Architect Archive
Thread: Disgruntled Architects: Try some of these ideas.
Just wanted to offer any of you struggling architects out there a couple pieces of advice. There have been numerous helpful threads on this board, but many of them have been buried.
Bookmark www.swgcraft.com This website is the most useful resource you will have in the web, and in the game. Hands down. If you dont know what goes into your multi-thousand-item product, your going to have a hard time knowing what to charge.
Installations Skill Tree: This tree will impact your advancement in this profession above all others. You can build a small home just by becoming an Arcitect. Sell them to stay afloat. However, by using your structure points wisely in this tree and maxamize the stream of resources coming in. More resources = more items for you to sell = more credits = more xp.
Small home business slow? Try selling harvesters. Smalls will always go really well for about 1k credits. Even the busy combat class will not be able to resist the urge to throw some down in a rare resource field. Just sell someone 5 harvesters? Dont forget tosell them your extra power for 2 credits a resource because why would they want to run around feeding the harvesters the rest of the night?
Still no buyers? Pick up to delivery missions and set out on a cross planet trip. Consider the delivery credits free travel, not supplemental income. Set a macro up that shouts your wares. Offer a deal, be creative. Take a look at your Sunday flyers in the newspaper, you'll get the idea. Chances are, the tells will trickle in hours later from word of mouth, so dont get frustrated if you dont get responses right away.
Dont sell below 3 credits a resource: Running harvesters is expensive! You may think your "staying competitve", but its more like cutting your nose off to spite your face. Remember, you have to think of everything, not just what it costs you when you pump credits into your harvesters. Maintance feesfor power harvesters, failures, trips for prospecting, resource shifts, and critical failures all eat into your overhead. Another note here, I would avoid and inter-planet deliverys for 3 credits a resource. If your going to offer them a low price such as that, dont be afraid to ask for more for delivery. Shuttle ticket costs, plus your time are valid considerations here. Everything you do for your customer is a service, not charity. Be generous when you can, but dont let it destroy any headway your making.
You will get repeat business. Sell a guy personal harvester, he'll be back to buy five more later. Thank them and make sure they know you want their patronage.
Dont be afraid to sit on your resources. Make structural modules, or wall modules, but whatever you do dont get desperate and start giving stuff away for cheaper than it took to make. That is a mistake that cant be undone and you loose money. Stick to making money at 3 credits a resource plus add ons here and there and you will soon have a nice little bankroll that will put you more in control of your prices. If you are below 20k you CANNOT AFFORD to sell anything for less than 3 credits a resource.
Dont haggle prices below 3 credits a resource. Offer them a list of resources they need and offer to make it for free. Most times they will not accept, but at least they dont think you are trying to bilk them. They will be back next time with money, and a new found respect for your prices.
If you cant stick to your guns, your going to be broke. Thats ok, when that happens, realize that this is not the profession for you. Stick to smaller sales with higher profit magins like guns and weapons. Your customers are also at the bottom of the food chain which makes things alot easier. Just remember, you blow all your resources in one shot as an Architect. That one customer buying the home or medium harvester from you is your one shot to make a little money on THOUSANDS of expensive resources, or loose it.
All else fails.. go into furniture. Personally I cant get into this one, but there is a lot of markup in it. Before you even THINK about posting a message in here complaining about not making any money on a house, try your hand at furniture.
Hopefully something useful here for some of you. I know as much as anyone how just reading these negative posts can give you a reason to complain, even if you didn't have one before.
Bud
Very nice ideas and well wrote. God, I wish someone in my town would sell resources at 3 per, I'd gobble them up. I seem to be the "nicest" deal at 4 per right now, that seems fair to me.
Check out: http://www.homestarrunner.com and click on SB Emails, you won't be diappointed.
Yes, 3.5-4cr per unit is probably more reasonable.
Some Items though I price above that, a PA hall for example. I didnt do this to make more money but to discourage people from buying them. For 2 reasons:
1) its a major pain in the Arse to build one.
2) I feel a PA hall should be special. The prices some people are charging for them make it so that within a few weeks any person who wants could buy one and use it as a house instead of a PA hall.