Business And Economy Archive
Thread: Consolidation of Bazaar/Shipping ideas.
Phaelyn wrote:
So, running through the various threads on the above named subjects, I think I have a handle on what many would feel is the end all, be all of upgrading the system. To wit:
1) Remove 6k Cap from the Bazaar Auction option, yet leave the 25 item restriction.
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
3) Enable purchases from vendors system wide from the Bazaar interface.
4) Create an option for items, at an additional fee, to be delivered directly to Inventory or Safety Deposit.
5) Create a separate "wholesale" area on Bazaar for Merchant access only so that Merchants could buy items en masse & resell through their own devices.
My question is.. If all the above were implemented, would this truly solve all issues surrounding the buying and selling process?
That would effectively destroy the advertising and hiring lines of the merchant prof.
Actually, only #2 reacts at all with Merchant abilities. Merchant would still be needed to place the vendors and stock them so they could be searched. In fact, #4 would Increase the need for merchants, as people wouldn't have to visit them in person, but could still get their goods - And the merchant receives a higher payoff due to the additional fee.
Tavtrin wrote:
Phaelyn wrote:
So, running through the various threads on the above named subjects, I think I have a handle on what many would feel is the end all, be all of upgrading the system. To wit:
1) Remove 6k Cap from the Bazaar Auction option, yet leave the 25 item restriction.
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
3) Enable purchases from vendors system wide from the Bazaar interface.
4) Create an option for items, at an additional fee, to be delivered directly to Inventory or Safety Deposit.
5) Create a separate "wholesale" area on Bazaar for Merchant access only so that Merchants could buy items en masse & resell through their own devices.
My question is.. If all the above were implemented, would this truly solve all issues surrounding the buying and selling process?
That would effectively destroy the advertising and hiring lines of the merchant prof.
When you buy an item from another location what the vendor looks like doesn't make a difference, which is what I meant by destroying the hiring lines. The advertising line would be useless because barking wouldn't matter at the bazaar, and being on the map doesn't matter if everyone buys things from the bazaar.
Phaelyn wrote:
Actually, only #2 reacts at all with Merchant abilities. Merchant would still be needed to place the vendors and stock them so they could be searched. In fact, #4 would Increase the need for merchants, as people wouldn't have to visit them in person, but could still get their goods - And the merchant receives a higher payoff due to the additional fee.
Tavtrin wrote:
Phaelyn wrote:
So, running through the various threads on the above named subjects, I think I have a handle on what many would feel is the end all, be all of upgrading the system. To wit:
1) Remove 6k Cap from the Bazaar Auction option, yet leave the 25 item restriction.
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
3) Enable purchases from vendors system wide from the Bazaar interface.
4) Create an option for items, at an additional fee, to be delivered directly to Inventory or Safety Deposit.
5) Create a separate "wholesale" area on Bazaar for Merchant access only so that Merchants could buy items en masse & resell through their own devices.
My question is.. If all the above were implemented, would this truly solve all issues surrounding the buying and selling process?
That would effectively destroy the advertising and hiring lines of the merchant prof.
Tavtrin wrote:
When you buy an item from another location what the vendor looks like doesn't make a difference, which is what I meant by destroying the hiring lines. The advertising line would be useless because barking wouldn't matter at the bazaar, and being on the map doesn't matter if everyone buys things from the bazaar.
Message Edited by Phaelyn on 02-01-2005 12:35 AM
Dawgypoo wrote:
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
This is badly needed. Not only will it save vast amounts of wasted time, but will increase a competitive enviroment to help control pricing. We need to get rid of all the barking droids at the starports anyway, all they do is eat up bandwidth, causing morelag.
This is a very consumer-friendly propsal, but I don't think it's crafter-friendly at all. If people can see the prices of all the T-21 rifles or stim Bs in the galaxy (or even just on a single planet) from a single location, the only thing that will matter is price. There is no question in my mind that this will "help control pricing", but I am unconvinced that prices need controlled at all.
I suspect this will help the very large crafters at the expense of the small-time crafters. The large-scale crafters generally have the most efficient resource gathering mechanisms. Sometimes it's organized guild programs. Sometimes it's lot traded resources. Whatever it is, the big-time crafters can fight price wars longer and better than most small-time crafters.
Does this mean that a small-time crafter can't compete? Not at all. Fundamentally, everyone has equal access to a decent amount of cheap resources if they mine themselves. But if profit margins are driven down enough, why would a single character, 2 factory crafting operation even bother to try and compete? Is it even worth my time to track resources, do harvesting runs, and baby-sit factories all for a meager profit?
