Image Designer Archive

Well, I take back what I said about needing the XP and not charging. Seriously.

A few nights ago, someone asked for a migrate. After he closed the window multiple times with 30 seconds to go because he thought he could, I told him how those windows work and went migrating again. We completed it, except this time he had no set his stats. So we had to migrate AGAIN. After the final time, he tipped me 500 credits. This is where the "set fee" thing seemed very tempting.

So, someone wandered in for a migrate and I set the fee to 20k in the window. I started my "don't close the window, use the alt button to minimize, don't set your stats too low since you're wounded" speech. He kept saying "I now, I now, I now" (minus the k and everything). Since he seemed to NOW what he was doing, I let the timer kick down. Once it was completed, I couldn't accept until he entered the payment. He started screaming "ITS DONE" over and over and over. I told him to please enter the required payment. He said, "Sorry, I can't afford that much." So I said, "You could have said so 10 minutes ago". I was willing to work with him, maybe bring it down to 10k or something. He then entered "700" as the offered credits. Now this guy wasn't a noob either, he had a MASTER somethingorother title up, and whined that "But I usually get it for free!" I cancelled and told him I couldn't do it for him. So he found someone else, and brought them into the tent, and proceeded to SEXUALLY HARASS her.

Ugh. I'm still having fun mind you, but MAN the people this profession attracts.

/giggle

Well back when there wasn't word about the solo groups being nurfed, 20, hell I'd even pay 50k, with no problem. However now in the time I used to make say 500k, I maybe make 50k now. Since very little of my time was associated with money, now I'm being very stingy about it. Not rude like, but still, I held back 1.5 mil and only have 200k now, and that's even with my daily hour long money hunt. Count my crates of food and stuff I go through biweekly, plus replacing armor and all that, eventually prices are going to have to drop for everything, as peoples stashes get smaller and smaller.

Just a melee fighter's POV.

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Sultaana wrote:
Well, I take back what I said about needing the XP and not charging. Seriously.

A few nights ago, someone asked for a migrate. After he closed the window multiple times with 30 seconds to go because he thought he could, I told him how those windows work and went migrating again. We completed it, except this time he had no set his stats. So we had to migrate AGAIN. After the final time, he tipped me 500 credits. This is where the "set fee" thing seemed very tempting.

So, someone wandered in for a migrate and I set the fee to 20k in the window. I started my "don't close the window, use the alt button to minimize, don't set your stats too low since you're wounded" speech. He kept saying "I now, I now, I now" (minus the k and everything). Since he seemed to NOW what he was doing, I let the timer kick down. Once it was completed, I couldn't accept until he entered the payment. He started screaming "ITS DONE" over and over and over. I told him to please enter the required payment. He said, "Sorry, I can't afford that much." So I said, "You could have said so 10 minutes ago". I was willing to work with him, maybe bring it down to 10k or something. He then entered "700" as the offered credits. Now this guy wasn't a noob either, he had a MASTER somethingorother title up, and whined that "But I usually get it for free!" I cancelled and told him I couldn't do it for him. So he found someone else, and brought them into the tent, and proceeded to SEXUALLY HARASS her.

Ugh. I'm still having fun mind you, but MAN the people this profession attracts.

/giggle

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I guess I must be getting especially lucky. Last night I was in the Coronet ID tent doing stat migrations. I'm still at 2210, so I'm thrilled just to get people in the tent for the XP. When people ask how much the migration is I say "whatever you think it's worth" I'm still getting between 10K and 30K per migration. This is even after the timer fix. I haven't been stiffed yet.

/knock wood

actually even if you just kite in and kill the lair, which can be done within 30 seconds, if you have a group of 5 (I believe what it takes for 27k janta missions on dant?) and all five are with you, you still only get 5.4k as your split, timing in time spent on the terms and travel, it's still quicker to do the 7 or 8k missions solo, but still massivly less, equating in still over a mil of loss profit, the economy will soon have to recognize this when the richer's bank amounts start to wane.

Well, I'm a novice and got to ID because of 3 factors: fun, money and the help to friends/guild members...

