Tradeskill items overpriced

[Yaala Valerunner]

The way people price tradeskill items in the bazaar is ludicrous.

People make their prices based on what might be made from an item. They do not take into consideration the likelihood of the item being lost in a failed combine. Plus things that are used in major quests are even more outrageous. I saw a Branch of Planar Oak that the person wanted between 350 and 500pp each. It is not like this item is hard to get. All the person selling it had to do was go to the Plane of Growth and click his "Forage" button a few time while he was there. No fighting, no death defying quest, no " OMFG I Died getting this"...just click...click...click.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I do not begrudge the newbies the right to make a bit of plat selling Spider silks and such. I expect it. But I do take offense at those that farm things (not just silks) enmasse at no real peril to themselves, and then try to charge twice what everyone else is selling it for just because they have more of it. One would think if someone had 200 spider silks in their INV they would be giving a break for volume just to get rid of it, but NNNOOOooo. they want 2-3pp more than the newbies that have just a half-stack or so. Simply because they know there is a Tailor out there somewhere that needs a lot of silk.

That is not Capitalism. That is Price Gouging, and in the real world it is against the law.

Look at it this way. I am a tailor trying to get my skill to 200 the only way to do that is through acrylia leathers. I go looking for superb rockhopper hides. Those that have them and are selling them want between 250, and 700pp each. Of course I am going to fail most of the ones I get so they are a total loss. It does not matter that the item MIGHT be worth 1500pp if I succeed, because the odds are I will not.

It is like driving through a snow storm in 20 below weather in the middle of nowhere, and having your fan belt break. In the distance you see a little two pump gas station. you manage to limp your car to the shop and take your broken belt in to the man at the counter. He looks at you, and your belt, at the weather outside, and that you are well dressed.

"I need a fan belt" you say.

"That will be $2000.00" he says.

For some reason he feels justified in charging you 500 times the reasonable price of the fan belt because you NEED it.

Now think about how you would feel about this man. I mean really imagine that you were the guy that is faced with the choice of sitting in a unheated car in 20 below for who knows how long waiting for the roadside assistance, or waiting in this idiots shop while he laughs at you, or taking a chance and trying to drive to the next town, and maybe losing the whole engine, or pay this creep the $2000.00 he wants for a $5.00 fan belt.

Think about that and tell me that a Windstone from an Earth Elemental (a 25-30 level mob)in the twilight sea is worth 250pp just because it might be used to make Acylia Greaves for which you need two of them to make the temper. Now think about the fact that there are three separate combines in which you can lose that 500pp worth of windstone. First crushing the stone, second making the temper, and third making the greaves. So if either of the second two combines fail you are out not only the windstone, but also the other items that some idiot overcharged you for as well.

The only other choice you have is going out and spend the next three days of game play farming greens for no exp, maybe a stack of windstones, and a lot of frustration.

(steps down from the soapbox)

(bows)

Thank ye all for thy attention.

[Sebilrazen]

The only other choice you have is going out and spend the next three days of game play farming greens for no exp, maybe a stack of windstones, and a lot of frustration.

BUt therein lies the answer, you too can take 2 days out of your time to go farm the windstones/acrylia/morning dew what have you it's your <b>choice</b> it is all about how much your time is worth to you, is it worth 500 pp to buy two windstones versus however long it will take you to find the mob/kill it?

I agree on the gouging thing, kinda, if they sell for over market it's gouging, if they sell at undermarket it's flooding, if they sell at market the run the risk of direct competition, so it's all about choosing which scenario you want, I usually find the market price when there are numerous traders on selling the same item lets say misty thicket picnics right now there is 5 traders on selling them, all with quantities higher than 10, 2 have over one hundred, and one of those is 412. All the traders except one(412) have them priced at 15 pp, the 412 is selling for 10pp I had 56 when I started my trading at 15pp, left for 2 hours, I'd sold 2 to an ex guildie that wanted to do his earrings, that was it.

the 10pp guy sold 110, the other traders? not a one, it's your call any tradeskill item is going to fluctuate alot, depending on quests, levels etc. I mean after PoP and NTCM came out tradesupplies were flying off the mules, now it's slowed down considerably, maybe LoY will bring back some competition, not sure though.

