Architect Archive

I'm on a 6 week old server ? market is huge, demand is huge, architects still are asked to sell at low prices, why, because a few come on and started selling at 2cpu ? Thats not Business, thats just plain stupid, why, because i can't even buy resources at that. So the market isn't driving the price in this case otherwise I would be selling a lot higher. The guy that came straight in and started at 2cpu has had a negative effect on the economy, due to ' competative business practice' when there was none. Sorry to say thats not business, it's all to easy to say the words but not have a clue as to the real meaning. There are armoursmiths , weaponsmiths walking around with 10-20 milliom in there accounts, fighting professions the same, and that is profit, after expenses for there materials, weapons, armour, resources, etc.

I can see your logic, but you are still missing the point

You are selling at less than the materials cost on the market.
You have set a price that is so low, that has set an expectation of what prices should be.

That is destroying the architect for all players and is having a negative impact on the game economics.

Yes the guys at Ford do take an interest in the guys at volvo do, its part of good business practice to keep an eye on competition. No they don't worry about hurtin ? them, (what type of comment is thatthey do it to see what produces they bring out, what features these new models have - they call it market research ! Then they go and make something similar but hopefully more appealing to the buyer at around the same cost. lol if business was just about charging the lowest price just to get sales then only one manufacturer would win. The one that can do everything the cheapest, since this isn't the case, then there must be more to business than selling at the lowest cost. especially if that means undercutting the market average and destroy an economy in the process.

Yes in any sane system the market does drive the price, supply and demand, however what you have done is say straight away that this is the price, what demand do i have and hence you control that market. You are fooling yourself if you think that your prices are that low because of the market for them. Such a well established server, money should be falling out of everyones pockets. Its the cut price architects that are keeping the market so low. Yes there will always be those that sell cheap and unfortunately the game economic system doesn't allow for this unless you exploit it.So thats why for you it works, I suppose its all part of being an architect in this game system really. I think what might pick the profession up more is customisation of houses, furniture like what tailors can do with there produces. The harvester extraction experimentation was a good move but somearchitects then just starting selling ber 10's at the old ber 5 prices, thereby making it next to impossible to sell anything other than a ber 10. resources are now mined twice as fast yet the prices have stayed the same !! Now there is an example of in game supply and demand for you. The supply just got easier, the demand hasn't changed yet the prices are twice what they used to be in real terms

Its a wonder really why such a high percentage of players are an architect must be that human need to build his home

I too keep an eye on my competition, how do you think I set my prices? I dont set them with some imaganiary 3 or 4 cpu number. I set my prices based upon my competitions prices. My prices arent as low as you may think they are.My prices are generally 20% lower than the avarage going rate.

That is why some of my items are higher than 4 cpu, others are less than 3. I know better then the ole " you can sell bulk resources at 3CPU", I know on my server you cannot sell bulk ore at 3CPU. I can buy bulk ore at 2 CPU.

There is no magic CPU number.

As you said, keep an eye on your competition, I do. I am a better value for my customer that my competitor is. I know that becasue I keep a close eye on them

I've been keeping track of my sales of items for over two months, and this information has been INVALUABLE in determining fun stuff like the fact that torches will sell for 10cpu because people want them. With the new experimentation and all the changes I am re-tracking my sales and prices because things have changed DRASTICALLY as a result -- no longer is a "3cpu + demand" formula a safe way to go.

Some observations:

* Items you can't get 3cpu for are no longer worth it as you can sell harvs - even semi-decent ones - at more than that, easily. Finally, I think we broke through the 3cpu barrier.
* A medium harv at BER10 should be equivalent in price to a heavy harv at BER10. Hopper size is insignificant for most, and reduced power/cost rates make it worth the investment. As a result, medium harvesters (especially mineral and water) can warrany greater CPU, though the demand may be less (since everyone wants BER13's).
* Furniture generally sells well at higher than 5cpu better than it ever did before (people decorating their player cities).
* Statues can easily get 5cpu. Fountains can easily get 7-8cpu.

This is on Wanderhome. Your mileage may vary. I've recently revised some pricing on harvesters; it'll be interesting to see what happens.