► text | un: wvelvet

[tryhard]

Name: Waver Velvet
Date: Deceuer 1st
Format: network-wide text


QUESTION:

When considering patronising a shop, do you prefer when it has a name that makes it easy to understand exactly what is offered there, or one that is "creative"?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

text; un: sylphid

[sylphid]

i like it when the name has absolutely nothing to do with the business.

[tryhard]

Your reasoning?

text; un: asahi

[integrous]

i really hate it when places don't make it clear what you can get there
sometimes it just feels like false advertising

[tryhard]

I completely understand. Even if it's not false advertising, a vague name hardly seems helpful.

How do you feel about a store that has a less obvious name, but underneath the main sign is a smaller sign that briefly explains services? Would that help or be distracting?

text; un: berserker

[curruid_coinchenn]

whatever is more memorable will serve you better. a generic name will go forgotten, overlooked, or lost amongst other, similar businesses.

[tryhard]

Hi, Berserker.

Or... actually, this is a good opportunity to ask: how do you spell your name? Sorry. Didn't want to get it wrong.

That's a decent point. I just want to make sure it's not entirely nonsense.

text | un: kiva

[kivatteru]

It should have a name that stands out from the others, while at the same time indicating what kind of service it offers. Not really extravagant, but not generic either.

A pun, for example?

[tryhard]

[ easier said than done... this is already a headache!! ]

Memorable is a bonus, I'm sure. I was merely wondering if there's a preference for one or the other side of practical vs whimsical.

Are puns really that popular?

text; undertown

[weirdnecro]

I like a playful name that you can understand what's going on inside. That way, you know they're enjoying what they're doing, but they're taking the work seriously.

[tryhard]

You can glean all that from a name? Or, rather, that's the ideal?

[ this is getting more complicated than he thought... ]

[ Text; un: azurechevalier ]

[bad_crowmance]

Something snappy that still lets you know what services it offers.

[tryhard]

Of course, the ideal is a marriage of the two, but I was trying to gather if there's a preference for one side or the other between straightforwardness and whimsy. I will keep 'snappy' in mind. Thank you.

un: londonstar

[escardos]

something fun that will make everyone want to come to your store! if you have a pharmacy, name it something like “plague enders” with a plague mask as part of your logo!

[tryhard]

Hello, Flat. Thanks.

'Fun' is where I'm getting stuck, though. I don't want it to be nonsense.

I also did not consider a logo. Thanks for the reminder.

[ something else to think about... dang. what a pain in the butt. he's good at research, not marketing!! ]

un: harmonia

[digiorno]

it depends what i'm shopping for. if it's essentials, like groceries, something simple and easy to understand. if it's for nonessentials, creative names are more likely to draw me in.

although they're not mutually exclusive ideas. puns were created for the sole purpose of making weird shop names, i think.

[tryhard]

Thank you for differentiating. That's interesting. I'll keep it in mind.

You're right that they're not mutually exclusive. I was just wondering if there seemed to be a common preference. Surprisingly, several people have mentioned puns. I'd have thought such a thing would be more likely to drive people away, not entice them...

voice;

[scatmaam]

One would think practicality and creativity could meet well enough. But my own creativity doesn't usually lie in naming sense, so I'm not certain how helpful I could be.

[ she named her daughter off of a variation of her own name, after all. ]

[tryhard]

[ he didn't expect someone to call in... ]

Er... I'm not supposing they can't. Just wondering if there's a preference that seems to sway one way or the other among the public here. Among the Mirrorbound, at least.

[ The other side of this impromptu research will be taking more careful note of the kinds of shop names around. ]

I don't know that I've got much naming sense either...

text; un: xXx_tWiStEd_MiNd_xXx

[morbide]

CCReative all the way! But why not make it a bit of both, if you want descriptive? For example,if I ran a business selling off the parts and pieces of cadavers, I'd call it "Henry's Harrowing Hand-Me-Downs: where the dead find their second life!" What do you think?

[tryhard]

What an interesting theoretical example.

However, I take your point.

The alliteration is oddly appealing. I can't say I hate the play on words, either, despite the questionable subject. You're rather good at this.

un: CoolSkeleton95

[spaghettimonster]

HMMM. I THINK...
SOMETHING EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S OFFERED, IS BEST.
THAT WAY PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IT.
BUT! IT SHOULD STILL HAVE A LITTLE PIZZAZZ!!!
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPELL IT UNIQUELY, OR ADD INTENSIFYING ADJECTIVES.
MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS HOW COOL IT IS!

[tryhard]

[ buddy...?? bud? is your capslock button stuck? why are you yelling!!

waver does his best to respond normally... ]

'Intensifying' adjectives? Can you give me an example?

What if you were trying to name an apothecary? Or a jewelry store?

text; un: vivelafrance

[thejoyrider]

Creative, of course! Who would want to go to a grocery store called Grocery Store? This is so boring.

[tryhard]

I take your point. I mean, I understand it should be eye-catching, but a sign's first and foremost object is to inform, isn't it?

It doesn't have to be quite so dull to be practical.

Would you rather it not say 'grocery' anywhere on the sign?

text

[hippocarnival]

creative!! names that stick out are exciting and get more attention

[...]

but i guess you cant just look someplace up on the internet here huh?

maybe a sign under that explains what your shop is

[tryhard]

I'm afraid not. Hence opening the question to the public here. It's the closest thing.

I was also considering a more informative sign beneath something supposedly eye-catching or curiosity-piquing. The idea is that the whimsical name gets people to look twice and notice the sign that explains it... or something like that.

[wordsinthesoul]

I'd imagine something that mixed both would catch more attention than others.

[tryhard]

I don't mean to say they're mutually exclusive. If you had to choose between one or the other, however, which do you prefer?

text; un: scenarios

[silentsavant]

You're starting a business, now? What are you selling?

[tryhard]

That's the plan.

We'll be offering tattooed spells and talismans to fuel them, largely for the benefit of non-humans or humans without magical talent who would prefer to have useful spells on hand rather than having to buy a spell scroll each time.

My business partner has developed a method of using enchanted ink to bind spells to the individual for passive use, and we're working on developing a method to allow for active spells to be used via magical energy stored in certain materials that can act as a catalyst. These catalysts will likely be sold in the form of jewelry.

We're working out the kinks.

text | un: reddeer

[rightfoot]

It can be all clever, creative, and easy to understand what it's for.

[tryhard]

[ Easier said than done, right? ]

Thank you.

We'll do our best to keep that in mind.