Architect Archive

Yeah, I totally agree with you. My prices are too low and I still find it hard to keep up with other architects, for anyone interested my prices are small house 10k, medium 50k-60k large 100k.... personal harv 700, medium min 10k, factories 30k, large minerals 105k, fusions 110k, large chems and floras 80k, medium chems and floras 60k, large vaporators 30k (takes 6 structure modules instead of 6 walls (a bug?)) 200k a planet guild hall 250k a generic guild hall anyway that's barely 3 creds a unit and I get fed up with orders and people still stating my prices are too high. so Ilike Alderson here I'm going to raise mine starting with the next batch of orders I get. I'll only keep my old prices for guild members

Aralithia Oran

(anyone else in on this, why should weaponsmiths sell guns for 25k and we sell a factory for that much)

I have the same problem. Why build anything and sell it, only to make less money than if you just sold the resources. This might be a slight balance problem with the game. If you make your prices too high, it will just drive more peole to be come architects. They will either see the profit margin as a way to get some money for themselves, or that it would just be sooo much cheaper to be your own architect. We need some kind of modification or power-up system for structures to create a steady income.

B_Austen

I agree, the Arch is what seems to be a no win profession. However I didn't go that route to start a business. I started Arch because there was a need in my community. I built a town which continues to grow and flourish. I provide structures and installations for all involved in this community. When it comes to pricing, there are endless posts and threads as to what one sells for and what the value of one thing to another is, or should be. Still, I believe you can not overlook the human factor. Despite what is widely believedby manyArch's I do have repeat customers. People who have grown and learned the game with a little assist from me who would gladly pay at least twice what they've been quoted because they know and trust me. I do make a tidy profit regardless of whether I am selling a structure for 1 or 2cpr to a friend or 4cpr to someone who I don't know. Iamin no way hurting for business or a market. I am not alone either. Many of the other MA's I have contact with are in the same position.

I think doubling your prices and selling resource is perfectly fine if that is what you want. If you want to be part of a group, guild ora community then you may have to think a little beyond that. Personally I see no point in having more credits than anyone else. I am happy to serve my friends and they are happy to help me. If I didn't have surveyors, master artisans, merchants and plain ole folk willing to contribute lots, information or just a helping hand when needed I wouldn't be running over 50 some odd rigs collecting whatever we all may need to continue to grow.I appreciatethis board and all the posts here greatly but I wish I could see more of a sense of fulfillment and community as Ihavewith my endeavors.That's my 2 credits from a long time lurker :-)

I've had it with being in a profession with the lowest profit margin of them all. To me it's just downright wrong that we would make more money, faster, by selling the resources in stead of making them in to something.

So this is what I've done: Primarily I sell resources. The income is more than enough to make a happy life, besides, it also allows me to stockpile extra resources for 'later'.
But secondary I still sell structures, but I've doubled my prices. That's right. My Medium houses now cost 130k, my large Mineral Harvesters cost 248k, so on and so forth.
You would expect my bussiness to dry up and die with this, right? Not so. Sure, there is less bussiness than it used to be, but I still make the same amount of money as before, but with half the work. Thing is, there are fewer Archs these days. So the 'cheap' ones have their order books full, and people are tired of waiting 4-5 days for their structures to be done. So then they come to me, wondering if I can have it done that day. Which I can, only you pay more for it. And surprisingly many people agree to this.
Just a few days ago I sold a Generic guild Hall for 900k..
I can't help but chuckle all the way to the bank, thinking of all the morons selling them for 300k or below.

The reason I post this here is that hopefully it'll inspire more people to do the same. With lower competition between Archs we now have the power to raise prices. Sure there will always be cut throats, but it's important to understand that you don't /have/ to make every single sale. If someone thinks you're too expensive, let them go to the cheap ones. We'll see who they come back to when the cheap ones can't deliver even after a week of waiting..

