Architect Archive
Thread: How rich are you
Nerf the architects! They have too much money! heh, just kidding. Wow, you guys are rich... most I ever got was 60k when my friends and I pitched in and bought a large house. Now, I have like 2k, max.
That whole renting lots thing... I'm on chilastra with like 9 to spare, names Odaf. 
I have what I have because:
1: I keep a low overhead (I share a house with a friend instead of having my own, I let him borrow my extra heavies and make all our furniture)
2: I don't sell for a loss (No way I'm selling a fusion for under 200k). I'll run missions first.
3: On occassion that I find some really rare material, I use what I need to make Masters crafting stations and store the rest for a couple months (when only crappy ore is on the server) at which point I sell it for better than usual prices.
4: I cluster mine. With the exception of 2 fusions to supply energy, all my harvesters mine the same resource until it runs out. Net result, I only have to do havester runs every 2-3-4 days instead of every day, When I make schematics I know that I will have enough resources so that I won't have to make new schematics for the same items each week (due to running out of a particular resource).
5: I play to enjoy the game, not be rich. Most of the time I am either fooling around making stuff or fishing. I could make a lot more money than I do but I have enough so what the heck...I'd rather be fishing with my spare time :g
About 500k and holding, after about 2 week's playtime. I'd be over 1 mil if I were playing more often and pursuing sales more aggressively.
I'm not a master yet, I just need the construction line.
I'm solo, no PA, and I only have a few harvesters placed on a friend's lots.
Succeeding issimple. Here's a few of my suggestions for the solo guys, take them for what they're worth:
1. You don't have to undercut to compete. The lowballers are often so backed up they can't think straight. When folks want their stuff, they want it *now*,and are usually willing topay premium.That's where the solo guycan havethe advantage.
2. Be social and have fun! Word of mouth and business savvy is where it's at. I am friendly andchat with my customers. I take time to answer their questions (as well as i can between churning bricks). If they like you, they'll come back, and refer friends, even if someone else they coem across is priced below you.
3.Don't keepa huge backstock of deeds at the ready. No sense tying up all of your resources on an unsoldNaboo medium house to exp up, when you get a tell 5 minutes later from a customer wanting a med generic. If you want to exp up, exp on structure mods and walls. You'll use them in nearly everything.
4. Consider accepting resources as payment or partial payment. I've negotiated a lot of deals where i give 2cr per resource towards a purchase, particularly if it's quality ore.
5. Get to know your customer. Put on your merchant hat and suggestive sell add-ons such as furniture. (Who lives in an empty house?) Are they a crafter of some sort? Do they need harvesters or crafting stations? Are they planning to open a shop that they want to dress up?
6. Osamei gave me this tip, and it's worked well for me: Add folks you chat with and customers to your friends list. Send out semi-regular announcements, and social well-wishes to your entire friends list. I announce whenever i gain the ability to make something new (such as medium houses or heavy harvesters).
7. A storefront is a good idea. It lets your 'regulars' meet you in a known place, and you can do your exping up without leaving the comfort of home(except to gofeed and replace harvesters of course). Dressing it up tastefully is enjoyable for potential clients to visit, and hey, it's free advertising, showing what you can do for a customer. It doesn't have to be a massive PA hall, or even a large house. In fact, I've found medium to work out best. It's a lot of space, holds a lot of items, and only takes up 2 lots, same as a small. Skill points inmerchant can help get the word out too, with Advertising 3 you will appear on the global CTRL-V map.
8. Consider setting up shop in remote or lesser-populated areas. Yeah, I know, sounds counterproductive, butlet me ask you a question: Where are you more likely to succeed, outside the bustling vortex of Coronet where there are 5 PA-run architect shops to compete with, or Restuss on Rori where there are few vendors (perhaps NO other architects with a shop), and a smaller population?
Essentially, if you're priced fairly, and are friendly and good to your customers, there's no reason a solo architect can't succeed.
Master Architect
I'm not in aPA
Harvest all my own resources with 11 Heavy Harvesters (6 lots mine, 5 a freinds) and buy wall modules off of several Novice Architects @ 3 cpu
2.5 million in the bank
averaging 250k per day for the last couple of weeks
We advertise fairly-well, have good word-of-mouth recognition, and don't charge much on our furniture, so the volume of turnover is quite nice.
Architects, think FURNITURE.
Just hit MA today running at @400k which is my high so far, I'm solo though I do have extra lots, I mine all my own resources.We are a fairly new server that just finally got our first (forced) shift this week. I don't yet have a large back stock of goods it normally takes 2-3 days for me to complete a large house.
I specialize in furniture and keep both a home vendor fully stocked as well as stocking the local bazaar with various items.The first timesomeone buys from me on the bazaar they get a thank you email with my waypoint attached, this brings about 30% of them to my shop plus gets my name out. If someone visits my shop for the first time they also get a thank you email with the waypoint for future needs, and this also brings in repeat business and future orders.
I expect to have sales drop off as the server matures so I'm working hard to build my business before that. I don't compete in the price wars, most of my housing and installations are priced at 3.5-5 cpu and my furniture from 5-12 cpu. I will offer deals to repeat buyers but if someone says so and so sells for less I wish them luck and move on.
I don't understand how you people are Architect's and have no money. Could it be that you are selling your stuff for too little? Could it be that you are waiting for customers to come to you? Do you give stuff to friends all the time?
What could you possibly be buying that is costing that much?
I just started making heavies this week and I'm up to 300k with about another 300k in resources
It's funny, I get to heavy harvesters and my exp stops moving while my bank account starts moving
(i know, it's because everything I make now is 95% items that have to come from a factory)
Anyway, I should hit my first million within the next 2 weeks