Long-term, I believe this would cause many boutique crafting operations to go away with business being consolidated into the major crafting corporations even more than it already is today.
I'm not convinced this is totally true. As has been illustrated in other posts, players have become attuned to a "Quality costs more" mentality. Often you will seeweapons with only a 1 to 2 point difference in max damage going for vastly different price points. If all godds were EXACTLY the same, your points would be completely valid. But, as it stands right NOW - If player A sees a T21 with 400 max damage for 100k, and 405 max damage for 200k - They will purchase the 405 model at the higher cost. This MAY help the established crafters for a duration - But eventually resource spawns, etc would brin any crafter up to the same level.
Happymob wrote:
Dawgypoo wrote:
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
This is badly needed. Not only will it save vast amounts of wasted time, but will increase a competitive enviroment to help control pricing. We need to get rid of all the barking droids at the starports anyway, all they do is eat up bandwidth, causing morelag.
This is a very consumer-friendly propsal, but I don't think it's crafter-friendly at all. If people can see the prices of all the T-21 rifles or stim Bs in the galaxy (or even just on a single planet) from a single location, the only thing that will matter is price. There is no question in my mind that this will "help control pricing", but I am unconvinced that prices need controlled at all.
I suspect this will help the very large crafters at the expense of the small-time crafters. The large-scale crafters generally have the most efficient resource gathering mechanisms. Sometimes it's organized guild programs. Sometimes it's lot traded resources. Whatever it is, the big-time crafters can fight price wars longer and better than most small-time crafters.
Does this mean that a small-time crafter can't compete? Not at all. Fundamentally, everyone has equal access to a decent amount of cheap resources if they mine themselves. But if profit margins are driven down enough, why would a single character, 2 factory crafting operation even bother to try and compete? Is it even worth my time to track resources, do harvesting runs, and baby-sit factories all for a meager profit?
Long-term, I believe this would cause many boutique crafting operations to go away with business being consolidated into the major crafting corporations even more than it already is today.
Happymob wrote:
Dawgypoo wrote:
2) Enable Galaxy wide searches of Vendors through the Bazaar interface.
This is badly needed. Not only will it save vast amounts of wasted time, but will increase a competitive enviroment to help control pricing. We need to get rid of all the barking droids at the starports anyway, all they do is eat up bandwidth, causing morelag.
This is a very consumer-friendly propsal, but I don't think it's crafter-friendly at all. If people can see the prices of all the T-21 rifles or stim Bs in the galaxy (or even just on a single planet) from a single location, the only thing that will matter is price. There is no question in my mind that this will "help control pricing", but I am unconvinced that prices need controlled at all.
I suspect this will help the very large crafters at the expense of the small-time crafters. The large-scale crafters generally have the most efficient resource gathering mechanisms. Sometimes it's organized guild programs. Sometimes it's lot traded resources. Whatever it is, the big-time crafters can fight price wars longer and better than most small-time crafters.
Does this mean that a small-time crafter can't compete? Not at all. Fundamentally, everyone has equal access to a decent amount of cheap resources if they mine themselves. But if profit margins are driven down enough, why would a single character, 2 factory crafting operation even bother to try and compete? Is it even worth my time to track resources, do harvesting runs, and baby-sit factories all for a meager profit?
Long-term, I believe this would cause many boutique crafting operations to go away with business being consolidated into the major crafting corporations even more than it already is today.
Dawgypoo wrote:
I see both sides of this arguement, andhaving owned my own business in real life, I knew full well that I would not be able to compete with Wal-Mart on pricing. There was no way, and we didn't even try. We did beat themwith superior service and product quality. The small crafter can compete with the large vending groups. When you work on volume to make your profit, then service and quality will fall behind. But if you can make a better product, people will buy it. They will buy it if they can find it! Hence the need to be able to shop vendors from a bazaar terminal.
As a crafting doctor and masterrifleman, I do not have the skill points left for a vendor. Yes I could create another character, but that is not an expense I can afford right now. I sell a small amount of items on the bazaar, but it's not enough to support me. I harvest my own resources, as well as hunt my own meats and bones. I only go after the highest quality stuff, so my finishedproducts are of better quality then the larger vendors. And I can stock these products longer too.
And this is just allnot about crafters either, but includes the "loot farmers" too. There needs to be a better method of shopping and/or selling your stuff. This IS the game ecnomony and how it affects all of us. Competition has never hurt any business type, the smart ones found ways to compete by changing their ways of thinking on how to DO business. You either learn to compete or you become road kill!