Architect Archive
Thread: Fellow architects, a modest proposal for our future.
Jutewr
Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:12 pm
#14
SonOfAGhost wrote:
Jutewr wrote:
Exactly. It's an interesting idea, but it would never work. There are too many Architects (like me
Pawlin wrote:
Ok, so on my server people sell for:
55k, 75k, 79k, 85k, 100k
How do you think we should set the minimum price?
Well the 55k individual is an obvious target for buyout but it's only fair to invite them first anyway. The middle 3 aren't far apart and once they realize what's coming it's not likely to take much convincing for them to increase. Whether by sharing my points above, keeping them bought out or that they start losing money as resource costs go up. The 15k gap to 100 shows they clearly want to make a profit and should be eager to participate
) who are too independent and will never join in.
So don't, wait to raise your prices until you're losing money due to immensely increased costs. Personally I think customers will have less "sticker-shock" with gradual increases then an abrupt "OMG I can't afford to sell at this price anymore" increase, particularly since some already sell at much higher prices (Elyssa I'm jealous, I've been nudging my prices up towards 4 CPU, but at least my costs are lower than most, but that's another thread when I can find time). Yes we are an independent lot, probably most crafters are, it's not exactly a group activityRemember to that the expeted influx of new players won't know what passed for normal prices up to this point.
I just shifted my prices downward because they were too high. I sell for 6 cpu now.
I guess I just don't like any group attempting to set prices. I enjoy the independence the game has to offer, and I don't want to be forced into selling my products at certain prices.
P.S. I only sell furniture anyway, so I'm not really a big-time architect.
Maasedge
Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:44 pm
#15
Elyssa wrote:
Jutewr wrote:
P.S. I only sell furniture anyway, so I'm not really a big-time architect.Me too.
Nobody will pay 6cpu for structures on Gorath.
I sell a *LOT* of furniture at that rate and higher, tho.
I really need to get motivated to restock before people start finding empty vendors.
Silly...why didnt you say you only sold furniture at that price earlier! I was looking forward to selling a guild hall for 340k or thereabouts.
Elyssa
Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:08 pm
#16
By not selling them, I mean that I don't stock them regularly.
When I do stock them, they follow my pricing guidelines but they do sell slowly.
Planet guild halls are 400k. Sold one yesterday.
In fact, the guy offered me 500k if I would stop what I was doing and make him one (I had parts on hand).
I even stopped to check the global search and found a low price of 200k before I built it for him.
I just don't bother because there are so many other people that sell them for less and I'd rather not sell them than lower my prices. I'd rather sell the raw resources than waste time building something that I'll get less money for.
Message Edited by Elyssa on 04-24-2005 07:09 PM
cmseagle
Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:13 pm
#17
I think that this is an amazing plan, but (yes there has to be a but) do you have any idea how much coop this is going to take?! I'm all for this but i have to bring up the fact that there will have to be 1 snot nosed retarded f***** who undercuts us all and screws over the entire system, if, however we sonstantly bought them out, which i'm sure someone will suggest, they will just keep making them. If they're sellign them low in the first place why would they stop if they know we'll just buy them out? And then, people may come to our shops and vendors, but this guy may just start selling directly to the people without the middleman known as a vendor. I thought i should just point this out so we can find a solution asap.
-The Cow
-The Cow
Rebbouse
Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:35 pm
#18
Very good point. We could just send BHs after them to no end and watch them suffer and give in. Lol.
Crimsonsplat
Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:12 am
#19
In real life, cartels can work because the cartel members can bring pressure on their suppliers. "Either you quit selling to the upstart, or we quit buying from you." The suppliers, who rely on the cartel for most of their business, have no choice but to comply.
I don't think I'm going to be able to convince someone's harvesters to quit supplying resources to a non-cartel architect. But if we bring the smugglers on board, maybe we can do some slicing...
Pawlin
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:03 am
#20
bluejanus wrote:
...
I don't support price fixing. I don't support cartels.
QFE
Price fixing or a cartel will not work on Kettemoor. Isander is probably our biggest architect. But I doubt he's the only one who wouldn't participate.
Price fixing might work to some extent on some servers ifthe biggest architects are in agreement about it. But there are a lot of people who are opposed to such schemes on principle plus the undercutters are very unlikely to join in cause if they thought higher prices would benefit them then they wouldnt' be undercutting.
Even if you do get most people to join in, I think it would only take one person to ruin it. There isn't a lot of demand for our deeds now so it wouldn't be hard to saturate the market. If someone undercut a cartel I don't see how you could effectively combat them. You'd have to buy them out. They can ban you from their shop but you can get around that with alts and friends. But then it would be a contest between how much they can produce and how much you can buy. And you'd only be feeding their bank roll so they wouldn't have much incentive to stop.
cmseagle
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:51 am
#21
Wait, can BH's go after anyone they want? If so, i take the BH responsibility for bloodfin, i can take on a puny archicitecht
Pawlin
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:54 am
#22
cmseagle wrote:
Wait, can BH's go after anyone they want?...
BH's only get missions for Jedi.
They could roleplay other missions though. But the target would have to play along and accept a duel.
bluejanus
Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:22 pm
#23
Zhundult wrote:
If we did this on Kett (I doubt it would ever happen there though) I'd probably abide by whatever price was established, or leave the profession (if it was too low). I try not to be an undercutter in whatever field I take up, since I understand how badly it can affect the profession as a whole.
However, I don't have the capital to go around buying up people's stock. Plus, I'd doubt it would ever happen on my server anyway (though if Pawlin and Isander were on board, I might think differently
Message Edited by Zhundult on 04-24-2005 06:11 PM
I don't support price fixing. I don't support cartels.
bluejanus
Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:24 pm
#24
Heh I'm lazy about pricing. It takes me awhile to adjust pricing once I've changed it. Like my sale was supposed to have ended. I just haven't gotten around to relisting everything yet.
Zhundult
Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:25 pm
#25
Yup, a nice idea in theory to prevent undercutters, but wouldn't work on Kett. Best of luck to some of you who try this though.
Maasedge
Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:28 pm
#26
It would be pretty funny if suddenly a BH shows up with a message from the Boss about Guild Halls.