Architect Archive
Thread: Overall pricing guide
I've recently gotten myself into Architecture, (0.3.0.0), and I'm looking at keeping this profession for a while, but I'm fairly ignorant asto how things are priced.
I've been reading the forum posts and I see things like, "crafting profession imbalance in income generation between WS, AS and Arch". How is it that I look at what I've made and decide on a fair price? Do I just visit other Architects and sell at competative prices?
For example, on Scylla, a BER13 High Capacity Flora, runs about 125k. How do people come to that value?
Thanks for any help, and I apologize if I've missed the forum thread that answers my questions. I checked around and mostly found pricing for Medium Harveys, that was it.
Hit swgcraft.com - check out the resource costs on them.
In general, the high/max rate BERs for their class are going to call more cash.
(Decent) new heavies rarely sell for less than 90k, rarely over 150k.
Mediums vary from 15-55k, depending on the type, rate, and what side of the bed the architect woke up on.
However: There's more than resource count to take into account. There's the fact that the majority of heavy harvester innards must be factory cranked, so you have to invest extra time in makeing those, sinking extra resources into making the schematics, etc.
There's also the demand vs. supply thing. High extract rate heavies are in demand, while mediocre extract rate mediums are practically given away. And there are also a lot offolks trying to unload their not-so-effecient-anymore pre-patch heavies and mediums. Old heavies capped around 10 BER, now they're 13. Old minerals capped around 7BER, now they're at 10.
Basically: Price it at what you wanna, or at least what ytou think you can get away with. 
Awsome, resource count, factory time, complexity. Thanks so much =)
Instead, think of the *value* that the harvester provides. It doesn't decay so it lasts forever. It is the one sure-fire money making machine in the entire game. If someone puts down a BER13 Heavy Mineral Harvester on a 60% spot, they *will* pump up 11,232 units of resource a day. It will cost them (including power and weekly redeed) about 3,235 credits a day to run. If they sell that for 2.5 credits per unit, their daily *profit* will be 24,845 credits per day.
When I sell someone a heavy harvester for 160K, I'm giving them something that will completely pay for itself within a week, and then generate about 25K a day of profit from there on out. And because it doesn't decay, they don't need to buy any more after the first batch.
People who *price* based on the resource cost to them aren't looking at it from the customer's perspective at all. If weaponsmith's priced based on resources, you would buy a Scout Blaster for some small multiple of 111 (the units of resources requires). Go offer a weaponsmith 555 for a scout blaster sometime.
And because they sell so cheap the items I make at a higher price don't sell.
I've had this before..
"are you joking?? I know someone who will sell for this carp low price" etc or some BS about they have a master architect on so-an-so server and they charge this price etc.
Kinda makes me wanna give the profession up sometimes.
Check my signature for website for my prices... has every BER harvester priced there.
People who sell ber 13 heavies for around 125k area are either small time and can't supply, or are PA only (can only talk about my own server, dunno about others). They are also mad, given that the metal required to make these is currently selling for between 10 and 15 cpr and grind resources are now hitting around 3 cpr.
Most of the 'big' Architects on Scylla don't sell for less that 150 and can be up to 200.
But if anyone wants to sell me ber 13 heavy gas's for 125k I'll take 20 off their hands.... check your resource costs.. 7.5k of high quality steel needed for those puppies = 75k to 105kjust for the metal, and see how quickly you run out of it, when you want to go make those other heavy harvesters !
Anubios wrote:
I hear what your saying Zen but there are always Architects that will cut there own throats for sales and barely make a profit.
And because they sell so cheap the items I make at a higher price don't sell.
I've had this before..
"are you joking?? I know someone who will sell for this carp low price" etc or some BS about they have a master architect on so-an-so server and they charge this price etc.
Kinda makes me wanna give the profession up sometimes.
I know what my stuff is worth. I obviously hook up with some customers who see the value in what I produce and buy from me.
Not everyone who is buying is your customer. *You* offer whatever value you offer - lowest price OR best service OR full vendor OR ..... - there are LOTS of aspects of "value" beyond "price". If there is a mismatch between what someone is looking for and what you are offering, then maybe they aren't your customer.
