Image Designer Archive
Thread: So, why do I feel bad?
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Stosie
Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:06 pm
#1
Hi everyone.
When I first started to play SWG, ID and Tailor were the two prof's that caught me the most, but I started playing with my husband and entered into the same profession as him to begin, Creature Handling. I soon became bored 
So I decided to see what I was missing in ID and Tailor and dumped all my combat in exchange for these skills.
three weeks on.. and I'm Master ID on Chimaera, and nearly Master Tailor.. with a small shop and salon on Dantooine. I like to think I'm a good Image Designer and try to be fair and welcoming to "customers"
at Novice.. I held a "pay me what you feel its worth" mentality. I quickly became rich, grossing over 1mil credits within a very short while. Then I became a Master ID and something changed.
People stopped leaving tips, even for stat migrations.. I thought perhaps it was a phase, a rush of bad luck and young players perhaps... but its continued to happen, someone asking "how much" and I smile and state that I work on a tip basis and they can pay me what they feel.. to have them turn and say "cheers" and run from the tent.. completely happy with their new FREE look.
So much in fact that I have, as a Master Image Designer.. set a price list.
12k stats (yes 2k more than standard 10k I hate doing them with a passion)
5k hair style and color ( on average this seemingly simple change can take anywhere up to 10 minutes on its own and thats if I'm lucky and hit on the right hair within the first few clicks)
2500k hair style only
2500 hair color only
2k cosmetic changes ( anything to do with the face, features makeup ect)
10k body changes (anything to do with the body, including skin color, as in hair in my experience skin color changes ( a Master perk) can take up to 10 minutes to find the right "tan")
1k single holo'emote
5k full set holo'emote
Ok.. so I've placed this all in my /examine and thats that... I'm not very good at haggling and having a fee based on tips didnt' work so now its set in stone prices (excluding players with no badges and in their game given skivies 
then they are more likely to walk out with some new kicks and a couple of fresh things in their wardrobe)
then they are more likely to walk out with some new kicks and a couple of fresh things in their wardrobe) So.... as the title says.. why do I feel bad about having the prices.
Or.. maybe I feel bad.. because I had to SET my prices.. to ensure my services and time are paid for.
maybe its just 5am and I need to be sleeping.
/sigh
what do you bunch recon on the price list.. to steep.. to little?
input please.. I dont' want to feel like I'm busting other ID's lists by under or overcharging.
Jynn_Seidai
Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:36 pm
#2
I'm not sure what your server's average pricing is, but you must not hate Stat Migrations as much as some of us. I won't do them for less than 50k, and that is on TC where that is an obscene price.
Maisland
Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:10 pm
#3
I don't know about you, but I have been thinking of raising the price my MIDs charge for stat migrations to 20k... unless the potential customer is an obvious newbie.
SakeO
Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:29 pm
#4
Maisland wrote:
I don't know about you, but I have been thinking of raising the price my MIDs charge for stat migrations to 20k... unless the potential customer is an obvious newbie.
This has worked pretty well for me, 20k is affordable by most and worth my time.
Darkesong
Sun Oct 10, 2004 5:44 am
#5
I have noticed the same thing since I hit master ID.....I used to get very generous tips when I was novice, but lately I have had very smalltips or none at all...even from those who could obviously afford them. I am very close to having to impose a set standard for prices myself
TechnoCan
Sun Oct 10, 2004 6:36 am
#6
It's really strange... Many players seem to have no problem 'helping' a non-master as long as they don't especially need a master ID's services including generous tips, but when a Master ask for tips, they seem to think that a master must have all the cash he ever needs and thus often take it for free then.
Keeping that in mind it I don't see it as rude or bad to have a set of fixed prices.My approach to this, when asked about my prices/fees, that I say that my usual fee for a migration would be 10k, but that it's ok when my customer pays what he/she sees fit. It gives the customer the choice by giving him/her an idea of how much I see fit.
It usually works pretty good.
Doshae
Sun Oct 10, 2004 7:11 am
#7
I have never worked for "tips" only but I also do not have a set price list for any ID work that I do. When I am asked what I charge I tell them that my customers get to set their own prices and they just offer up what they feel what I have done is worth. Paying 0 credits is not a price so they would have to pay at least 1 cr to try to get it for free but most people cannot rip you off right to your face so thye usually offer no less than 1k for anything done and 10k for most stat changes. If you are not having them pay with the secure trade window and expecting them to tip you after the ID has already been completed then you should expect them to just run out because they are not obligated to tip anyone anything, but they required to pay for services rendered before said services are accepted. With this the lowest offer has been 100cr and the most 100k.
FuschiaD
Sun Oct 10, 2004 3:49 pm
#8
I have a set of rules as an ID, and one of them is, I work for tips butI won't work for free. That means, before I press the accept button on the ID window, the client has to have entered SOMETHING into the offered credits slot. I enter the same amount into the required credits slot, and press accept. That way, if they try to be cheap about it and take out the offered money before they accept on their end, the ID session cancels. Now that we have a secure payment method, we are just as responsiblefor getting paid for our time and services as the clients who visit us. I do have a set price of 20k for stat migrations. It's the only thing I do that has a set price.
Dulcenea
Sun Oct 10, 2004 3:59 pm
#9
I work pretty much the same as Fuschia. I charge 30k for stat migrations (unless they're an unguilded, unbadged newbie. i do those free as a service) becauseI really hate doing them. For all other changes I workstrictly ontips. I tell them that I just work on tips and to tip whatever they think isfairas we're finishing.And then I wait. I don't press accept until there's a tip amount in the window or in my bank. And then I smile and thank them, regardless of how much they tipped me.
