Merchant Archive

This seems like a big design flaw to me.

Wouldn't the skills trees make more since if Business 1-4 just reduced bazaar fees and gave premium actions. Then you would have to get to Novice Merchant to be able to place vendors. I mean the whole merchant class is devoted to getting vendors.... making them look cool... making them cheaper... and advertising them. So why give the whole point of our profession to any artisan at business 3????

How come I can't have my own Creatures at Exploration 3?

The devs could easily makes this change and I doubt many people would even complain.

What does the Merchant Correspondent think?

This is an old idea we have on the docket for the devs already. Business 3 shouldn't have a vendor. Just like merchant shouldn't have bazaar stuff.

this is part of my list

May I protest this in the absolutely strongest terms! The answer to the woes of the merchant class is NOT to hurt other classes. Make merchant worth something don't call for the destruction of other people's abilities.

Merchants are all of us, not just "pure" merchants.

I'm for removing it from Business 3, but I say just move it to Business 4 and raise the xp required to get to Novice Merchant.

FIrst of all, I'm an artisan who read about this proposal on the artisan board. I think it's fair enough, making merchants a lot more necessary. But just what is going to be put in at Business 3 and 4 to replace vendors? That's all that's in there right now. Please don't take what we have without giving something back in return, Business 3 and 4 were tough to get.

I wouldn't remove it from Business 3. I would limit the number of items your can sell on a pre-merchant box and make the cost higher so it isn't so appealing to try to go it alone.

Something has to be done because the merchant profession is ignored by artisans who just want to sell their own stuff. Nevermind this isn't the most beneficial way for them to market their wares. They need incentive to use the merchant profession more.

Should harvestors be made Architect only and clothing and backpacks tailor only too?

Artisan is a little bit of everything. I get tells from people all the time who think business 3 is too much of a hurdle for a vendor. These are usually people who are working to get the bare bones of their shop started and are all set to go when they find out they'll need to do more general crafting to get to business 3.

The answer to problems with the merchant tree is not going to be found in taking away things from artisan-merchants. We are real merchants too. (Novice merchant, Advertising 3, Management 1)

You want keep a business 3 vendor Numtini? Then I'd suggest they make it do you are forced to have "Novice Merchant" to place a vendor in your *own* house. Then business 3 gets a vendor but they must work with a merchant to use it.

Zeto

Advantage tailor, weaponsmith, armorsmiths and everyone else gets is they can make better. What can a bulky vendor *not* do a novice merchant as far as sales goes? Exactly they work the same. No advantage to get novice merchant. There is however an advantage to getting armorsmith or weaponsmith or tailor. This is our point.

Hmm, what about being forced to buy a merchant from a vendor, but being able to actually use it at business 3?

What can a bulky vendor *not* do a novice merchant as far as sales goes

It can be on the planetary map. The upkeep seems to be cheaper. It certainly looks nicer and creates a better look to a shop. I couldn't wait to get rid of the big ugly box. Oh! And with additional vendors you can split things between them to keep them sorted. That's a big big one right there.

In general however, I agree, merchant is very weak. But you need to seek the answer in adding things to merchant, not taking them away from everyone else.

Just a few ideas that are better than taking an ugly overpriced merchant away from newbies who are already facing an uphill climb because they got into the business after everyone else.

Costs on merchants are obviously messed up. When fixed, make the big ugly box expensive while others get cheaper and cheaper.

Limit the number of items place on the business 3 vendor.

Fix the advertising tree so it actually helps merchants. The only one that really does at all now is the planetary map and that's next to useless as nobody looks at it and it requires you to name your vendor something catchy instead of something functional (I have three menswear, womenswear, and wookiewear -- not exactly advertising copy but it helps my customers know what they can and can't wear).

Make it so only a merchant can place a vendor in someone elses house or accept someone elses merchant in their own -- this is a big one which we haven't seen. Or increase the number of vendors you can have in a house. In UO there were merchants running "vendor malls" It's a huge and potentially lucrative job but it's blocked now because we can't place in anyone elses house.

Take the efficiency line andcreate new skillswithin itthat allow only merchants to charge for having vendors in their house and progressively add different types of charges: straight fee for placement, weekly fee, percentage fee, weekly and percentage, etc.

Allow in the merchant tree the ability to "tag" purchases for particular customers, so you can do special orders and only they can buy them.

All merchants to "bundle" goods, so, for example,a suit of armor could be sold as one unit. Or I could sell a bra and panties together that match.

And anyone who gets master merchant should get some kind of major advertising. A rotating display on the bazaar or a sign in town or something.

Numtini is exactly right.