[Niellya]

It's "thine"

[Railina]

Think about that and tell me that a Windstone from an Earth Elemental (a 25-30 level mob)in the twilight sea is worth 250pp just because it might be used to make Acylia Greaves for which you need two of them to make the temper. Now think about the fact that there are three separate combines in which you can lose that 500pp worth of windstone. First crushing the stone, second making the temper, and third making the greaves. So if either of the second two combines fail you are out not only the windstone, but also the other items that some idiot overcharged you for as well.

The only other choice you have is going out and spend the next three days of game play farming greens for no exp, maybe a stack of windstones, and a lot of frustration

First, one tiny nit to pick, crushing the windstones is a no-fail combine.

Now that that's over with. . .

If it takes you three days to farm a stack of windstones, it probably took the person selling them in the bazaar about the same amount of time. If your time is worth less to you than what that person is charging, you will spend you time, rather than your money. If your time is worth more, you will spend your money instead. If you feel you will get more value from doing something other than farming windstones, then do that. It's called "opportunity cost". This is your choice.

The situation is different if the only souce of windstones is perma-camped (which is a misnomer, they drop off so many differnt mobs that it would be impractiacl if not impossible for one person or group to hold them all) by the same person selling them in the bazaar, that is a monopoly, and, incidently, against the rules (not because it's a monopoly of a tradeskill item, but because the PNP states that contested camps must be shared if it is possible to do so by some reasonable means.)

In the price gouging scenario, you are at the mercy of the shopkeeper. In EQ, that is rarely, if ever, the case (though i believe the nerf to manaburn was blamed on a small group of people on some server blocking the progress of many epics by monopolizing certain rare spawns)

[Railina]

On a related topic. . .

The way people price tradeskill items in the bazaar is ludicrous.

The way some people price tradeskill components in the bazaar truely is ludicrous. I look in the bazaar and see "Acryia studded tunic 1000pp"(highest) then i do a search and see "Superb Rockhopper Hide 300pp" and then "Small peice of acrylia 50pp" then i do the math. . .
18 small peices of acrylia to make 6 studs is 900pp one stud left over. . .
1 hide for 300pp puts the total at 1200 (less cost of one stud) + tannin and pattern (negligable cost) and no less than 5% chance of failure.

You wonder why some tailors offer to do combines for free if you bring the parts? Heck, it's cheapers! at least they don't take a loss.

Same deal with:
Windstone -- 300pp
Block of Acrylia -- 100pp
Clear Mana -- 50pp
Essence of wind -- 100pp
leather padding -- 50pp
Acrylia Plate Greaves -- 1000pp
even assuming a 5% failure rate and economies of scale, it's only a 50pp/combine profit. Mistletoe Sickles are better profit than that, and easier t do a 'run' of.

[nightwulf]

Re: Tradeskill items overpriced

I saw a Branch of Planar Oak that the person wanted between 350 and 500pp each. It is not like this item is hard to get. All the person selling it had to do was go to the Plane of Growth and click his "Forage" button a few time while he was there.

Spoken like a true non-foraging class. Do you have any idea how Forage works? If you're lucky you might get one branch by clicking the button "a few time[sic]." Forage isn't on the same timer as Sense Heading, clicking a few times takes much longer than you probably think. If you don't like paying for it, then you have the option of creating a foraging class and getting them yourself.

they want 2-3pp more than the newbies that have just a half-stack or so. Simply because they know there is a Tailor out there somewhere that needs a lot of silk.

No one in the game "needs" silk. You made the choice to work tailoring (as did I). Back when I was needing piles of silk, I'd check bazaar and buy from anyone selling at a reasonable price, then head to EK and farm more. Why is it the fault of the sellers? They can list their silk for 100pp each for all I care. If someone out there has that much cash that they can drop 100pp on one lousy silk, then more power to the seller. I wish I could get that much per silk. If you don't like their price, don't buy it.

