Trintric, I think your use of the term 'greed' is unfair. This is not the real world, where people actually suffer from prices. This is a game where they always have the option of gathering their own materials. I craft with my own materials, and have enough excess to also play this market game. There is nothing stopping other players from doing so other than their own preferences.

 

Whatever price I charge, players are choosing to buy my auctions as opposed to doing the work themselves. If we call people who enjoy the simulated commodities trading in an MMO 'greed', then wouldn't we also call PVP'ers who strive to defeat other players 'murderous'?

 

That being said, I don't really object to what you are talking about, per se. It's your time, and you ought to be able to do whatever gets you the most enjoyment from the game. If it gets in my way, then we're playing a PVP game, and we'll try to get the best of one another, and both have fun, right?

 

Don't mistake what I am talking about here as carping. I am just enjoying discussing strategy at what I find a fun game. Your perspective is also fun to hear.

I don't know which server you are on,

but I do know an economy-oriented RP-guild on VC.

Yes, you have read correctly. They *do* RP as economy-interested characters (brokers and the like) !

And, as a role-played character, there might be LOTS of reasons for irregular behaviour ... You'd have to ask the author/player of this character what the character's motivations are ...

 

This is an absolutely fascinating idea. I LOVE the notion of RP'ing the drama of the market. If I do decide to try to form a cartel, I will absolutely do it in an RP context. Thanks so much for a great idea,

Just create mains based on crafting skill, have them constantly crafting items, and trade those items between your accounts to toss on the exchange. It's not hard, it lets you play the market in your favor to generate the greatest amount of income.

 

Prices will only go so low until those selling the items are losing profits tremendously. Let them buy off your and sell for lower cost, it'll only bankrupt them. I have personally driven at least 30 other "brokers" into bankruptcy trying to buy my goods at top price to sell for lesser price. More often I'll buy from other lower selling players than them, and sell with my mark-up.

 

In the grand scheme, buying the products people are selling for less and marking them up, can actually generate income faster and higher than you'd think. Best thing you can do, is broker some deals with item manufacturers. The ones you gather materials for.

 

It shouldn't be hard to broker a deal with specific crafters. Dealing only with specific crafters, not only controls your own prices, but also keeps you gaining profits, and the crafter as well. It's a win-win.

Buying low cost goods and selling at higher price. There was a time command chairs sold for 2 mil a piece. I bought 40 off the exchange at one time. Resold all of them for 8 mil a piece.

 

Woodland Veractyles I bought 58 at anywhere from 1.2 mil to 3.5 mil. I've sold all of them for 6-10 mil a piece. Before they got rid of the packs. I bought 18 mask of revan for 3-5 mil a piece. I've sold all of them for 12 mil.

 

If they are selling at low price. Buy them and mark them up.

Buying low cost goods and selling at higher price. There was a time command chairs sold for 2 mil a piece. I bought 40 off the exchange at one time. Resold all of them for 8 mil a piece.

 

Woodland Veractyles I bought 58 at anywhere from 1.2 mil to 3.5 mil. I've sold all of them for 6-10 mil a piece. Before they got rid of the packs. I bought 18 mask of revan for 3-5 mil a piece. I've sold all of them for 12 mil.

 

If they are selling at low price. Buy them and mark them up.

 

Or, if you're a crafter buy them up. (My Cybertech is using a ton of mats crafting prototype mods and armors for my alts and various companions.)

That is true however there are times resources are not available on the market. Like right now. Chanlon and plasteel are little to none existing through the past week. Been making due with selling level 11-19 mods now for the rest and silica. Since chanlon and plasteel are so scarce lately.

I love players like Trintric, because I'm the Walmart of my corners if the market.

 

I'm not greedy, I don't even like sellers on my turf. A little competition for color is good but if people start flooding my market with items, even at 1-5% markdown I'll buy them out and raise the whole market 10%.

 

I've got millions to work with and patience to hoard for weeks if need be. It's gotten to the point where I don't craft so much, just buy low on thin margins till I have the market and then sell high as the monopoly.

 

Ironically the white knights that try to balance things just end up driving the prices up by becoming my crafters. If nobody plays with me in the market I eventually drop prices as I flood the market myself and things return to normal.

 

The weird thing I've noticed in this game is there is NO price too high. If it's an empty market people will pay anything for the one blue level 29 light armor willpower glove. I dunno, too many alts and more money than sense I guess.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Kerensk

The market needs to be given a good shake from time to time. Some players get too comfortable with established prices. The fluctuations don't affect me a whole lot overall (flexible crafting model), and they're fun to watch.

So for the past few weeks on my server, I have been noticing some bizarre behavior in the GTN. I sell crafting mats fairly regularly, and there is a small group (or a player with a lot of alts) who is working extremely hard to lower prices.

 

It's not casual, or a mistake. It's the same names, over and over. They hit all price ranges(99 stacks, 20s, 10s, 5's, etc.) with undercuts of hundreds per unit, and in materials from all gathering skills. I have had them buy my stuff and reposted it immediately for nearly half price at times. This is a consistent thing, and has the effect has been to A) force gatherers to make substantially less money for their time, and B) to cause drastic shortages in the market at times.

 

So, what is the game here? Drive other gatherers out of the market, then raise prices with a monopoly? Seems a bad plan, since other gatherers can always resume gathering if prices improve. I can't quite work out what the use of deliberately bombing the market could be.

 

It depends. I used to sell 31 armorings for 600k because I was farming isotope-5 and winning MMGs. My overhead costs were much lower than people who were trading in isotope-5.

It depends. I used to sell 31 armorings for 600k because I was farming isotope-5 and winning MMGs. My overhead costs were much lower than people who were trading in isotope-5.

 

Wouldn't you have been better off just selling the mats then?

What they should do. Is do what other MMOs have started doing with their markets. Merge the markets between all servers. It would stream line and greater stabilize the gtn.

Whew, I am glad I don't play on some of your servers. Some of the prices you list would never sell where I am. We have people who have been listing the same items for outrageous prices for months, and they've never sold.

 

I guess some of you have a larger pool of stupid to cultivate though.

Whew, I am glad I don't play on some of your servers. Some of the prices you list would never sell where I am. We have people who have been listing the same items for outrageous prices for months, and they've never sold.

 

I guess some of you have a larger pool of stupid to cultivate though.

Nah. Just more wealth

Nah. Just more wealth

 

This. The more money players have and can earn, the more it makes sense to pay someone else to do something for them so they can focus on what they want. Mudflation always raises prices, but it will vary from server to server. The only way to know if your price is too high is if you can't move your stock. Conversely, the only way to know if the price is too low is if you can't keep up with demand. If you can't keep auctions running and have enough in reserve to respond to undercuts in a timely manner, you're too low.