Cheers from a happy Arch,
Morlok

Hmm I just give them my prices tell them they can find it cheaper elsewhere. When/if they complain I tell them the prices aren't my fault blame the weaponsmiths and armorsmiths. If they will pay me 4-5 credits for a resource no reason for me to waste the time and effort to make items for them to sell for less. Ball park smalls go for 15k med 85, large 185-200, PA 350-400, heavy harvs all varieties 150-160 except fusion 140. I'm at 1-2weeks backorder on a regular basis, most of the time i'm not taking orders but will quote prices. I"m doing a booming business between my account and a few friends who don't use thier extra slots usually 30-40 heavies out at any one time. Furniture is more fun you get to talk to people and play in thier houses so i'd really rather do that, They have to do thier own fishing though

I don't go out of my way to make structures any more. I make my income from resources and furniture. I'm not even Master yet, and I'm not worried about it... I try to play the game instead of work a job now.

But I really wish we could hue furniture.

Great work. Yes we could make the same about of money with fewer sales and higher prices. Unfortunetly we are the second most mastered profession, so that is hard. I would hate to get a rep as a greedy person. I still get a nice margine on my crafting stations at least.

I would love to color furniture, but only for myself. I don't know how tailors manage it, well maybe cause their orders are smaller. Maybe I'll just stop doing furniture, don't really make anything from it anyways.

this is the way to do it.

I had a real interesting conversation with a person about high prices as I am trying to do exactly the same thing.

I tried explaining to the prospectivebuyer (who will remain nameless) why my prices are higher, average 3 cr per resource I might as well sell the resource on bazaar blah blah blah.

It didn't sink in for them until I mentioned the following:

Me: "I have to pay for my harvesters."

Guy: "So does every crafter. No difference."

Me: "Oh, are you a crafter?"

Guy: "Yeah. I am a weaponsmith. Almost master."

Me: "Congrats! So you have all your available lots used by your harvesters?"

Guy: "Yup! I pull down my materials and make my guns."

Me: "How many guns can you make a day?"

Guy: "About a couple dozen good quality ones."

Me: "How much you charge for each?"

Guy: "Right now only 8k. I can't wait for master!" (You can see where I am going with this.)

Me: "I see. Well when I use all the resources I pull down in one day I am lucky to make a single factory which currently goes for anywhere from 25K to 40K. And that is my one sale today for something that never degrades."

Guy: "Oh."

After that the conversation meandered a bit but basically it is addressed the resource requirements for this profession. We do not mass produce items. We make, on average,one or two good things a day with the resources we can pull on our own lots. This is not including people using PA or Friend lots. [No one makes a living on personal harvesters and small houses ]

The only profession I could see worse than this would be if they allow players to make starships. That will be rude and you betcha they will be taking into account resource quality for that! Can you imagine requiring 150K ore for one ship of a certain quality? It might make our harvesters worth more.

But, I digress.I agree. Our products are worth alot more than public perception. I amraising my prices as well as i would liek to save resources for urban planner (if it turns into an elite elite class) and only make structures when I am making more cash on them than sellign the resources on the bazaar.

Good post!

Shylok, Lowca, UPSWG

I stopped making structures (except for friends) awhile ago but here is what I say to other people who ask for a price and say it is too high. I nicely tell them if they get all the materials (including any crit failures) I will assemble it for a small fee. Amazing when you rattle off the big numbers they need to get how quick they will leave you alone

More business for me... I like it.

I have been selling structures like crazy this weekend, perhaps it is in anticipation of comming cities I dont know, but I cant seem to keep anything in stock.

I keep my vendor stocked with mutiple of every factory and harvester.

I also stock almost every furnishing item in the game.. again in multiples.

Sales usualy in excess of 500K per day.

I dont sell cheap to get extra business.

I dont need to sell cheap to get extra business either, I have all the business I can supply. I sell less expensive to provide my customers with a good value. I have litterally doezns of customers that tell me they will only buy from me. They send me e-mails as to what they will wanteach week.

I dont even advertize

Threat your customers good and they will treat you good. The funny part is they often tip me after a sale that brings the price back up to near everyone elses price.