Merchant Archive
Thread: Vendors: Malls vs Solo
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AngamarBlackrock
Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:44 am
#1
I'm currently training in SW, more to support my guild than to make money as you can make a bundle is space these days. I have been putting different chassis out for sale though as they have become available to me. The novice level ones I just tossed on the bazaar for 6k each. sure I'm taking a loss, but it helps noobs out. the higher level chassis I have put on my vendor. Sort of out of the way geographicly, but also right next to a shuttleport, so easily accessible. I price fairly (I think) at 4 CPU. I get most of my resources at 2-3 CPU, so I thought this was fair. Well, I have not sold a single one. I realize the rush for these is over, but I thought by pricing competitively, I would sell something. Turns out I was wrong. So I got to thinking about my location in my guild's player city. Its got everything a city can have, but is short on vendors. Do vendors in malls do significantly more business than those on their own? Is it worth setting one up, or trying to get into an existing one? Thanks.
OditeFosore
Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:34 am
#2
Vendors have been consolidating a lot lately. It's easy as a shopper to get sensory overload when trying to find vendors for all the different items that you may need. A 1-stop shop vendor mall is a major convenience that many customers are willing to pay extra for. I personally have always partnered with a particular weaponsmith and tailor and we have recently added both an armorsmith and a doc to our shops. The extra traffic that 1 more vendor brings in is good for everyone.
Funkbacca
Wed Nov 24, 2004 4:48 pm
#3
As a shipwright and merchant this is a subject I've been pondering.
I've tried each approach, and your results may vary, but I've found that it's service that makes ship sales for me. I have a vendor in a mall, and I have 2 groups of 3 vendors in 2 different locations. One in a player city and one on the outskirts of Mos Eisley in lightly populated area.
Honestly they all sell about the same. I thought my sales would jump considerably since I got on the planetary map recently... while they did get a little bump, they didn't jump as much as I'd hoped.
What makes sales for me is talking to people, helping them configure ships etc. Explaining Reverse Engineering... The little things. A couple days later I'll see that player's name on my sales log. I'm currently a 3-3-3-3 shipwright, about to go 4-3-3-3. I think I've sold 3 chassis from my vendors but dozens in person. People love to have input on components or ship characteristics... I also generate a lot of sales w/ a bit of canned spam I put on items on the bazaar that includes waypoints and information on my biz. I see a name on an instant sale on a bazaar and then see the same name on a couple vendor sales shortly thereafter.
I don't know what the trick is to consistent selling of chassis via vendors. My chassis' are made w/ quility resources and not grind crap like most. I charge an extremely reasonalbe 4 cpu since I mine my own resources. On the other hand I do very consistent business in missiles, power-ups and my pace is picking up w/ components now that my experimentation level is high. My 14k energy reactors w/ reasonable mass seem to have hit a sweet spot between the 11k energy looted reactors and the "1/2 the mass of my ship" high lvl looted reactors. Weapons do well too, as the mid level looted ones don't seem to drop frequently enough to keep everyone happy. (that and you need more than one unlike everything but armor).
-funk
I've tried each approach, and your results may vary, but I've found that it's service that makes ship sales for me. I have a vendor in a mall, and I have 2 groups of 3 vendors in 2 different locations. One in a player city and one on the outskirts of Mos Eisley in lightly populated area.
Honestly they all sell about the same. I thought my sales would jump considerably since I got on the planetary map recently... while they did get a little bump, they didn't jump as much as I'd hoped.
What makes sales for me is talking to people, helping them configure ships etc. Explaining Reverse Engineering... The little things. A couple days later I'll see that player's name on my sales log. I'm currently a 3-3-3-3 shipwright, about to go 4-3-3-3. I think I've sold 3 chassis from my vendors but dozens in person. People love to have input on components or ship characteristics... I also generate a lot of sales w/ a bit of canned spam I put on items on the bazaar that includes waypoints and information on my biz. I see a name on an instant sale on a bazaar and then see the same name on a couple vendor sales shortly thereafter.
I don't know what the trick is to consistent selling of chassis via vendors. My chassis' are made w/ quility resources and not grind crap like most. I charge an extremely reasonalbe 4 cpu since I mine my own resources. On the other hand I do very consistent business in missiles, power-ups and my pace is picking up w/ components now that my experimentation level is high. My 14k energy reactors w/ reasonable mass seem to have hit a sweet spot between the 11k energy looted reactors and the "1/2 the mass of my ship" high lvl looted reactors. Weapons do well too, as the mid level looted ones don't seem to drop frequently enough to keep everyone happy. (that and you need more than one unlike everything but armor).
-funk
Crustyfur
Thu Nov 25, 2004 4:48 am
#4
Funkbacca wrote:
I thought my sales would jump considerably since I got on the planetary map recently... while they did get a little bump, they didn't jump as much as I'd hoped.
