Architect Archive
Thread: Small Houses at 20k! It can be done!
Crimsonsplat
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:35 am
#28
Jebus! You people are way lower than me; I'd blamed my lack of sales on being a new Master (1 week now), and lack of advertising. On the other hand, I pretty much am going to be in-stock if you drop by my shop. Selling at 30/75/120 or so on Starsider, generally staying around 5 cpu. Get a sale now and again. Think I'll reprice to 25/60/100 and see what happens. The factories have sold 1-3 a week at 50k, a statue or two for 10-20k, and so far nada on the other stuff.
I inherited my shop location from an existing Architect who retired, and as one of his former customers who dropped by to shop stated, "He was high, but he was always in stock." Which, as long as I make enough sales to support 30 harvesters/factories and some profit, is fine by me.
Furniture is my best seller, but I do a lot of "special runs" with variant names: "Superior Lorican Crystal Lamp" instead of Tallbirch, or "Tortur-Egg Lamp" instead of that funny 3-lamp thing. Then I'll do an occasional "unique" with a name like "Uncomfortable Antique Couch" or "Slippery Chair You'll Probably Fall Out Of." Things like that give a little character to a home, and some of them actually sell!
Pawlin
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:00 pm
#29
I sold a couple smalls off my Naboo vendor last night for 19-20k each. Took 2-3 weeks to move them but thats about the pace that I sell smalls normally when priced at 9-10k.
Sweeny7
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:41 pm
#30
I will be soon getting into the market as I am working on Master Architect. Another thing that messes with the prices is guilds. I just joined my guild three days ago and I got a house there for free from a guildmate. Many people in guilds get these deals. But I suppose it isn't bothering sales TOO terribly much since you all seem to be selling your houses at a decent rate. I guess I'll see what it's like when I get into the business.....
Sevardos
Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:01 am
#31
Zanholo wrote:
Small houses will always sell. New players, people needing storage and players just getting bored with old houses and destroying it all (yes I have seen this).
I never went into the structure market simply because too many archies sell em 6-10k. What's the point of burning so many of my resources to compete with that? Even at 20k, which I would never charge and never pay. Similarly, I'd never pay 100k for a medium or 200 for a large.
Best of luck with you business!
Unless I'm reading this wrong, those 2 statements contradict each other. You said you won't go into the market because it's not worth the resources, but then say you personally would not pay for houses at the prices needed to not 'waste resources'. Just curious why you wouldn't pay 100K for a medium. Also would be curious if you would you pay 100K for a weapon?
Just like to find the perspective that I think I'm missing here.
Ackdel
Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:56 am
#32
I'm not an architect, but I am a frequent customer.
To me, the price isn't as important as having the item in stock. If I wanted a small house, I'd pay 50k for one on a vendor I KNEW would have them in stock, rather than running around the galaxy for an hour trying to find the one I wanted, checking dozens of vendors.
To use a recent example, I wanted an equipment factory. I know they usually sell for 25-40k on Starsider. I went through four cities before I found a vendor that had one listed, and it was at 68k. Think I hesitated before buying it? Not for a heartbeat.
So....keep yourvendors well stocked (and well named on the planetary map), and you should get sales at fair prices.
eaglewing1
Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:30 am
#33
i also have two acocunts one master archtect and one combat account . the combat account does support the other one sinc esometimes you do have alean period so 12k buffs off to dant hour later 200k that keep my archetect in business . i have sold small houses at 10k i even sold a large house i had on me going thourgh theed .twice. but it doe scome down to loaction and wether you keep your vendor stocked.
Sorax
Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:51 am
#35
I sell my small house for 14k and keep my factories in stock and sell them for 52k i recently had a run on food factories where i would make two and get ready to put them on my vendor just to have someone send me a tell needing 2 factories....i muist of sold 10 of them this weekend and it was glorious but it took away alot of my reserve resources now it has lulled a bit so i am trien to build up resorces for the next run........a well stocked vendor is a must.......most who know me know what i stock and keep stocked so i see price as not being an issue.
MozzerKing
Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:54 am
#36
From the sound of this thread, I imagine this has been mentioned a hundred times but isn't it in the best interest of all Architects not to undercut the hell out of market? I've always thought that Architects priced themselves into oblivion and I've thought that for many, many months. When I look at the resource requirements and factory time for houses, harvesters and other common arch items and then compare that to the average price you guys charge, I don't know how you can possibly think it's worth your time! As a consumer of Arch items, I have to say you're much too cheap! Your big ticket items don't decay so why on earth would someone sell a house for 5k? Why would you sell a heavy harvester that someone's going to use for months or years for 100k? I'm sure I'll get blasted for this thread but as a collective group, I think it's in your best interest to try and change the public perception of what a "normal" price is for Arch items. You're too cheap! Even at 5cpu, what about the factory time and your time as a player? Doesn't that count for something?
If you're worried abourt undercutters, screw them. Stock a vendor and they will come. If the undercutter can't keep his vendors stocked, screw him, people will pay more to get what they want immediately.
MozzerKing
Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:15 am
#37
P.S.
I'm also known on my server as someone who sells things very cheaply so I understand the advantages that affordable pricing can offer. Example: I sell crates of brandy for 90k. That's much cheaper than most but I'm still making a very nice profit. It's well worth my time. I guess that's what I don't understand about the Arch profession. It's as if people only look at the cost of resources when determining prices. For me, when I price somethingIask myself a few key questions and that's how I come to a decision:
How much of my personal game time is it going to take to make this item?
How much factory time is required to make this item?
What kind of demand is there for this item?
Does this item decay or is it consumable?
How many resources does it take to make this item?
These questions are ranked according to importance. I'm either going to be preaching to the choir or preaching to a brick wall but time is the one thing most of us don't have enough of. Price accordingly!
Sanguin75
Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:33 am
#38
Heh! And I got yelled at for selling small houses for 7.5k.... Well, screw them. 12.5k is my new price. For small that is. Just need to get a barkerdroid up and yellin for me....
bluejanus
Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:03 am
#39
I'm not sure the idea that you can resell the grind resources instead of using them in walls and structures holds as true as it did a few months ago. Hologrinding is coming to an end and I think there's a glut in resources out there, especially grind resources. Saying thatusing "the 3 cpu pricing system for structures is bad because you can resell at 3 cpu" isn't as accurate as it used to be. Harvesting resources isn't any harder than it was before. Moving resources isharder though.