Merchant Archive
Thread: The Perception of Consumers
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Yogol
Sat Feb 19, 2005 9:43 pm
#1
It's probably a coïncidence that the complaints come at the same time as the announcement of the merchant changes. What I see on my server is a BIG BIG drop in prices : resources for 1cpu, cheaper armor, cheaper RIS-components,...
The reason is WoW :they can say "WoW players are coming back" all they want, but WoW sold 280.000 copies of the game in Europe in three days when it launched last week. You can bet that there are at least 50.000 SWG-players in there. You feel that in the economy. And it aren't the crafters that go to WoW, it are the fighters.
On top of that : Shipwrigths like you have a problem : once people reached mastery and have all the chassis they need, you're out of business... So prices of chassisgo down, there are alot oof Shipwrights out there and very few customers left for chassis. Or even for high-level ship parts : once you got your master ship all tuned, you don't need to buy anything anymore.
My advice : drop Shipright because it's a dead end and become anarmorsmith : with the CURB coming you'll see some nice business there.
Phaelyn
Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:01 am
#2
Ever since the proposed changes to the vendor system were made public, I've begun to notice an upswing in the perception of my customers in game.
I have been a Weaponsmith, Shipwright, Artisan and Merchant since I began the game. Throughout that time, I have ALWAYS stuck to a formula that I devised from the start - Make the best items possible, and charge a fair price. As Weaponsmith, I went out and sampled the Market. Looked at the prices & quality of my competition, learned what the high and low ends were, and developed a pricing strategy. End result - My customers were always pleased with my quality/price strategy.
Then I went Shipwright. Again, I looked at my competition, and adopted a practice of charging 3cpu (resource based pricing) for Chassis - And ALL I make are chassis. Others can make the higher priced Components, but I saw the state of Loot and REd components, and decided my efforts should not try to compete to beat some unbeatable stats. Until these changes were proposed, I always heard one thing from customers - "Wow - Nice mass, and a great price.. I'll be back."
After the announcement though, things have changed. Now I am getting tells and in game email from people telling me that I am charging too much, that my product isn't worth what I charge. Mind you, my quality and prices haven't changed one iota. But somehow the perception of consumers has changed. SOEs announcement of the proposed change has polarized the players into 2 very vocal groups - Merchants who wish to have a level playing field, and consumers, who after seeing our comments about the changes believe we are nothing but overcharging profit mongers.
Now on the boards and in game, consumers are challenging everything. Comments such as "You mine resources for .8cpu, why are you charging 3cpu? You don't deserve to charge that much" Folks, that's 3cpu..A far cry from a while back when 5-10cpu would be charged and accepted without comment. I sell my Chassis at 3cpu - And always offer a superior product. NOW I am getting tells constantly about how I am overcharging. These are products where at the beginning people were overjoyed at my pricing, and NOW I am greedy?
My question is - WHY is 3cpu unreasonable? Our profits may indeed be good at that level - But the perception is that we are gouging the consumer. Has anyone ELSE had this happen to them?
And as a final thought.. Looters are charging multi-millions for AA and CA they loot. Seen from one perspective, they are charging millions for something they receive for free. Mind you, factor in buffs, etc - And it is STILL far more than my 3cpu resource charge. Nobody is complaining about the Attachment market though - Is it possible because it's not a Merchant that's doing the selling?
refleks
Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:40 pm
#3
It's anoying people telling me thatI'm overpricing and that: "I CAN GET A 2000% SWOOP AT X GUY FOR Y CR.", I usually just tell them to go there and leave me alone, and the whole, "Crafters are greedy bastards, why do you charge X CPU when it only takes Y resources".... what can i say... 
Cafa
Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:10 am
#4
Tell them to go grind a crafter, put them on ignore and forget about them.
This is an anonymous extension of RL mate. People who are rude behind a wall fit your formula well. There's plenty of other people to sell products.
Fivo Asia
Tarnak_Archvold
Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:29 am
#5
I have been lurking again here lately... but has this problem not always existed?
In essence, the "combatants" wand crafters to provide our products at 0% profit, and they still wand top credit for thair loot.
If you look at the game throe a "combatants" eyes, and ignore the brooder perspective, it is clear why. The game is like: Pay for buffs, pay for equipment, run mission to make credit, rice and repeat. Most of thair credit goes to crafters, so they of cause think that crafters are free loading of thair work. Thair knowledge of crafting, will likely only go so far as to have grinded out profession in the old Jedi system, and therefore they do not appreciate a crafters work.
The advice of what to do is the same it has always been. Tell them that if they do not like you prices they are welcome to go shop somewhere else, or to grin you profession them self, and make thair own equipment. Moreover, if a costumer is too much hassle, for you time, /addignore them and ban them from your shop. Remember everyone has a right to have fun (as long as it does not rely on depriving other of fun) and know one forces they to buy from you.
In essence, the "combatants" wand crafters to provide our products at 0% profit, and they still wand top credit for thair loot.
If you look at the game throe a "combatants" eyes, and ignore the brooder perspective, it is clear why. The game is like: Pay for buffs, pay for equipment, run mission to make credit, rice and repeat. Most of thair credit goes to crafters, so they of cause think that crafters are free loading of thair work. Thair knowledge of crafting, will likely only go so far as to have grinded out profession in the old Jedi system, and therefore they do not appreciate a crafters work.
The advice of what to do is the same it has always been. Tell them that if they do not like you prices they are welcome to go shop somewhere else, or to grin you profession them self, and make thair own equipment. Moreover, if a costumer is too much hassle, for you time, /addignore them and ban them from your shop. Remember everyone has a right to have fun (as long as it does not rely on depriving other of fun) and know one forces they to buy from you.
Phaelyn
Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:27 pm
#7
Crimsonsplat wrote:
What, this thread isn't stickied yet?
Yeah, it sure is - too bad this isn't about "funny conversations" - This is about an OVERNIGHT change in perceptions.
DesktopSaki
Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:35 pm
#8
"That sure is a nice Nightsister Lance you have there. I figure it only cost you 500 creds to get it, prorating buffs and armor wear, so why don't you sell it to me for 1000 creds?"
Time and skill matter, and Merchant requires a LOT of both. Not to mention some people are under the mistaken impression that every Merchant who sells resources is bestowed 50extra lots that are always on a 95% spot of the best stuff in the galaxy.
I'm also a Master Ranger, and I'm getting people asking me to gather materials for 1-2 cpu. That's downright painful. If I have leftovers from harvesting while hunting for my own pleasure or for other reasons, I'll sell it for cheap, but 1-2 cpu for creature resources is likely not even covering the cost of buffs.
I guess we're not supposed to make a profit or something, and that our time is worthless. We're just supposed to keep the galaxy clothed, fed, boozed, mounted, armed, healed and decorated, with sweet ships and nice swoops, all for actual monetary cost.
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