are Languagelife.com,[23] Rivers Run Red[24], BNT Holdings, and Beta Technologies.[25] This opportunity is extending to normal residents and non-Second Life users via affiliate programs.[26] The total value of these transactions has not been calculated but in 2008 consultancy firms Rivers Run Red and Electric Sheep have reported annual revenues of $6 million.
The reference 21 about who made what amount, is from sl official site:
http://secondlife.com/statistics/economy-data.php That page is raw data, you'll need to do some computation to get a readable summary.
The reference about those making millions, is from a blog: Top Second Life Entrepeneur Cashing Out US$1.7 Million Yearly; Furnishings, Events Management Among Top Earners By Wagner James Au. At http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2009/03/million.html
The source of this millions claim is from Robin Harper's blog
Apparently, Robin was a VP of Marketing and Community Developmen at Linden Labs, and left in 2009-02.
Robin being a VP is readily verified on web.
Here's a article:
http://www.massively.com/2009/02/02/robin-harper-to-leave-linden-lab/, and here:
Here's Robin's linkedin url: [ http://www.linkedin.com/in/rharper ]
There are 2 sl millionaire i'm aware of: Anshe Chung (Ailin Graef) and Stroker Serpentine (Kevin Alderman).
(YouTube video dead.) [https://youtu.be/ruMi3MAGkvc] CBS Interview with Stroker Serpentine
Here's a interesting article that describes how Second Life is really a Pyramid scheme , and all the economy news are delusional in nature:
I believe what the article said is largely true. Here's a follow up article:
See: “Anshe Chung cnet interview grief” (2007-01)
the video above is gone. But here's another interview.
this video, by National Geographic, is rather forced. It tries to paint a picture.