August 2021 < Dominion

Our headline article is on the shopping district and the move from a product-based economy to a service-based one. To seek the motivations of the shop keepers within the shopping district, one must speak with the people and get to the heart of their engagements. I sat down with AppleJamnPB and SnowmanTechie, two entrepreneurs in the shopping district with a portfolio spanning both product and service-based shops. The interview was to reach the heart of their thoughts, motivations and overall feelings on the current status quo of the economy.

Question: What motivated you to start a service-based shop over a product based shop?

Snowman: For me, it was more around looking at what I like doing in Minecraft, which others aren't fond of, aren't even aware of or don't have access to yet. My first service shop was Raiders, in which I'm providing access to farms. The idea is pretty distinct from most other shops. It basically spawned out of providing a service to new players or players who aren't technically minded Minecraft wise. The concept of giving access to newer players is a philosophy Apple and I work around, 'things should not be locked behind a gate because you're new'.

Apple: I started with service-based shops because it seemed like everything product-wise had already been sold -the market appeared saturated in many places. I really enjoyed using armour stands, so I found a niche in that market; therefore, it didn't seem prudent for me, in the beginning, to compete in products.

Question: I'm aware that you also run product-based shops; how do they compare, and do you have a preference?

Snowman: So that interactive base is not the motivating factor as much as I want to offer services that improve people's server enjoyment. To help ensure the community remains growing and healthy. It's really just ensuring they feel comfortable, welcome and have that ability to enjoy what they're doing. Product-based shops are great in that you're paying for us to grind for you. This was the fundamental basis of the Farmacy for us, we have these farms (we've spent the time farming), it's sitting there doing nothing.

Question: For you, which do you think are the money makers, product-based or service-based?

Snowman: In the end, they're all a little bit to make money. The product-based shops have been more lucrative. The success of Statis for you was really nice for me, it didn't cost me anything to build that. My ongoing income out of Statis4u has been making home pods which people see as being really cheap, but it only takes me a couple minutes to build. The money is definitely a motivating factor, but it's almost secondary at this point.

Apple: I've made quite a bit from Posers for the most part -probably because people probably like armour stands. I only started selling products because I figured the prices I could offer would be fair. I don't do things in the shopping district to make money, more just to fill a need or demand in the market. I started a concrete shop at a higher price point than concrete had been sold. It's even higher than when I first launched. I've had complaints. People have refused to buy it. To me, though, it's vital to set expectations of the actual value of a given product. Although both shop types make diamonds, my services are the more lucrative. I only engage in them, though, because I enjoy them.

Question: Do you envision any new business models the horizon? Or any new changes on the horizon which would change the economy?

Apple: I dunno

Lord_Bones: I dunno, is a completely valid answer

Apple: Many of our ideas come from chats with one another, even when Snowman is at work in the corner of our dining room. These ideas generally aren't so analytical of the market as to predict it and are more based on our feelings, what we might want to do -not what we predict might sell. We are rather spontaneous people, and this reflects our Minecraft playing.

Snowman: The past is often a good indicator of the future; lately, there has been the ender pearl businesses, publications and map art. Fab Furnishings is a fantastic pivot from map art into something map art is applicable for now, not just pictures on a wall but furniture. At this point, we are at the end game, exploring the limits of what we can do. As for what's next, I'm sure we'll see if, but if I knew, I'm sure I'd be doing it or seeing it.

Snowman: I think 1.17 was excellent, but ultimately the new blocks that were offered were underwhelming. Some new partnerships, some new ways to farm things, but that's pretty much the extent of things. I'm hopeful that 1.18, we'll have an explosion of creativity with the new items. You're going to see many new bases in 1.18 as everyone migrates to the new lands. This will spawn its own service-based industries. We've already seen this with moving services. I would expect to see many things in that transition with people capitalising on this known transition, this known change. Then how can I differentiate myself from the competition? How can I make people's lives easier, or even just how can I monopolise a particular area? For me, it's too soon to really tell what that's going to look like. For me, I do think it's going to be an exciting endeavour to watch come out.

Apple: You say this, and it makes me think that there will probably be an increase in product demand with bases moving and everything. People aren't going to want to grind it all out to build their new base.

Snowman: Right, farms will be cranking materials out left, right and centre to create materials for the new land. Things like our wool farm making a ton of wool, if people want to build in wool great, we're set, but I think we'll see a lot more farms to offset that need and desire. If TNT dupers ever break then, I predict a TNT poll will come out as people try to hollow out these giant mountains.

Lord_Bones: I think 1.18 is going to be very interesting.

Apple: Yes.

Lord_Bones: For everything, services, products and everyone.

I ended my interview on the 1.18 note, becoming an exciting time in the months ahead. This new land might be the new wave in the economy. What new innovations are on the horizon, and how will this tremendous new update impact the lives of the district? Dominion.News will report the latest news right here and on Dominion Server!