IMVU Information & IMVU Links at HealthHaven.com

IMVU Inc.
Developer(s)	IMVU
Preview release	Βeta / constantly updating
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Instant messaging client
License	Freeware
Website	http://www.imvu.com/

IMVU is a graphical instant messaging client developed by IMVU Inc. It currently hosts over 20 million registered users, and over 600,000 active monthly users, as of June 6, 2008. Currently, it is in public beta, and has been available since April 2, 2004. IMVU was founded by Will Harvey, a video game developer and founder of There and has the world’s largest catalog of virtual goods with over 3 million items, produced by over 100,000 content creators. It currently generates approximately $1 million in revenue per month, 90% of which comes directly from messenger consumers.

[edit] Membership

Basic IMVU memberships are free. Free memberships allow users to register a "Guest_" avatar name, make use of the chat service, purchase virtual content and create a homepage. Paying for membership, which removes "Guest_" from the avatar name and removes non-IMVU advertising, enables additional options such as becoming a content creator and access to additional Forum sections. However, many benefits require further payment such as access to restricted material (the Access Pass^[1]), guaranteed access to customer support (the VIP monthly subscription^[2]), to be able to create Public Rooms (Access Pass and/or VIP), to change avatar name (Name Change Token^[3]), and to ensure you're verified as an adult (Age Verification^[4]).

The currency used in IMVU is called "credits." Promo credits or "Predits" are free credits IMVU grants to the user upon initial registration, and additional "Predits" can be earned by playing "Free Spin" or visiting the "New Products Page". Real credits are purchased with real money directly from IMVU or from Content Creator collectives called "Resellers." With real credits, one can send gifts, transfer credits, and use them in other ways.

[edit] Content creation program

A primary focus of IMVU is the member-developed content; consequently, IMVU actively encourages the members to participate in the Content creation program. The Developer Program allows members to create and sell virtual products made with the 3D software application 3ds Max. Developers have access to the IMVU software IMVU Previewer used in creating and submitting new virtual products, and can sell their products by listing them in the online IMVU product catalog. A member must buy his or her name and possess enough credits for "derivation" and submission fees in order to become a content creator.

[edit] Economy

IMVU contains its own economy with a currency system based on IIMVU "credits" and "promotional credits." A third form of currency also exists for members who sell custom made items - "developer tokens," which are earned when a user purchases an item with "promo credits." Credits must be purchased online using actual currency, either directly from IMVU or from third party resellers. Credits may not be transferred back to IMVU for actual currency but can be sold to registered resellers who will purchase them for real world currency. The credits are used by members to purchase virtual items like fashion pieces (hair, clothes, skins, and accessories), pets, and 3D scenes.

Promotional credits, abbreviated to "promo-credits" or "predits" are a second form of currency that is distributed to members by IMVU. With relation to a standard free or full member, promo-credits are similar to standard credits. A given number of credits equates to the same number of promo-credits. However, promo-credits cannot be used to purchase items as gifts for other members, and may not be traded back to an IMVU reseller for actual currency.

IMVU allows full members to participate in a 'Content Creator Program', which offers participants software utilities for creating custom, virtual, in-game items. They may then sell their items by listing them in an online product catalog. Content creators earn credits when their items are sold and are allowed to resell the credits they earn, though they cannot be resold to IMVU itself. Developer tokens only appear in the instance that a member pays a developer for a custom item, using promo-credits instead of standard credits. Once received by the content creator, promo-credits automatically translate into developer tokens. One developer token is technically worth ten credits, however, developer tokens may only be spent on developer related fees, such as the initial cost that must be paid when putting an item on sale or to buy advertising called a "Shout Out," which buys the purchaser a certain number of placements in the scrolling ads that appears on the top of all IMVU pages.^[5]

[edit] Community

Many IMVU users are content creators, creating and selling products in the IMVU catalog. Users also devote time to customizing their individual homepages, setting up public and private rooms, and creating and participating in user Groups (similar to forums but personalized via the owner). Additionally, there are numerous user produced third-party websites providing additional forums and resources to the IMVU community.

Introduced recently to IMVU are badges. They were made to promote content creators selling their products, features, groups, or anything else related to IMVU for advertisement.

While at one time IMVU Staff was quick to assist members, since the start of 2009, IMVU Staff has been distancing themselves from their user base though use of a tiered Help Ticket assistance system. Help Tickets for VIP users and in regards to Billing or Privacy are dealt with reasonably quickly. However, these Help Tickets take precedence over all other Help Tickets that enter the system. As a result, all other Help Tickets, which represent the majority of users and problems, go without Staff assistance for months--even for some of the most common critical problems. If one is lucky enough to get a reply from Staff, the reply is often a generic response that is not tailored to the user's specific inquiry, and the user must wait even longer for a more helpful response. Most users are very dissatisfied with IMVU's lack of Customer Support. ^[6]^[7]

[edit] IMVU Music Store

In Autumn 2008, IMVU launched the IMVU Music Store, which sells music for streaming within IMVU users' public and private rooms as well as in mp3 format. The store includes music from both major and independent labels and is based on the library of music provided by digital music site GroupieTunes.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[0] ttp://www.imvu.com/store/store_us.php

[1] ttp://www.imvu.com/catalog/newsletter/vip_club.php

[2] ttp://www.imvu.com/store/store_us.php

[3] ttp://www.imvu.com/store/store_us.php

[4] What are Developer Tokens

[5] ttp://www.imvu.com/catalog/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpbb2&file=viewtopic.php&t=272774

[6] ttp://www.imvu.com/catalog/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpbb2&file=viewtopic.php&t=268125

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

Contents