Whenever I try to level a new alt I always hit the GTN for any gear I might not have upgraded in a few levels for me and my companions. But theres nothing there. If there is something there its 10 levels under my level so useless or its for the wrong class. Tried looking for Mods for my orange gear and again nothing for sale on the GTN except high level stuff. Also there is the fact that there are hardly any grade 1-3 mats on the GTN of any kind so what are these people using the mats for if not for making armor or weapons?

I tried getting armormech or synthweaving to make my own gear but cant find the mats and it take forever running missions to get blue/purple metals/cloth needed to make decent pieces along with the RNG factor with RE. Also tried cybertech figured Id just get an orange suit and keep it modded out. Again wasnt worth the hours and hours of running UWT missions, hoping for crits so I got purple metals because again nothing for sale on GTN.

The reasons are:

For people who have reached high level, there is little profit to be made from crafting for low levels, your companions are your workforce, you want them generating as much profit as possible.

The rates of return for purple mats and RE are still too low to make it easy to craft for low levels. This applies to any level crafters. It's impossible to keep yourself geared up solely from crafting while levelling so theres certainly not much opportunity to do it for others.

So, any crafter putting lower level crafted items up for sale is probably doing it for the enjoyment of crafting, there are not many around who do that.

If you've got , multiple characters I'd suggest joining a guild, they may have put some low level items in their bank and you can ask them to craft for you, and most will have someone willing to help out - be prepared to do the same for others in the guild.

You can´t earn enough money for your effort by offering low-level items in the GTN. You will earn much more per hour if you do daily quests once you are level 50 or (in most cases) if you use your mission or gathering skills and sell what your companions bring back.

Not many people will buy high quality lowlevel gear and most of those who do are unwilling to pay a price that would make it worthwile for a player at level 50.

Most people do a few flashpoints for blue/orange gear or buy it for warzone commendations of for planetary commendations.

It´s almost impossible to avoid blue gear if you play the game as it is supposed to be played.

That keeps the number of people who buy lowlevel gear for credits on the GTN rather low.

Additional to that many guides and forum threads encourage people to save up their credits in order to buy their speeders at levels 25, 40 and 50.

And in addition to that the game is really easy and you level really fast. Which means that you neither need Artifact level gear nor that it will last long at lower levels.

Additional to all that there are the 2 days limit and the 50 items limit (I may be mistaken, maybe they were removed with 1.2.). That makes it even more stressful to offer slow-selling low-priced items.

Plus with 2 day listings, it's hit or miss to post lower level stuff because it's pure chance when a lower level char will buy up your listing. So you might list something multiple times just to get it to sell. With the small profit margin that tends to go with the lower level items, it's often not worth the crafter's time.

You might be better served simply asking in /general or /trade if any crafters are willing to help you out. Or check within your guild. I really miss the one addon from WoW, Altoholic, that allowed other people in your guild that used it to see your crafting list, even if it was for an alt-crafter not logged in. Made it MUCH easier to commission something to be made.

Also, don't know if you run alts but, one thing I have found since leveling is fairly easy in this game and reliance on having good gear for your level isn't a top priority for survival, consider taking commendations as the quest reward option when available. You'll find at the end of a typical planet you'll have 20-30+ and can use them to buy mods for alts coming up behind you and then it's a trickle down effect.

Also, don't know if you run alts but, one thing I have found since leveling is fairly easy in this game and reliance on having good gear for your level isn't a top priority for survival, consider taking commendations as the quest reward option when available. You'll find at the end of a typical planet you'll have 20-30+ and can use them to buy mods for alts coming up behind you and then it's a trickle down effect.

Commendations is one big reason I don't bother crafting for low level characters. It's just not worth it. I understand why this was needed at launch. but I wish it was phased out. All mods should be drops or user crafted. This would give crafting a huge boost and create a market for lower level stuff.

Pre-1.2 I would put up 25 or so purple heavy low level armor on my main, would mail off 15 or so medium to an alt to put up (since I also had a number of other items for higher levels). I'd do the same on my synthweaver with light and medium/heavy force gear. I'd check every so often in the day and would make and post more. They sold quite often, I'd have to restock around half every day.

