Merging of On Rez and SL Exchange

[Diamond Coronet]

On SL Blog but not everyone reads all the news so I am forwarding as
FYI. I am saddened as I appreciate the ease of On Rez and tend to use
it more than SL Exchange.

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XStreet SL and OnRez to Join Linden Lab!
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 9:54 PM by: t linden
Xstreet SL and OnRez to Join Linden Lab!
Today we are very happy to share some exciting news with you: Linden
Lab has acquired Xstreet SL and OnRez - the two leading Web-based
marketplaces for buying and selling creations for Second Life. Over
the past few months we’ve been working with the folks at Virtuatrade
and the Electric Sheep Company to hammer out the details, and today is
the first day that we’ve been able to talk openly about this next step
in our evolution.

The Next Chapter for Xstreet SL and OnRez
First off, we’d like to congratulate both teams for their vision,
passion and commitment. Xstreet SL and OnRez succeeded because they
provided great opportunities for merchants, built delightful
experiences for shoppers, and fostered dynamic and creative
communities. Hats off to them!

We’d especially like to welcome Apotheus Silverman and the Xstreet SL
team. Apotheus and key members of his team will be joining Linden Lab
to integrate the Xstreet SL platform deeply into Second Life. This new
team will shape our future plans and will continue to provide the high
standard of service and support that Xstreet SL customers have come to
expect.

Welcome Xstreet SL and OnRez merchants and shoppers!
Our second order of business is to extend a warm welcome to the
merchants and shoppers of Xstreet SL and OnRez. The Xstreet SL and
OnRez communities are (and will continue to be) critical to the
success of those marketplaces, and we look forward to partnering with
you and providing a fun and engaging shopping experience. As we go
forward towards a single, unified Second Life marketplace, we are
excited to build on the work that you, along with Xstreet SL and OnRez
teams, have done.

I am an Xstreet SL/OnRez merchant or shopper, what should I do now?
Our goal is make this transition as smooth as possible for you in the
weeks ahead. Because our plan is to build on the Xstreet SL platform,
so this will be a painless transition for Xstreet SL merchants: your
business will continue as usual. Check out the FAQ here for more
details.

For Xstreet SL shoppers, no action is necessary as your balances and
account information will be unaffected.

We will continue to operate the OnRez marketplace until February 11,
2009. Before that date, OnRez merchants who don’t already have an
Xstreet SL account should create an Xstreet SL account and move their
assets, balances and account information over to it. We apologize in
advance for the inconvenience. Details on creating an Xstreet SL
account are here.

If you are an OnRez shopper with a current balance, please transfer
your account balances to a Second Life account before February 11,
2009.

New Opportunities
For many residents, shopping inworld is one of the most engaging parts
of Second Life. But as many Xstreet SL and OnRez users already know,
having a web marketplace to browse and search is a great way to find
new designers, keep up with the latest creations, or just find that
perfect gift/texture/dress/home/weapon/couch. Our goal is to make the
web marketplace a wonderful complement to inworld shopping and a great
benefit for all Residents.

Bringing these marketplaces together under the Linden Lab banner will
unlock new and exciting opportunities for merchants. We can make it
easier for new Residents to discover the wealth of products that can
enrich their Second Life experience, and this in turn offers the
opportunity for new users to become more invested in Second Life. We
look forward to helping you reach new customers, promote your
businesses, and build your sales.

There is also potential to evolve the shopping experience with new
tools (sharable wish lists, anyone? Gifting to non-Residents?
Scheduled deliveries?) and capabilities. But like Amazon or Ebay, the
core of the experience will always be about efficiency. Kitting out
your avatar, buying a house/castle/skybox, or getting your inworld
business off of the ground can be done in minutes. The range of
offerings is both impressive and accessible and the goods are
delivered inworld quickly. And because the shopping experience is
browser-based, it’s easy to shop from work (on your lunch hour,
naturally!)

If you haven’t visited Xstreet SL yet, check it out.

Let us know your thoughts
While there are many exciting features to contemplate, we’re in the
very early stages of this project and we have plenty of work ahead of
us just to get the basic integration done. We will have much more to
say about what to expect in the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, we’d love to hear your thoughts about what you would
like to see or what would be the most beneficial to you and your
inworld business. We invite you to join us in the forums, check out
the acquisition FAQs, or simply browse for something to buy.