Look at it this way. I am a tailor trying to get my skill to 200 the only way to do that is through acrylia leathers. I go looking for superb rockhopper hides. Those that have them and are selling them want between 250, and 700pp each. Of course I am going to fail most of the ones I get so they are a total loss. It does not matter that the item MIGHT be worth 1500pp if I succeed, because the odds are I will not.

Last time I checked, Acrylia leathers is certainly not the only post-Wu's option. My druid is working with Acrylia studded at the moment. I'll check bazaar to see if any deals are around, and if not (and there usually aren't), it's off to ML to farm rockhopper hides, or off to SD to farm acrylia. Why don't you do the same? Oh, you'd rather not spend the time and effort to farm components. You just want everyone else to spend their time and effort and hand over the components to you. Why do you feel that your time is so valuable that you won't farm your own components, but other's time is worthless and they aren't permitted to sell components for whatever they feel their time is worth.

Have you tried making anything yet? I've been making studded tunics since 158. No, this isn't the most logical step if I'm going for skillup alone. However, I find acrylia much easier to come by than hides. Making masks would run me out of hides quickly. Anyway, since trivialing Wu's, using a geerlok, I've made at least a dozen tunics, and I've failed on three. I've also raised skill to 162 on these combines. At bazaar prices (on Tribunal anyway), I can usually get 1k per tunic easily, while masks are lucky to bring 25pp. Try investing in a geerlok and making some product; it's working for me heh.

For some reason he feels justified in charging you 500 times the reasonable price of the fan belt because you NEED it.

Again, no one in EQ *needs* silk. It's an option. It's an added bonus to the game that some players choose to take advantage of. Others don't.

The only other choice you have is going out and spend the next three days of game play farming greens for no exp, maybe a stack of windstones, and a lot of frustration.

Welcome to the world of tradeskilling, friend. :P

Nightwulf

[Kathara]

Tailoring

Just my 2cp without fancy quotes or anything like that.

I have never bought a single componet for any of my tailoring skill-ups. Ever. I was tempted once when I saw some superb rockhopper hides for under 100pp but I decided against it cause I needed the money I have for peridots. Therefore the cost to me to make the 20 skill ups or so of Acrylia reinforced/studded armor that I have made is approximately 20pp per combine(ABSOLUTELY not an exact figure). I used to be able to sell them for 1500pp but now they down to around 800/900 or so. Everything but the 20pp or so was pure profit cause I farmed all the componets myself.

I guess the point I'm making is that if you dont want to pay the prices that others are charging cause it removes any hope of profit you may have... Dont. Farm the items yourself and then everything you earn will be pure profit.

PS I have gotten at least 20 skill ups from Acrylia tailoring and while its slower than just out right buying it I am not in it for the fast way to 250, I just want to be able to say I got there =)

[Cigarskunk]

As a baker, I can definately testify that the pricing of PoP baking supplies is messed up.

Hero Sandwhiches are selling for 100pp each in bazaar.

Hero Parts are selling for 100pp each in bazaar.

Four parts give you two sandwhich combine attempts, one of which you will statistically fail, thus leaving you with two sandwhiches for 400pp.

**********************

Blood Raven stew sells for 5-10pp in Bazaar.

Blood Raven parts sell for 10-50pp in Bazaar.

It takes two parts to make one stew attempt with the 50% failure rate meaning that you'll get two stews for every four parts.

**********************

The only item which is reasonably priced is the hobgoblin meat - it sells for 70-200pp each and the Surprise sells for 300-400pp each - with the 50% failure rate, that actually makes the cost to sale ratio the only PoP food which is giving atleast a 100% rpofit if you wait for the weekend and get the meat cheap enough.

[Railina]

I guess the point I'm making is that if you dont want to pay the prices that others are charging cause it removes any hope of profit you may have... Dont. Farm the items yourself and then everything you earn will be pure profit.