So far as little profit, I have to disagree. I could send a companion off to do one 60 minute rank 6 underworld trading mission in the hope to get a crit return of 2 mandalorian iron worth around 8k each. Or I could send one companion off to do 10 rank one missions in the same time to try for a crit of 2 agrinium, worth around 2-2.5k each in the crafted item. Even better, I could buy the agrinium for half that much most days and double the price with a crafted item.

So far as prices, I'd sell at a range of 5k for the low purples up to 15k for medium level ones. I'd also put a premium on ones that crit with an augment slot and make more that way. While those were being made I'd switch to an alt and do the same with Synthweaving, then while those were made switch to my slicers, biochem to do the same with implants, artifice, then back to the first to post, mail to alt seller(s) and reload the crafting and send off companions on UT missions.

No, making upwards of 1m credits a day doing this was a total waste of time. No exaggeration- I made nearly 3 million on the Saturday and Sunday before 1.2.

Since 1.2, though, I haven't sold jack squat. After a week of expired auctions I've concluded that what I could sell was for rich alts who now only buy the cheap legacy gear and mod that with the billions of leftover planet commendations that the mains have stored up. Also, players are less interested in alts now that there is new content for level 50.

I noticed this on my server and I'm fixing it. It is mainly as a learning experience since the time investment quite lower than that for the higher level armor.

The interesting part about lower level gear is that when you make, say crit artifact level 10 gear, it can last you well the way up to levels 17 or 18, especially if you swap out the augment. I'm really trying to market the idea that people should pay more attention to what they are paying for per point of rating. First you worry about getting the right stats for your class, then you worry about the rating to level ratio. I've found that when this average ratio of all of your equipment drops below 2.25 (rating pts to level) playing against content that is at your level gets to be more difficult.

At lower levels it is much easier to get the ratio closer to 3.5 to 4 which means you can blow through content, die much less, and need fewer people in heroics.

So far my business strategy has been find out how much credits/rating pts a piece of gear is selling for in the level 20-40 range. And then I shoot for selling my lower level gear a little below that, depending on what is available. So for example if i see a bunch of blue level 32 belts, rating 83, selling for $8,500. I then figure that that is about $102/rt.pt. Therefore I figure I can get away with selling my purple level 20 belts (rating 74) for around $7k-$7.5k. The reality is that after about level 10 you should be advancing through content at the same speed, so people should be spending on armor relative to the amount of time they will be spending IN the armor. If people understood this I think there would be a more even distribution of armor on the market.

I've seen for example that most purples are inflated though for what can be bought in relation to them, and many people don't realize that you should see armor as a long term consumable item.

I've been seeing multiple people spamming trade with level 12-20 oranges going for 80K and up.

???

Are these realistic prices? Yeah I know you can spent the money to mod them up to use until 50 < I guess> but seriously, ***?

I've been seeing multiple people spamming trade with level 12-20 oranges going for 80K and up.

???

 

Are these realistic prices? Yeah I know you can spent the money to mod them up to use until 50 < I guess> but seriously, ***?

If they're augmented items, they're currently "best in slot" if you can get the new armor and strip the modifications and put them in the orange shell. They're likely ugly as original sin, but BiS nonetheless.

If they're augmented items, they're currently "best in slot" if you can get the new armor and strip the modifications and put them in the orange shell. They're likely ugly as original sin, but BiS nonetheless.

Just to ad clarity, their only advantage is that it is somewhat difficult to find orange drops for every slot at that low of level, you have to accumulate a lot of commendations to do it, and by the time you have, the mods are probably too low, which take more money or grinding to fix. The reality is you will be sick of the ugly armor by level 30+ so it will be a waste, but if you have the money...

For the first time on my last toon, I decided to post stuff for lowbies on the GTN. When these items did sell, and it was rare, they sold only after I discounted the price below the value of the mats.

So to answer your question, the reason there is a lack of lowbie items on the GTN is because the mats are worth more than the items themselves, at least from my experience.

For the first time on my last toon, I decided to post stuff for lowbies on the GTN. When these items did sell, and it was rare, they sold only after I discounted the price below the value of the mats.

 

So to answer your question, the reason there is a lack of lowbie items on the GTN is because the mats are worth more than the items themselves, at least from my experience.

I noticed that there are some stats that people won't buy. Mainly defense, alacrity, and accuracy bonuses. They seem to only matter to people in end game.