Same here. It would be so much better if someone went throught the Planetry mapand reorganised the catergories that are on there. I think some of them are a bit too full. The one for Ships is about the only half decent one but sales/traffic is still low. I get best reults from a Barker in Coronet 
GraySeven
Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:20 am
#5
It all depends on taste, really. I have "catagory" vendors. One for Armor, one for Loot, one for Organic resources, one for Starship Chassis....
I could consolidate, but Ilike to keep my customers as unconfused as possible and I like being able to "advertise" via the Map Register. By having a vendor that sells Flight Computers, I get more custom than if I simply put flight computers on my droid vendor...
Sgurr
Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:38 am
#6
I think we as merchants shouldn't underestimate the power of bad previous experiences. Many of us old timers are tired to death by entering the next mall or single vendor, just to find it empty, or near empty. It doesn't matter that the vendors automatically shut down planetary advertising when they are empty these days, customers don't know this.
Speaking as both a customer and merchant, I believe that fully and continuously stocked is the number one reason to start and continue shopping at a new vendor.
If a new shop appears on the map, you're problably not ready to go there until all your "normal" and known vendors are out of stock. As a merchant to break into a new market it is very very hard, even in SWG. Doing it in a hyped up market like starships is probably even harder (I wouldn't know, as I speak from medical supplies experience).
Good luck though, and remember that long-term commitment is something that customers also want. They won't switch to you if they are concerned that you might drop SW tomorrow. It is an investment in time and money for your would-be custmers too, in order to go to your shop and find out if they like it.
Speaking as both a customer and merchant, I believe that fully and continuously stocked is the number one reason to start and continue shopping at a new vendor.
If a new shop appears on the map, you're problably not ready to go there until all your "normal" and known vendors are out of stock. As a merchant to break into a new market it is very very hard, even in SWG. Doing it in a hyped up market like starships is probably even harder (I wouldn't know, as I speak from medical supplies experience).
Good luck though, and remember that long-term commitment is something that customers also want. They won't switch to you if they are concerned that you might drop SW tomorrow. It is an investment in time and money for your would-be custmers too, in order to go to your shop and find out if they like it.
Thatguyfubu
Fri Dec 03, 2004 12:35 pm
#7
I think what you really need to realize is that you are not going to be making your money from selling chassis. Yes you will get sales from time to time with big profit but it will not be enough to keep a business. You really need to look at the other aspects of SW. I will tell you right now look to be making lots of missles and torps. As more and more people reach the higher level of pilot they rely on these more then anyting else. When people fo after the corvette they need a lot of these. I have seen people charging 100K for the high level torp and missle packs. They may only get 12-15 shots per pack and they will be back. If they are looking ot fully equip a B-Wing you figure that will be close to 600K just for that (three launchers and three packs to load them) Most likely they will burn through almost all of them just helping people out with the corvette mission over a weeks time or less. Samething with counter measures. You may not get alot per pack with these but they will sell fast. I sell anywhere from 25-50 chaff packs a day on just the bazaar. I personally am only focusing on the last branch of SW. I found that the defense items have a continual resell plus perishable goods means repeat customers.
-Zaran
y-osa
Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:04 pm
#8
You can do very well solo, you should support at least one vendor type that is in demand, and work on keeping it stocked as well, pp will make a wp to any reliable vendors, so as a merchant you have to keep in stock, you should offer a range of items as well, if you dont have the space to offer all available, then offer the most popular, leave a note outlining your product availability, consistant vendors do well, of course you need costumers to become aware of your vendor as well. Try putting adds on the bazzare, location can matter, but I find that as long as pp count on your product, and know it is quallity, they will traval a bit to get what they need, you can also ask other more established vendors to leave up items as adds such as armour segments in there shops, pp will see it, its networking in a sense, you would do them the same favour, lastly, everyone loves loot, keep a loot vendor, doesnt have to be a huge selection, just what will be very usefull, good as a draw for customers, while their there, of course they'll check out what else you have, but if your grosely over priced or consistantly understocked, they will surely ignore you.
TigerJeDiMaStEr
Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:23 am
#9
I noticed that by placing a barker in Coronet and registering several vendors on the planetary map with a common start in their name (Mine are Tiger Inc Woundpacks, Tiger Inc Stimpacks, Tiger Inc Buff packs, etc...) the customer thinks it is more professionnal to see many vendors of the same name and will go there first. My sales were extremly increased by this factor alone !
DingoBoi
Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:46 am
#10
agree with tiger.. i have 17 vendors or so registered for my shipyards and it DOES make a difference when people are browsing the planetary map vendor listing.
DingoBoi
Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:47 am
#11
plus it looks oh so good rather than the miss mash of other vendors there. all mine are together in a nice big list
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