A valid point, since most of us didn't get into tradeskills for the ph4t l3wtz. But remember that every combine you made was done with items you could have sold for more profit than the finished product, and you wouldn't have gambled with (and lost to) the RNG.

[Myrron]

About the only oddly-priced item I routinely see in the bazaar on Vaz is the occasional person trying to sell a HQ bear or rockhopper hide for about 100pp, when backpacks are usually around 40pp. Otherwise, I tend to stick to the "farm it yourself" philosophy.

--Myrron

[Frabbens]

A valid point, since most of us didn't get into tradeskills for the ph4t l3wtz. But remember that every combine you made was done with items you could have sold for more profit than the finished product, and you wouldn't have gambled with (and lost to) the RNG.

This is true in the short term for an individual combine; certain skill paths are polluted because of it. (I won't do othmir combines at all because the finished products are nearly worthless, and I will do acrylia only when the numbers make sense, which is pretty rarely.) Putting aside the fact the tradeskills are a labor of love for most who practice them, though, your point also ignores the very real value of skill increases. YMMV, but a 250 tailor can make a pretty good living, especially if you have cultural available. Not to mention incidental benefits like the shawl quests, or the sweet, nauseating joy when you spend a ton of cash on components you have no business combining, but you end up having made something you can be truly proud of.

[Mahlig]

Hero Sandwhiches are selling for 100pp each in bazaar.

Hero Parts are selling for 100pp each in bazaar.

Four parts give you two sandwhich combine attempts, one of which you will statistically fail, thus leaving you with two sandwhiches for 400pp.

Is that right? According to http://www.eqtraders.com/secrets/recipes_PoP_baking.htm, the following is:

hero sandwich - smoked hero parts, spiced hero parts, hero parts, dressing, bread, vegetables (foraged)

smoked hero parts - hero parts, spices, smoker
spiced hero parts - hero parts, jug of sauces, vinegar, spices

If those recipes are correct, then wouldn't you need 3 hero parts for 1 hero sandwich combine?

That said, a friend of mine recently asked me if I was a baker. I told him my skill was about 170 (I levelled it up since then). He said that his was only 135 and had something for me. He dropped 4 Hero Parts on me. So, my question is will I get only 1 combine or 2 (that is, when I get higher skill level)?

[Sebilrazen]

hero sandwich - smoked hero parts, spiced hero parts, hero parts, dressing, bread, vegetables (foraged)

smoked hero parts - hero parts, spices, smoker
spiced hero parts - hero parts, jug of sauces, vinegar, spices

If those recipes are correct, then wouldn't you need 3 hero parts for 1 hero sandwich combine?

That said, a friend of mine recently asked me if I was a baker. I told him my skill was about 170 (I levelled it up since then). He said that his was only 135 and had something for me. He dropped 4 Hero Parts on me. So, my question is will I get only 1 combine or 2 (that is, when I get higher skill level)?

4 parts = 2 combines

the spiced and smoked each yield 2 per combine so

hero sandwich - (smoked hero parts(.5 hero parts), spiced hero parts(.5 hero parts), hero parts, dressing, bread, vegetables (foraged)

each combine is 2 total hero parts but since smoked and spiced are different colored horses, you need a minimum of 3 parts for one combine, 4 is nice because it is a nice round number of combines with no left overs, provided you don't botch smoked or spiced combine

[Shamaeso]

my 2 cents

I personally am tired of going to Nektoulos and "/ooc buying silks and lq, mq or hq pelts, 5pp per pelt" and having someone come back with "You can sell it for more then that in the bazaar" I mean come on I came here to help a lower level get some cash which higher level players did for me when I was little. I just respond go sell it to the merchant for 1 gold & I will buy it for 5 gold. Normally the ones needing money come along and I buy their stuff then give them back what I make as a token of thanks for helping me out.

[Mahlig]

Thanks, Sebil...Glad to know that.