I'll post my thoughts:

Looked at the market on my server, both sides and decided on something- there were very few republic in ratio to the empire side.

I had both sides, and a legacy to send them back and forth from... the only restrictions on anything in this game that I've seen are 1) light/dark alignment and 2) class-specific.

What I did was play hunt and peck on both sides of the market to find gear for low levels, and it was somewhat fruitful, so hop over to the other side and see.

The other thing I've noticed is that because I'm one of those people that has to have their other companions out gathering stuff at all times, I ended up with a surplus of mats. Last week I made a killing on the 'low-level' gear that I just had all the mats for.

One thing I have yet to see on either fleet is someone in /general offering their crafting services. I know, though, that if someone was to ask about making something, I'd jump on it for the chance to make some bank.

I don't really understand why the market isn't more flooded tbh. You get your deposit back if it doesn't sell and the GTN takes such a small chunk of the money that the first and last bits of my play time are always spent in front of a terminal stacking up items that I get from questing through low-level characters.

Tip from me: for level 30 and under things unless they are really good items or slots that are hard to get rewards for (shields, generators, foci, earpieces/implants, etc.) for some reason on my server at least, going above 3k creds was like the tipping point.

People just wouldn't buy something over 3k- case in point, I was trying to sell something, a level 27 armor or something that was GTN-generated at 3107 or something. Went by for days with nothing. I put it up for 2998 and it sold by the time I got to the mailbox- tru story bro.

Final point: I've started making bank on the server now by taking advantage of what people here say: people want to get orange gear asap and therefore need mods, enhancements, armoring and occasionally augments. If you can find a spot that respawns boxes with higher chances of dropping orange gear (I found one that no lie I've pulled the same orange boots out of once a day for the last 5 days), which may or may not actually exist, that's an easy 20k a day from one item that takes a couple minutes to get... also, harness a profession that can make that stuff- and learn your audience. Enhancements is where I'm at now with my market, and even though I could probably get more than 1k for each one, I can sell dozens of them, provided they are different than the planetary commendations. I've done that now, and have had enough money to powerlevel my other crafters to create prototype level gear for any low level character I have.

I just wish for your sake and for the thousands of others that run into this problem, people would stop just mindlessly selling all the greens in the inventory to the vendors. That 250 credits from the vendor could have been 2700 if you didn't mind putting it up for a half day-

One last thing: on my server at least, the low-level stuff sells a lot quicker on the weekends. It isn't the free weekend stuff cause you can't use the GTN, but perhaps that is when folks are working on their alts because the ops are done for the week or something.

YMMV, but I've found these things to be true by playing both sides of the market and reading what people need. Get that lower level market going & If there is ever a GTN search that returns: 'no items found'... get into it and make bank.

If it clears things up a bit, I RE'd aim gear to Hawkeye (accuracy, power) or if they started as blue items (and took twice the purple mats to make) up to overkill (power). Cunning items I RE'd to Endowment or Critical, and force items (Synth) I RE'd to Endowment, Expert, Critical, Hawkeye, or Overkill, depending on the type and level from last of that type. (There's no reason to sell an Endowment at level 31 and 33 when someone with a different stat priority would want another kind.)

Edit: I'll also add that I came up with a little strategy a while back. I noticed that there weren't any low level augments up which made my augmented purples less attractive. So to both fill that and my own need for alts' augments I ran a lot of low level slicing missions for a week. I took the excess ones and put them into my purples and they flew off the GTN. The augment slotted blues that I kept on the way (only RE'ing the ones that didn't crit) also sold at a little less, and I also made a good amount selling the augments on an alt- which usually were to the same who bought the crit blues.

I noticed that there are some stats that people won't buy. Mainly defense, alacrity, and accuracy bonuses. They seem to only matter to people in end game.

To my point in my above post- I've found that the enhancements from artifice in the low 30s start to have that as an option and sell like hotcakes. I couldn't put enough of them on the market last week, because they kept getting bought... however, I don't sell many green items with those, so you are very right there Drewhat, they are all components that sell that way. I go after them specifically because I'm a tank and love seeing my health just kind of bob up and down from full.