In the months and months that I've been a Master ID and pricing this waynow, I think I've been stiffed maybe once or twice, received very low tips less than a half-dozen times (some of which came from legitimately poor players) and the rest of the time people tip me an average of around 10k.
So that's what works for me. If a set fee works better for you though, use it and don't feel bad about charging for your time and skills.
NJ62
Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:22 am
#10
Right now I do cosmetic work for tips and stat migrations for 25k. I was going to charge 20k, but it seems like 25k is the going rate on the server, and I don't want to be the undercutter.
Even so, I never get paid less than 5k for cosmetic work.
Even so, I never get paid less than 5k for cosmetic work.
Nevs
Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:37 am
#11
That's the way the world goes I think. I haven't worn my Master title since January I think. The other night I logged in at Theed and noticed several people in the tent and no ID's.
Well my first 4 sessions netted me 0 tips (ranging from just running off to "how much do you charge" and then thx as they run away), and they included a migration, a skin tone change, a total face/hair change, and a height/muscle adjustment. The 5th session was another set of facial changes and the fellow tipped me 3k, when he said he only had 3704 credits. (So I tipped him 20k and told him some ways to do missions to help him along.)
After this I went to the cantina to dance. SHortly after I heard a fellow ask an aspiring ID there if she could do face changes. She was only ID 2 in Entertainer and she apologized and the chap said that it was ok and some other nicities (revealing he wasn't a dood/snert/etc..) So I send the fellow a tell and ask him what changes he was looking for. He tells me he'd like his nose, cheeks, and jaw adjusted. I head over to the tent and adjust his nose, and change his cheeks and jaw. He pays 10k. For the next 20 minutes we fiddle his cheek/jaw muscle around and the net tips reach around 60k total. ( I tipped the first 10k payment to the aspiring ID as it was going to be her client except she didn't have the skill and I tipped all the rest back to the client because he was a very fun session.)
So while I lost out on 4 sessions with no tips, the one simple session netted a very high amount ( especially considering the fellow wanted his cheek/jaw back where it originally was so he only had a nose protrusion and muscle change.) If any Starsider ID's see Reinhard of TIO walk into the tent, be sure to welcome him, he's a good guy
Oh and not to hijack the thread, an alternative to set prices per service is to set prices by amount of time the session takes. As a master in a tent all the services are pretty much the same, and it charges more for those sessions we don't like, the "show me everything plz" that take forever and usually net small tips (relative to the time.)
Message Edited by Nevs on 10-11-2004 12:40 PM
gesikah
Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:55 am
#12
Like alot of people here, I have a set price for stat migrations and the rest is for tips. On Wanderhome I charge 20k for migratons. I have often wondered if I was short changing myself by not working only on tips since it seems that 9 times out of 10 I get tipped more than this for alot less. But last night someone tipped be 100k (thanks again if you read the forums!) for just a stat migration (no other changes) and I realized that if people were gonna pay you 100k before they heard a price, they are gonna tip your a 100k after too. At least I know I won't be getting anything less than what I feel makes it worth my time.
But after being told no less than half a dozen times last night that most of the people there had been looking for over a week for a ID, I think my prices might be going up again. /wink
Sure sometimes I wonder if the people who (even though they are guilded or have badges) say they can't afford it really can't, but I think there are alot more out there who can and just don't want to pay it. 75% of the people who balk at 20k, miraculously find the money in a matter of minutes when they find out the price is non-negotiable.
But after being told no less than half a dozen times last night that most of the people there had been looking for over a week for a ID, I think my prices might be going up again. /wink
Sure sometimes I wonder if the people who (even though they are guilded or have badges) say they can't afford it really can't, but I think there are alot more out there who can and just don't want to pay it. 75% of the people who balk at 20k, miraculously find the money in a matter of minutes when they find out the price is non-negotiable.
wraeththu
Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:18 am
#13
In regards to the original question about your price list - I think you're charging too little.
I use the price list at Lightstrider Image Design site, listed in the ID FAQ. The prices listed there are all pretty reasonable. I won't do a stat Migrate for less than 20k, for instance. Why? Cause the economy EASILY supports that. Most combat types think absosmurfly nothing about paying 10-15k for a 3hour buff. Why is a burden to pay 20k ONCE to have your stats set up permanently. It's not. Hell, as a Novice ID, I can make 20k in half an hour with minimal risk. The Economy WILL Support those prices.
I make allowances for obvious New Players and for the entertainers who might not have that cash, but otherwise - 20k, or I'll be happy to reccommend someone else.
It all comes down to Time. My online time is just as important as theirs. I have no issue requesting that they pay me for the Time it takes to do something.
Hope that helps.
I use the price list at Lightstrider Image Design site, listed in the ID FAQ. The prices listed there are all pretty reasonable. I won't do a stat Migrate for less than 20k, for instance. Why? Cause the economy EASILY supports that. Most combat types think absosmurfly nothing about paying 10-15k for a 3hour buff. Why is a burden to pay 20k ONCE to have your stats set up permanently. It's not. Hell, as a Novice ID, I can make 20k in half an hour with minimal risk. The Economy WILL Support those prices.
I make allowances for obvious New Players and for the entertainers who might not have that cash, but otherwise - 20k, or I'll be happy to reccommend someone else.
It all comes down to Time. My online time is just as important as theirs. I have no issue requesting that they pay me for the Time it takes to do something.
Hope that helps.
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