When someone starts a dialog with me about harvesters, at some point price comes up. If it's the first thing out of their mouth, it's less likely that they are going to buy from me. Whenever anyone says "oh, I can get it cheaper elsewhere" then I tell them "thanks for the inquiry - good luck to you".
I'd say that 30-40% of the time after that exchange they come back later and just buy the stuff from me. Were they just yanking my chain? Did the guy selling them for much cheaper go out of business? Did they not have them in stock? I don't know - I don't ask.
I really am unmoved by "oh I can get it cheaper elsewhere". Standing my ground on price has served me quite well. I'm not starving yet.
This is th exact method I use as well. In many cases BER10 Mediums are superior ro BER 13 Heavies just because they are so much cheaper to opporate. I've sold BER 10 Mediums as high as 120k and as low as 50k, and BER 13 Heavies run 150k to 250k. I've been offered up to 750k for one harvester (and of course sold it), so don't blink when someone says they can get it elsewhere, more times than not they can't, or they can't get it right then and there!
ZenDragonMLS wrote:
Actually, I don't base my pricing on any of that. Those are all factors that determine your *COST* of making stuff. The only universal truth is that, in the long run, your *price* needs to exceed your *cost* (otherwise you are out of business).
Instead, think of the *value* that the harvester provides. It doesn't decay so it lasts forever. It is the one sure-fire money making machine in the entire game. If someone puts down a BER13 Heavy Mineral Harvester on a 60% spot, they *will* pump up 11,232 units of resource a day. It will cost them (including power and weekly redeed) about 3,235 credits a day to run. If they sell that for 2.5 credits per unit, their daily *profit* will be 24,845 credits per day.
When I sell someone a heavy harvester for 160K, I'm giving them something that will completely pay for itself within a week, and then generate about 25K a day of profit from there on out. And because it doesn't decay, they don't need to buy any more after the first batch.
People who *price* based on the resource cost to them aren't looking at it from the customer's perspective at all. If weaponsmith's priced based on resources, you would buy a Scout Blaster for some small multiple of 111 (the units of resources requires). Go offer a weaponsmith 555 for a scout blaster sometime.
I am very tired of this never ending Whine for SOME of you Architects out that about pricing. It's a LIE. I am a self made Multi-Millionair. I've built all my own harvestors, harvested all my own resources and the only money missions Ive done really are Rebel missions for the Faction points, not the money.
I sell (built to order only) Small houses for 9k, Medium 45k and Large for 100k. PA Halls 200k.
And yet SOME of you Architects still say I cant make any money! In Game SOME of you have even insisted that I stop selling at these prices.
Cheese
Master Architect, Master Artisan, Teras Kasi Student and self made Rich Man!
Everyone has a different business model. Everyone has a different perspective on what part of being an architect is "fun" for them. Everyone has a different sense of how much money they want. Everyone has a different sense of what their time is "worth".
My constant refrain here is that an architect should a) think about what *value* they deliver to a customer and b) think about what kind of business model they want to have. "Price" is only ONE aspect of a business model. You need to think about specializing vs. being broad. You need to think about keeping a vendor stocked or taking custom orders. You need to balance off how much resource mining capability you have available to you (your lots, friends/guild members, mining network) vs the business volume you expect to have. Are you going to spend a lot of time "consulting" with your customers to advise them, or do you point at your vendor and say "whatever is there is there"?
Walmart has a viable business model and satisfied customers. Nordstrom has a viable business model and satisfied customers. There are NO "standard" prices.
Zam, I hear what your saying and I understand, believe me. The thing is, cost of materials is really the cost to you. I'm not sure how you get your resources. I get mine by digging them myself and not through purchasing. So for me, its not about saying "Ok, this steel would sell for at least "x" number of credits, so I need to mark up to "y" dollars to cover costs." My costs are what it actually costs to make a heavy harvester. Now, I do charge 110K on the Starsider server because that has always moved merchandise. My motivator is the darn critical failures. I'd sell them for 90K probably if the critfails or the seemingly random "good success" would go away for masters.
Just my two credits worth.
/shrug
Saikai