This is a comparative discussion on eCommerce solutions.
I am running this in a similar manner to the discussion on Networking solutions, where there is a publicly editable google doc for storing the data in addition to the normal forum thread discussion to be had here.
Please edit the document in the spirit it is intended. Only add or update information you know about and don’t disparage or denigrate services you don’t like purely out of vindictiveness.
This will take a while to get up and running. We will need everyone’s input to make this successful as there are so many solutions out there.
Relatively easy to set up once one wades thru the docs.
Tech support is always helpful. Usually takes 2 days to get a turn-around on response.
Has a “split pay” option to automatically split payments between two different authors, allowing co-authors to be paid directly from eSellerate.
Never yet had a complaint about service.
Has a built in Key Generator for activation codes, or one could supply an externally generated list.
Cons:
Without a lot of customization, the stores are a bit… bland.
Site is just slow enough that while editing, there is a large and noticeable lag during every major step.
Documentation is complete, but not necessarily clear and can be heavy wading to get thru with only a few simple “let’s get going” guides.
To sell pure code or unity packages (not software applications), one must contact technical support and ask them to remove the Electronic Download Service (EDS) option, because if people select this, then they will be unable to receive software updates. “Redownloading” is the only way to pass on new updates and this is limited to 3 redownloads of the same software version, then the users account needs to be reset manually. This means that with every 2-3 updates (or more often if they reach or exceed their download limit), a users account must be manually reset.
I’d install Magento or Joomla+Virtuemart on my webspace to build a free e-commerce solution.
Magento looks really cool, but needs some RAM which means you have to have a root- or virtual server.
Joomla with the extension Virtuemart runs on any mature PHP/MySQL webspace and works well and fast, but doesn’t look as fancy as Magento.
I am using Joomla+Virtuemart and it works fine for my digital content.
Virtuemart (and most other e-commerce solutions) has some functions for this, though. You have some options to adjust your VAT for customers from your own country or foreign countries etc.
In my case i didn’t need to charge VAT, because in germany you would have to write sth like “including 19% VAT” to every price you are displaying, except if you are a small business with a turnover less than ~16000 Euro/Year (that’s my case).Then you don’t have to take VAT from your customers, but you have to display that your are a small business, like i am doing it on polyload.com. Every price has this * beside it which leads to the message “All displayed prices are final and VAT exempt according to § 19 Abs. 1 UStG (small enterprise)”.
A lawyer translated this german law text for me for my page.
Ethan: That makes sense. I’m not the business person in my small company, but I’m aware that there are difficulties and peculiarities when dealing with global clients.
That depends on your contry’s law. But this shouldn’t be too hard to google or to ask a lawyer. At least this would be cheaper than paying like 6 or 9% of your sales.
Ok, as wanted in the other thread - here are a few words about gameprefabs, unitymagic and turbosquid.
All of these platforms working well for me, no problems at all.
You get your money monthly through paypal and it doesn´t matters how much or less you sold.
turbosquid:
The most known marketplace for 3D content at all.
Putting up your models also in a non-unity format (fbx,obj) will get you some more sales.
(Unity isn´t the only engine on the market, you know ?)
gameprefabs:
Good amount of sales. They advertise your assets with a first weeks discount and
their newsletter. No one who starts with unity don´t know the tornado twins
Good upgrowing, professionell Game-Ready Shop !
unitymagic:
Very new, so the sales are lower here. But maybe get higher over time.
If you want to increase your sells - but your Stuff up on these stores.
Check the legal issues of your country and how to deal with taxes !
In germany it is not that easy to run your own online shop. There is a lot
of things you should know first and a bunch of legal things you must
doing the right way.
I know that, because i setup a online store for one of my clients with
XT-Commerce.
Better sell your stuff on one of the stores mentioned above.
This way you only have to deal with your own income taxes.
Thats a good point.
Another reason to use something like gameprefabs is that you are living in a ecosystem together with other similar things so people might struggle over yours as they check through the offerings for other stuff.
No one knows “your” shop, but a lot of people know gameprefabs or just find it on their google search trip.
In my opinion, the best shop for unity assets around.
OK, only 50% non-exclusive - but a monthly payment.
For me thats a good deal. Half of all Dinky Dungeon Tilesets were sold on gameprefabs.
A few on unitymagic and the rest on turbosquid.
btw, a lot of people try to set up their own asset shops in the rush for quick money.
As unity3dworks. They offered 80-95% when you publish your assets there.
I wanted to give them a try and published my dungeon tileset.
No answer, no reaction, no nothing. It was 2 or more weeks ago!
in this case i only concentrate on the three,for me working, platforms.
gameprefabs, turbosquid, unitymagic.
…and later when the sales on these platforms go down i submit to the assetstore, too
Wow, I was actually thinking about using GamePrefabs.com, but only 50% for non-exclusive is awful. And then exclusive only gives you 70%? That’s horrible. If i put anything on there exclusively, it’ll probably only be as a plug so people know about my work.
If we pour our time and effort into something, we should at least get MOST of the money from it being sold.
