Shipwright Archive
Thread: Master shipwright pricing in a price war with other masters??
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RTPrimus
Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:36 am
#1
HI all,
I just mastered shipwright last night and I will not be rasing my price do to it. This has casued a good number of the other masters on my server to get, well, very P'ed off at me. My prices are as follows:
Novice ships 5k
Tier 1 25k
Tier 2 35k
Tier 3 65k
Tier 4 90k
Master 160k
Parts
Mark I 500c
Mark II 1k
Mark III 2k
Mark IV 3k
Mark V 5k
Now, In a pricing war, is it not fair to have a lower price then the other guy? No one is holding a gun to there head and saying "charge 15k for a Mark I blaster" oh, thats what one of them is charging for one and I can match there stats with in about 5%!
Rogue1970
Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:44 am
#2
Hmmm, do you take orders? I see you're a Master Weaponsmith.
Emailme the stats on your best Vibroknucklers - with that pricing on ship parts you can't charge me more than 98 credits per knuckler right? (1cpu)
I'll take 1,000 of them if the stats are decent. That's a whopping 98k credits for you.
Oh, I don't want them factory run either - you must hand craft them.
Chiwawa
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:11 pm
#3
yep you have started a price war, im impressed that you can offer those prices....I take it you have many lots available?
I would not be suprised if you find your competetors reselling all your work.
Im glad I am not on your server, there is no way I could sell at that rate, unless I self harvested, and then my crafted items would be crud because at least 50% of the current harvestable resources are rubbish...see where im going?
Good luck mate
you are assured success if you can hold that pricing/quality model, just watch that you dont go cross eyed with all the clicks
I would not be suprised if you find your competetors reselling all your work.
Im glad I am not on your server, there is no way I could sell at that rate, unless I self harvested, and then my crafted items would be crud because at least 50% of the current harvestable resources are rubbish...see where im going?
Good luck mate
you are assured success if you can hold that pricing/quality model, just watch that you dont go cross eyed with all the clicks
EdOWar
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:12 pm
#4
RTPrimus wrote:
HI all,
I just mastered shipwright last night and I will not be rasing my price do to it. This has casued a good number of the other masters on my server to get, well, very P'ed off at me. My prices are as follows:
Novice ships 5k
Tier 1 25k
Tier 2 35k
Tier 3 65k
Tier 4 90k
Master 160k
Parts
Mark I 500c
Mark II 1k
Mark III 2k
Mark IV 3k
Mark V 5k
Now, In a pricing war, is it not fair to have a lower price then the other guy? No one is holding a gun to there head and saying "charge 15k for a Mark I blaster" oh, thats what one of them is charging for one and I can match there stats with in about 5%!
If there's a price war, it's only because of MSW like you. There areways to compete other than on price, though admittedlylower price is the easiest way to attract new customers.
In the end I don't think your competitors have much to worry about from you.You'll burn through your best resources for dirt cheap prices and have no way to replace them, that is if you don'tget burnt out from the high volume ofbusiness and constant tells first. And at those prices, if your quality really is as good as you claim, your competitors will probably be the ones buying you out all the time.
Have fun.
Slim Vargo, Corbantis
Mariki
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:29 pm
#5
Well I have always found that people in SWG are willing to pay for quality. I remember when I created my first 99 quality fishing poles and how I could bearly keep the bazaar stocked with them at max price at the time, 3k ea, while others with junk 100p poles couldn't sell them at all.
I am sure you will sell a lot of stuff but one of two things will happen. People will either find better or you will burn out. No, I don't sell volume and I couldn't care less about my competition as I don't even acknowledge competition with me even exists. I sell a product and it is certainly not a cheap product as the materials I use are pricey. Ihave paid5-10 cpu for raw resources if I see something better then what I am using and no, I certainly could not turn around and then sell cheaper. But I make a superior product and thats my primary goal, price isn't the issue for me. I could care less about volume, I have no intention of spending all my time in front of a crafting station.I suppose on your server your prices would be an issue for some though as I can't see how you can offer prices you do without resorting to cross server lot trades that hurt the people who mine for a living.
ExcaliburCH
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:54 pm
#6
Well.. I charge 20 CPU for my ship components and for that price I use the best resources I can get my hands on. I have a lot of customers and since I'm Master Shipwrighter and carry that title, I get lots of tells. So many, that I already think about to use my MTK title again. I don't have any chance to go my usual 'business' or piloting around the space to loot some nice stuff.