1- FUN
I have fun doing migration, I talk with customers, about hairs, skin etc. etc., I can't do much changes, but at least I have a little talk, get to know them better and they may come back sooner or later... I usually had a nice pet in the tent just to amuse customers and passers-by... a gualama, for example, is really a regal beast and suits well in a tent... (and anyway, I also use pet animations while dancing... it's sooooo funny)

2- MONEY
I charge 10k for a migration, 20k if I am doing something else and/or have to do space travel to get to the salon. It is fair, some people tip more, and if someone has no money and is gentle enough I may charge less... If someone is rude AND has a lot of master/exploration badges, I ask for 40k no less...
Anyway, since the timer has been lowered, I usually tend to stay on the 10k charge side...

3- HELP
Every now and then, for a friend, a free migration can be done...

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FuschiaD wrote:

Well, since they reduced the timers I went from charging 20k per migration to working for tips, same as I do for cosmetic changes. Seems to be working fairly well, I am still averaging about 15k per migration.

In all the time I charged 20k, I only had one person complain. When he asked for a stat migration,I told him my price and he said "isn't that a little steep?" to which I simply replied "my time is valuable to me. If you'd like to try and find another ID, you're welcome to do so." My server is tiny and I knew the chances of him finding another one were slim to none. Sure enough, he came back to me. I knew he had the money and wasn't about to back down. Then while we were doing the actual migration, I told him where to enter in the money... I entered in the 20k requirement... at which point he took the 20k out of his box. I got a little pissed off at that point. Do they not think we have eyes? LOL

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As I was heading homeafter Cantina Crawl XII, I was passing through Bestine on Bria with my MID tag still up, where I got pulled into the tent to give someone a height adjustment. After a very satisfying session (whichmy customer thought was worth50k), I set out to check on a clothing vendor nearby. I had just left the tent and called out my pet mount when I was hailed by someone who wanted a stat migration. I told them that I have a set fee of 20k for stat migrations. They said that they thought that was high and asked why I charged so much. I told them thta I don't like doing them, they take 10 minutes and (as I am a MID) I don't need the xp... I also told them that they were welcome to try to find a Novice ID who might do it for less. They just turned and walked away without a word.

The funny thing is, I have given stat migrations to guild members, no word on fees (I consider it a service to my guild to do stat migrations) and had them just up and pay me 20k without being asked... and that was back before I decided to double my fees for stat migrations. Not to mention that even after I raised my fees, most people didn't so much as blink at the price.

I plan on cutting my fees by half (to my original fee of 10k for my MIDs) with the new timers, but I'm sure that there will still be cheapskates out there who think it's too much. Then too, there's always some who think that they are owed free services.

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LaurnaRose wrote:

Okay, I have a website for Image Design. Well it started off as a personal IG website for me, but ive incoulded my imaging talents on it as well. I have price list set up there that I feel is more than fair.

Novice can charge /tip as you can basis if they like, but if we could get this price scheduled floating on all the galaxies, it would make ID as good of a profession as doctor in the money making business. As it is, it is about to break me ... im not bringing in anything .. and beleive you me, it takes a lot of money to look that good hehe.

Anyway, if you would like to adhere to the list that i have made on my website, please shoot me an email IG to Tempest.laurnarose or Ahazi.yen .. or from the email link on the webby.

Now I know the price list seems horrid, but ... with the discounts available for just having them educate themselves by looking over their imaging optins from the webpage ... I mean come on ppl ... 50% off just to telling me you want Male Hairstyle 5 of color 6x12, in stead of ... well it kinda is short, you know which one i mean. and the color i want is um ... well kinda a blue, no, not that one, no, no, no, no, no ... wait, back a couple, no it was just there i swear. So, if it takes a doctor 2 minutes to do a complete buff, and it takes at least 5 minutes for a really good imaging session, how is our time any less important than theirs? Yes, they have to buy supplies ect, but we are stuck in a salon, we cant go anywhere we want, we only have like what is it 7 cities we can do stats in??? Not to mention the 10k they get paid for a buff ... the buff only lasts 3 hours, our stat migrations will last as long as the customer wants it to.

Also, this opens up an oportunity for the novice ID. PPL dont want to pay that much for a stat migration, then fine, either wait another 2 weeks to find someone willing to do it, or find someone who needs the XP. When masters offer SM's for free, it is basically slapping leveling id's in the face. they need the money, and the xp.

So just look over the price list and the services that YYIS offers, and if you would like to be affiliated with YYIS as an independant imaging consultant, please just contact me.

Here is the webby ... Yen Yang Imaging Solutions

Message Edited by LaurnaRose on 11-10-2004 08:41 PM

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Your a lier, they nerfed payment