Merchant Archive
Thread: I hate being a Merchant! Do you think a Merchant would be interested in this...?
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Chumplestilskin
Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:43 am
#1
I like to craft weapons and artisan items..that's fun! I also gather resources, etc..
However, I hate being a merchant and listing, etc.
It wouldn't be that big of a deal being a merchant if your stuff stayed on the vendor....it's the countless emails of stuff dropping off that will take ya 2 hours a day to put it back up there, etc.
Do you think someone would be interested in listing my stuff for me for like a 25% commission on everything that was sold? An idea I'm kicking around.
As fellow Merchants, would you be willing to list items that were not of conflict of interest to your business for others for a deal like that?
Just picking brains here..
Message Edited by Chumplestilskin on 04-10-2005 09:45 AM
refleks
Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:16 am
#2
Well you can't add people to a hopper or admin. or whatever list, like you can on harvesters and houses, so in order to have somebody do that they would have to log onto your account, which in turn would mean your breaking the "rules" by sharing your account.
SystemJinx
Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:09 pm
#3
It would be possible if you were both Admin on a house. The crafter could drop all of the items in a cabinet or backpack, and the merchant could then pick it up and stock in on his vendors. That way you could both work your own hours.
Ani_cul
Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:45 pm
#4
I actually started my Merchant this way, selling for others, way back when.
It works, but you both have to be dedicated to it.
You for providing stock, providing a good list to use for prices, keeping track of what sells (visit vendors and search them to see what is left) and what is needed
Them to stock, price correctly, inform you of sells, and distribute funds.
ways to transfer items:
place items in bag , offer to their vendor
Share admin on a house/factory leave items to be picked up
ways to transfer funds:
direct sells tip, each sell the funds minus fee is directly tipped to you
bulk sells tip, each week the sells are tallied then tipped to you
secured transfer, you actually meet with each other regularly to be given funds.
Be sure you make an email clearly identifing listing price.
Be sure you both agree to how much is shared
Be sure it is someone you can trust
another form is to find a wholeseller {sunrunner is known for these}
who will by you stock directly, then resale themselves.
you get your creds and they do the stocking.
Elyssa
Sun Apr 10, 2005 3:16 pm
#5
I have one vendor dedicated to selling things for a friend of mine.
Until there isan in-game mechanism to allow for consignment sales (it's in the "top issues" list), I will not be doing this for anyone else because of the extensive 'out-of-game' bookkeeping that is required.
Also, because he's a RL friend I trust him not to take advantage of me.
Here's how we have it set up:
- The vendor is devoted exclusively to his items so anything that sells on it was his.
- He offers the items he wants sold to the vendor or leaves them in a pre-designated drop point.
- He sends me an email to let me know what to sell them for if they're not listed on his 'standard' price list.
- I forward all sales mails from his vendor to him.
- He keeps track of how much I owe him.
- He offers a junk item to the vendor for the amount he's owed.
- I buy the item and he gets paid. There is no tip fee involved and we don't have to arrange a meeting.
We've been doing it this way ever since they took his poached vendor away from him. 
Chumplestilskin
Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:35 am
#6
actually, I'm thinking like handing them my stuff in game..them selling it for me and keeping a portion of the sales price for themselves. I keep my account, they use THEIR Merchant acct which is probably selling their stuff which doesn't conflict w/ my stuff.
Consignment I guess...
Molique
Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:44 am
#7
I have a R/L friend who is the merchant for a group of us. His master merchant (also the town mayor) has a tent that we're all on admin for. We drop things in a "brop box" backpack and he lists them up on the various vendors based on pre-set prices. The only draw back is that you both have to be logged on to get your money. On the plus side, I don't have to spend the points on merchant or the time on listing things on the vendor.
He actually uses a third party program that parses his emails splitting out what sells to who and who get's how much for the sale. I give him 10 or 15% of everything that sells from "my" shipwright vendor. It's nice to have him run up to me and trade ot /tip me 300K at a time every couple of days or weeks.
I'll see if I can find out what email parsing program he uses.
Elyssa
Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:49 am
#8
Merchant's friend is a popular one.
There's also a web based one called SWG Vendor Sales Manager.
I've heard of a couple of others but I don't know if they're still around.
Indene
Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:24 am
#9
The way I have handled 3rd party sales is that the party drops the item off at my vendor and I buy it from my vendor and resell it at a markup (I ask if I don't already know what it should sell for
Saves a lot of paperwork. The crafter gets their money. Not the best system but has the lowest maintance.
-Indene-
Saves a lot of paperwork. The crafter gets their money. Not the best system but has the lowest maintance.
-Indene-
TheNavyDoc
Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:01 pm
#10
I would just like to say, I love it. I have a charater who goes and gets the loot, and then one to sell it. it's beautiful!!
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