I don't sell many Blueprints and I don't have to. Together with my bro (who is almost MDE), our business runs very vell!
I'm not rich. I'm still on the same amount of money as when I started with JTL (around 1.5 Million). And if I wouldn't have a friend who helped me with grinding resources, I wouldn't be master SW anyway.
The quintesence is, I stick with my prices and I didn't have any customer yet (well since I'm master) who was complaining of my prices. No.. it's vice versa. I have customers who ask me to make them (i.e.) a cert level 5 reactor with a energy ouput of 14k+. And they tell me, that they are willing to pay any price for it. But still. I don't overcharge them. I keep my 20 CPU on components and I'm happy if my customers are.
Thats how I make business. Competition with other MSW? I don't have one. I don't need one. The customers which are satisfied with my work, are coming back and the next time with a friend. Than the friend is coming back and brings another one with him/her (happened two days ago).
I love to consult my customers. Ask for their wishes. Tell them, what they have to look for. Even tell them, not to buy a component or even a blueprint if it isn't really necessary! Believe me. They don't forget my name or the name of my shop. They tell almost every day, that they will visit me as soon as they reached their target tier just to by good components.
You can low price as long as you want. Discounts are surely good. But the specialist within our profession guild are far better
cheers
Exi
Ps. The Reactor mentioned above had exactly 14001.2 energy output when I finished it Mission acomplished *giggles*
I don't sell many Blueprints and I don't have to. Together with my bro (who is almost MDE), our business runs very vell!
I'm not rich. I'm still on the same amount of money as when I started with JTL (around 1.5 Million). And if I wouldn't have a friend who helped me with grinding resources, I wouldn't be master SW anyway.
The quintesence is, I stick with my prices and I didn't have any customer yet (well since I'm master) who was complaining of my prices. No.. it's vice versa. I have customers who ask me to make them (i.e.) a cert level 5 reactor with a energy ouput of 14k+. And they tell me, that they are willing to pay any price for it. But still. I don't overcharge them. I keep my 20 CPU on components and I'm happy if my customers are.
Thats how I make business. Competition with other MSW? I don't have one. I don't need one. The customers which are satisfied with my work, are coming back and the next time with a friend. Than the friend is coming back and brings another one with him/her (happened two days ago).
I love to consult my customers. Ask for their wishes. Tell them, what they have to look for. Even tell them, not to buy a component or even a blueprint if it isn't really necessary! Believe me. They don't forget my name or the name of my shop. They tell almost every day, that they will visit me as soon as they reached their target tier just to by good components.
You can low price as long as you want. Discounts are surely good. But the specialist within our profession guild are far better
cheers
Exi
Ps. The Reactor mentioned above had exactly 14001.2 energy output when I finished it
Mission acomplished *giggles*Message Edited by ExcaliburCH on 12-29-2004 10:25 PM
VemaGara
Wed Dec 29, 2004 2:07 pm
#7
This problem happens with all professions. Do you charge for resources or do you charge for demand? If you charge too little, you get hit with too much demand. If you charge too much, people think that you are ripping them off. Are you charging for your time or just your resources? If you have a superior or demanded product, do you make a profit on the rarity?
The best answer seems to lie in the middle. Pick a fair price. The price should leave both you and the customer happy, yet also discourage the buyer looking for the cheap deal. This way, you have steady work, they have steady parts, nobody burns out, and everyone is happy (except for the guy looking for the cheapest deal).
The second thing to remember is that the value of goods is entirely based on perception. When docs first emerged in the galaxies, they couldn't get paid because every doc and medic healed for free. The value of doc services was nothing. Literally NOTHING. When docs started buffing, the service was massively undervalued because people just expected docs to do things for free. The docs had to work to convince both the community and themselves that buffs were worth the premium.
Your community is saying, "Please don't create the perception that our time, labor, and knowledge is worth too little." A good shipwright isn't just selling resources, he's selling his expertise and experience in creating starship parts.
The best answer seems to lie in the middle. Pick a fair price. The price should leave both you and the customer happy, yet also discourage the buyer looking for the cheap deal. This way, you have steady work, they have steady parts, nobody burns out, and everyone is happy (except for the guy looking for the cheapest deal).
