Merchant Archive
Thread: Medical Master needs advice.
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Phonelesscord
Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:39 pm
#1
I used to be your basic newbie Artisan, selling random items, bait, fireworks, good fun. But eventually, when my server progresses, this fun simple every-day items became unpopular and unwanted. I stopped filling my shop and decided to grind out Doctor/Combat Medic.
I dropped my artisan skills (Doc/CM takes all but a few skillpoints), and finally mastered both professions. I wanted to open a shop but I couldn't (no SP). But I realized, my old shop was still there, so I stocked up that little vendor (not realising at the time this was an exploit).
Sales were mild to decent, but I got involved in an excellent community through this method, and I would gladly be proud to say, this is why I play SWG.
My problem is this: Now that I can no longer have a vendor of my own, and don't have loads of time to fill out custom orders and sit and wait for those customers, what should I do?
I enjoy both professions equally with a passion. I wouldn't drop either for anything else in the game.
I guess I just feel like I will have both professions, only to not be able to sell from either.
Any suggestions?
I dropped my artisan skills (Doc/CM takes all but a few skillpoints), and finally mastered both professions. I wanted to open a shop but I couldn't (no SP). But I realized, my old shop was still there, so I stocked up that little vendor (not realising at the time this was an exploit).
Sales were mild to decent, but I got involved in an excellent community through this method, and I would gladly be proud to say, this is why I play SWG.
My problem is this: Now that I can no longer have a vendor of my own, and don't have loads of time to fill out custom orders and sit and wait for those customers, what should I do?
I enjoy both professions equally with a passion. I wouldn't drop either for anything else in the game.
I guess I just feel like I will have both professions, only to not be able to sell from either.
Any suggestions?
Esher
Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:42 pm
#2
Find yourself a merchant on your server that's willing to take 10-15% of the cut and your set. Join a trust guild and see if they'll let you place on one of their vendors. About the best I can tell ya.
Phonelesscord
Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:59 pm
#3
I've tested this, and it only causes a ton of frustration. have to meet up with the merchant (if im lucky to be on at the same time).
I have no clue who buys my items, when they sell, etc.
Its just a lot of unfun.
I have no clue who buys my items, when they sell, etc.
Its just a lot of unfun.
Dimear
Wed Aug 18, 2004 11:25 pm
#4
Master Doc / Master CM takes 203 sp. That leaves 47 to play with. Add novice merchant for another 35 points and you can probably run a reasonable business. Add more to merchant if you need a larger business. That's probably how I would structure it. Add a couple more merchant skills if you need a better business. But if you need more, you'll have to choose between master doc and master cm. Can't be everything.
LadyGrace
Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:01 am
#5
Dimear wrote:
Master Doc / Master CM takes 203 sp. That leaves 47 to play with. Add novice merchant for another 35 points and you can probably run a reasonable business. Add more to merchant if you need a larger business. That's probably how I would structure it. Add a couple more merchant skills if you need a better business. But if you need more, you'll have to choose between master doc and master cm. Can't be everything.
Master Doctor / Master CM takes 232 skill points ... are you sure you counted the pre-reqs?
Not enough left over to even get Artisan --3- 
To the original poster ....
I can only suggest that your experience working with a merchant in the past was not indicative of what all crafter-merchant relationships are like. A good merchant will discuss your needs with you, if you want to know the details of every transaction then sales mail can be forwarded to you, or if the merchant uses a /mailsave utility, reports can be generated for your convenience.
You should not have to be online to offer product to the merchant, simply offer the items needed for restocking (as seen by the forward sales mail or reports/orders you have receieved) in packs to the vendor your items are sold from.
If you have greater levels of trust with the merchant you are dealing with, you can share access to a house or factory forthe transfer of items.
A good way to get started with a merchant is to start with a smaller level of stock, so that if any trust issues arise there is less to lose. As you build trust, you canalso build stock levels. This is what I did with my factional suppliers, to reduce my initial outlay and to reduce the potential loss if things didnt work out. As it is, things worked out well and I now carry a stockworthtens of millions of credits 
You need to agree between you whether payment will be made on delivery of the items (wholesale purchase)or on sale of the items (consignment). One way to manage consignment is to offer your first round of items up for 1 cred only, and then as you restock offer the replacement items at the agreed percentage of retail. At the conclusion of your contract, the remaining items could then be returned to you at no cost or purchased from you at the agreed percentage.
I know the tools in game aren't perfect for crafter-merchant relationships, and I feel particularly for medic types who have the biggest skill investment outside of their "crafting" template to get vendors, however I think that it is possible to have a positive and mutually beneficial arrangement between a crafter and a merchant. You can even make good friends in this manner and add to the "community" aspect of playing the game.
DocSavag
Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:33 am
#6
Merchant/Supplier relationships in SWG are difficult because of the lack of tools to do them properly but at root its about finding someone you are comfortable doing business with and building that relationship. It is possible if you want to do it. It is a challenge at times. It will be difficult finding a merchant willing to put up with the hassle. But that will change over time as there are more people like you needing this service. Players will adapt to fulfill the roles available to them. The lack of motivation for players to use the services of merchants has had a terrible effect on the number of pure merchants, but that will change over time. There will be hundreds of players just like you looking for relationships. It won't be very long before enterprising players realize there are credits to be made by selling things for others and they will fill the need. I really believe that. And I will continue to push for the tools we need to do the job better.
Rurry
Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:59 am
#7
The sad part is, you are screwed. Merchants successfully pushed to remove the average person out of the economy. The days of self sufficient medical crafters are over If you decide to become a minion to a merchant I hope you have luck finding one. I read Docsavage's reply above, anda negative way to read that was - good luck trying to find someone to carry your stuff, maybe in a couple of months you might find someone.