That, and what the hell is with all the artificers seeming to be sage/shadows or sorc/sins? Every hilt is a willpower hilt on both sides of my server... I guess it's a good thing I make str hilts then

I'll post my thoughts:

I don't really understand why the market isn't more flooded tbh. You get your deposit back if it doesn't sell and the GTN takes such a small chunk of the money that the first and last bits of my play time are always spent in front of a terminal stacking up items that I get from questing through low-level characters.

I think the issue is people just aren't rational/mature in their understanding of stats. I am trying to find time to work on a "rational consumer" guide to gearing (and companion gifts). It shouldn't be about just maxing stats, but getting your money's worth. I would appreciate help from anyone. PM me if intererested.

To my point in my above post- I've found that the enhancements from artifice in the low 30s start to have that as an option and sell like hotcakes. I couldn't put enough of them on the market last week, because they kept getting bought... however, I don't sell many green items with those, so you are very right there Drewhat, they are all components that sell that way. I go after them specifically because I'm a tank and love seeing my health just kind of bob up and down from full.

I think the reasoning here, (after starting my first tank), is that it just feels like drudgery to have so many of your stats going to absorbing damage, regardless of how it affects the time spent leveling. People would rather make a mod drop in 2 shots and take 25% damage than take 3 shots and 1% damage. Hence rational consumers...

Plus with 2 day listings

And that's the big main issue. The annoying 2 day listing limit. It's killing the GTN and the crafting economy.

Biggest reason for the lack of lowbie items on the GTN:

50 item limit, combined with multitude of equipment schemes.

as a synthweaver, the following "sets" make sense to make:

Offensive heavy armor (7 pieces)

Defensive heavy armor (7 pieces)

Offensive medium armor (7 pieces)

Defensive light armor (7 pieces)

Offensive/healing light armor (7 pieces) (basically the same stats for both, close enough better to just combine them)

Then there's custom armor, which right now is a big profitable seller

Custom armor. (1 of each slot/armor type = 15 pieces)

Total: 50 items. And that doesn't even include the augments, which I'd probably stock over of those sets of armor. (probably instead of the offensive heavy armor.. would be defensive, but I'm a tank, so learning those schems is sort of a priority)

I simply don't have the GTN space to put any lower level items up. (and this is completely excluding the time taken sending companions out for mats/crafting)

That, and what the hell is with all the artificers seeming to be sage/shadows or sorc/sins? Every hilt is a willpower hilt on both sides of my server... I guess it's a good thing I make str hilts then

That's another issue with the current crafitng... the RE system strongly incentivises you to only learn (and thus sell) schematics you yourself will use. You barely have time to learn THOSE schematics, much less other ones. And since all of the crewskill bonuses come from your companions, and the companions you get come from the class, there is a strong correspondance between class and crewskill. Most armstech are smugglers, most armormech are troopers, most synthweavers are knights, most artifices are sages etc. So you end up with a lot of cunning weapons, aim & str armor, and will hilts.

Just be glad most knights run around with Kira, (so you get more than a few making will armor) and smugglers with Corso (so you get more than a few aim weapons)

So, any crafter putting lower level crafted items up for sale is probably doing it for the enjoyment of crafting, there are not many around who do that.

Not a crafter but I generally sell while making my alts things. i.e. Alt jug needs STR armor and mods and necks - send companions out get materials get some crit UWT returns make a purple operative earpiece(pattern created when levelling myself or purple merc earpiece same as previous). Gouge the twink market for the same make nice profit while equipping my alt in blues.

If I end up with excess mats beyond my need go for critting my str armor to purple for potential profit.

I love FOTM levellers always a high profit market underserved thats highly impatient and pays premium prices. And saves me the headache and time of the harder to crit level 50 tiems professionals have invested the time to profit from.

And reality is FOTM levellers do class quest and maybe planet quest they aren't commendation reward buying mods;).

Everybody already mentioned all the problems with low/mid level crafted items. All that combined kinda rendered most of the crafting schematics as a mere mechanic to boost the skill to 400.

I wonder if this is intended or just happened. I think there is a market. Not everybody is desperate to hit 50 in one week. But the way the systems work today, nothing will change and lowbie items will still be lacking

I think it is because of the newness of this game. People don't know how much to sell, and people don't want to buy, maybe they've run out of cash after getting their speeder mount.

I know I've tried to sell the greens that I have, but they rarely sell.