The second thing to remember is that the value of goods is entirely based on perception. When docs first emerged in the galaxies, they couldn't get paid because every doc and medic healed for free. The value of doc services was nothing. Literally NOTHING. When docs started buffing, the service was massively undervalued because people just expected docs to do things for free. The docs had to work to convince both the community and themselves that buffs were worth the premium.
Your community is saying, "Please don't create the perception that our time, labor, and knowledge is worth too little." A good shipwright isn't just selling resources, he's selling his expertise and experience in creating starship parts.
TomoRainer
Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:34 pm
#8
So you're employing the MAD-theory of a price war, then.
Or maybe it's just Self-Assured Destruction--5K for a part that takes 5K of resources? What, exactly, do your components look like?
Or maybe it's just Self-Assured Destruction--5K for a part that takes 5K of resources? What, exactly, do your components look like?
-Infidel-
Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:14 pm
#9
The only price war going on is in your mind. I don't know of any MSW's that have lowered their prices or are very worried about yours. Without sounding like a flame, your quality speaks for itself. Even mining the resources yourself, which I also do, you can't continue to sell at those prices forever and make a profit. Power, Maint are all overhead that has to be covered. You are just devaluing the profession and most of the other MSW's on Intrepid frankly just ignore you.
I also take the time to help customers with their purchases. I have a steady stream of loyal customers that shop for parts daily, and another stream that bring me loot to RE. And I have a guildmate that is a MDE for any droid parts that they need.
Jagged-F3l
Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:36 pm
#10
TomoRainer wrote:
So you're employing the MAD-theory of a price war, then.
Or maybe it's just Self-Assured Destruction--5K for a part that takes 5K of resources? What, exactly, do your components look like?
If he is harvesting all his own resources, this isn't bad. This turns out to be a 100% mark-up over his cost, which in the long term isn't bad. There are SWs doing this on our server, and they typically have big guilds or player cities behind them. An individual can't compete with SWs like this. However, in my experience, it is nearly impossible to meet all players' demands. My biggest selling items right now are missiles and countermeasures, and my customers tell me that they have a hard time finding them elsewhere. Thus, that is what I will continue to supply until I see things change.
Jagged-F3l
Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:46 pm
#11
-Infidel- wrote:
The only price war going on is in your mind. I don't know of any MSW's that have lowered their prices or are very worried about yours. Without sounding like a flame, your quality speaks for itself. Even mining the resources yourself, which I also do, you can't continue to sell at those prices forever and make a profit. Power, Maint are all overhead that has to be covered. You are just devaluing the profession and most of the other MSW's on Intrepid frankly just ignore you.
I also take the time to help customers with their purchases. I have a steady stream of loyal customers that shop for parts daily, and another stream that bring me loot to RE. And I have a guildmate that is a MDE for any droid parts that they need.
Hmmm...I've had to lower prices three times since JTL went live. Two of these times have been on the heels of the elimination of solo groups. While the money might still be there, combat players now that it isn't coming in as fast and are holding onto what they have.
Stratege
Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:05 am
#12
In such people like RTPrimus is only good thing – after 2-3 month some time faster they lose interest in making items… and drop profession after that people come back to you… and sure people never will found many items in there vendors so they come back to you, as always… From launch I architect and see many such RTPrimus, and where they all? Gone…
Doo-Boo
Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:33 am
#13
RTPrimus wrote:HI all,I just mastered shipwright last night and I will not be rasing my price do to it. This has casued a good number of the other masters on my server to get, well, very P'ed off at me. My prices are as follows:Novice ships 5kTier 1 25kTier 2 35kTier 3 65kTier 4 90kMaster 160kPartsMark I 500cMark II 1kMark III 2kMark IV 3kMark V 5kNow, In a pricing war, is it not fair to have a lower price then the other guy? No one is holding a gun to there head and saying "charge 15k for a Mark I blaster" oh, thats what one of them is charging for one and I can match there stats with in about 5%!
Let's see, you are within 5% of higher charging SW's. Let's look at an X-Wing Chassis. I can currently make them with mass approximately 101,514. At 5% less, you can make one with 96,438 mass. I'd pick the higher mass X-Wing and cram 5,076 worth of mass into it. That can be the difference in using a higher rated weapon, shield, armor, etc, etc.
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