If you decide to become a minion to a merchant I hope you have luck finding one. I read Docsavage's reply above, anda negative way to read that was - good luck trying to find someone to carry your stuff, maybe in a couple of months you might find someone.Another downside to that is that you will no longer deal with any of your customers, reducing your contribution to the galaxy. You will get only the filtered information from the merchant. He/She may not even want to carry a full line of your products, as some may not move quickly enough for them.
I think that it's awful for non-artisan based crafters after this patch, and I am sorry for you to have been screwed over like this.
DocSavag
Thu Aug 19, 2004 7:43 am
#8
Rurry wrote:The sad part is, you are screwed. Merchants successfully pushed to remove the average person out of the economy. The days of self sufficient medical crafters are overAnother downside to that is that you will no longer deal with any of your customers, reducing your contribution to the galaxy. You will get only the filtered information from the merchant. He/She may not even want to carry a full line of your products, as some may not move quickly enough for them.I think that it's awful for non-artisan based crafters after this patch, and I am sorry for you to have been screwed over like this.
I said it would be a challenge at first and would get better.
And how much information you get from the merchant, what items he will sell for you, etc is totally between you and the merchant to work out.
makhina
Thu Aug 19, 2004 10:37 am
#9
I am in a similar situation.
I have been master doctor since last november, and have paired it with all of the basic combat masteries, as well as a few others.
I come to realize what I like to do is hunt, and be a doctor. I like the crafting side, I have collected the best of everything to spawn in the last 9 months, I have 11 experiment points ... I am a fairly decent crafter now.
Master Doc + master combat skill = 232 skill points. No possiblity of a (non-poached) vendor.
I have no desire to take a second account, and ... face facts...
"find a merchant to sell your stuff"
just isnt practical. the profession of merchant has NO TOOLS WHATSOEVER to handle consignment sales. NONE!
How about a viable method of mechants taking consignments before taking the "illegal" vendors away?
I have been master doctor since last november, and have paired it with all of the basic combat masteries, as well as a few others.
I come to realize what I like to do is hunt, and be a doctor. I like the crafting side, I have collected the best of everything to spawn in the last 9 months, I have 11 experiment points ... I am a fairly decent crafter now.
Master Doc + master combat skill = 232 skill points. No possiblity of a (non-poached) vendor.
I have no desire to take a second account, and ... face facts...
"find a merchant to sell your stuff"
just isnt practical. the profession of merchant has NO TOOLS WHATSOEVER to handle consignment sales. NONE!
How about a viable method of mechants taking consignments before taking the "illegal" vendors away?
NadienImesso
Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:02 am
#10
itry for months now to get a new supllier for doc stuff for my shop as i dont have the time to make all stuff self (i looked mostly for high end buffs).
the dealings would be easy there would be a agreed price the doc offer the crates to my vendor i buy within 24 hours (buying 100 sets of good buffs can be a few million) and i sell on my vendors when i get below a cerain mark i will reorder buffs (selling around 50 to 100 sets a week as i had a supllier) this works great with the AS i get my sets of ubese and composite from.
Dimear
Thu Aug 19, 2004 8:36 pm
#11
Oops. 232 points. Not 203. Sorry - my bad.
Ya, you're kind of screwed. I'm guessing you'll need to drop one of them to sell goods effectively yourself. Or you could be one of the pioneers who try to build partnerships with merchants. Who knows - maybe DocSavage is right and this will actually be the business model for serious crafters in the future. I think it's unlikely until the tools are much better, but other people seem to have made it work to some extent. Not like selling your own stuff, but there maybe something you can work out with a merchant.
If I were you, I'd probably either drop a mastery, or sell in bulk exclusively on the forums. I think the trade forums are going to be much busier after this patch.
Ya, you're kind of screwed. I'm guessing you'll need to drop one of them to sell goods effectively yourself. Or you could be one of the pioneers who try to build partnerships with merchants. Who knows - maybe DocSavage is right and this will actually be the business model for serious crafters in the future. I think it's unlikely until the tools are much better, but other people seem to have made it work to some extent. Not like selling your own stuff, but there maybe something you can work out with a merchant.
If I were you, I'd probably either drop a mastery, or sell in bulk exclusively on the forums. I think the trade forums are going to be much busier after this patch.
Iannyen
Sat Aug 21, 2004 9:36 pm
#13
Rurry wrote:
The sad part is, you are screwed. Merchants successfully pushed to remove the average person out of the economy. The days of self sufficient medical crafters are over
Another downside to that is that you will no longer deal with any of your customers, reducing your contribution to the galaxy. You will get only the filtered information from the merchant. He/She may not even want to carry a full line of your products, as some may not move quickly enough for them.
I think that it's awful for non-artisan based crafters after this patch, and I am sorry for you to have been screwed over like this.
Seriously, has no one ever heard of the "Make Offer" option on Vendors?
Al this does is empower the merchant profession in a similar manner to all the other professions that can do something that others can't (which is everything except for shoot a CDEF and loot something).
DOc finds a merchant he can or wants to work with, or the merchant finds the doc. They work out pricing, lead time, availability, quantity, and any bonuses that might be involved.
If He/She doesn't want to carry a full line, then find another merchant who either wants to carry the other stuff, or wants to carry it all. No one said you could only work with one merchant.
A master merchant can list 4000 items. Over 12 vendors. On several planets. Stop bashing the people that are going to be making you money, or pay the skill points, like everyone else.
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