Shipwright Archive

If your vendor is on the galactic search, then yeah I think this is ok. I've been focusing on certain areas of ship components now when I get time. Last Friday I made a big run of top of the line weapons and engines. Next time I might do reactors and shields. I salute any shipwright who continues to provide a one stop shop. I think any pilot would appreciate being able to buy everything they need in 5 minutes. With the new search features though, it really lessens the impact of having to search all over for what you need.

I run 2 "one-stops" shops, but lately, barely able to stock one shop. I do notice that I get orders mainly from tier 3-master, who usually value specialization. Lower tiers tend to just want to come in and buy what they need.

I do also resell flightsuits and space droids, usually call myself a complete space merchant

I notice that when someone comes to pick up an order, they usually shop around and pick up some missiles/chaffs and clothing, so having it all does help.

I have just a few items ever on my vendors and work mainly on a "custom order" basis. I usually have someone send me tell looking for a component or a chassis and have them meet me at my shop, while I am talking to them about what they are currently using and have available for mass, energy, etc. I can usually build a long-term customer at the same time. I have been told I am far too cheap though by most so I might get very busy that way I guess.

I did have one person sen me a tell looking for a TIE/In today and I told them 150k, they thought I was crazy and said others are selling them for 30k? 1CPU? I charge 5 CPU as a flat rate and have never had a complaint, does this seem out of line?

The alternative if you could possibly arrange it is to enter a partnership with another shipwright or 2 and keep your vendors in the same store that way you can still focus on 1 or 2 different parts to keep stocked, while there still being other parts available on the other vendors. This gives the customer a one stop shop and may give you additional business as someone after an engine might buy a weapon from your vendor because it was right next to their engine vendor and they were browsing.

The problem would be deciding who stocks what etc. I was thinking about asking shipwrights about starting something like this on my server, as I have a vendor that just stocks pre-programmed flight chips which is quite successful even though its 1800m from the nearest shuttleport.

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Reek12 wrote:
Your profit takes a hit when you don't offer all components, though that doesn't mean you can't specialize. Most of my sales involve people buying several different items at a time, so if I don't offer a certain component they'll get it from elsewhere and will likely buy multiple products from the other shop as well.

But boy is it ever difficult to keep fully stocked on everything. I mostly do mk3 and up parts, and I'm struggling to stay stocked.

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Yes true Reek. I think to keep a "one-stop-shop" and not get burned out is to get a SW partner (or partners). Like we did with SoCo, at one time we were 4 (I was last one in), each specializing in some areas. However more and more people left until it was only me and Mucus and now it is only me (might be able to get Mucus start with SW again). That is the reason I asked about opinions about this. I have no time to do full-time SW crafting when running a weaponsmith business as well. So specializing in a few items is one way to do it (and I will continue to do ship weapon related stuff, make sense since I am a weaponsmith as well lol).

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Bermag wrote:

Yes true Reek. I think to keep a "one-stop-shop" and not get burned out is to get a SW partner (or partners). Like we did with SoCo, at one time we were 4 (I was last one in), each specializing in some areas. However more and more people left until it was only me and Mucus and now it is only me (might be able to get Mucus start with SW again). That is the reason I asked about opinions about this. I have no time to do full-time SW crafting when running a weaponsmith business as well. So specializing in a few items is one way to do it (and I will continue to do ship weapon related stuff, make sense since I am a weaponsmith as well lol).

I have so many times thought about if I should drop SW or not. But I have recently got interested in space again. Both flying and crafting (SW crafting gewt more fun when you are doing flying as well).

I think that shopping behaviour has changed. I find myself look more and more on vendor listing in Bazaar when trying to find something. Going to several locations is not a big problem anymore with short wait for shuttles. It probably takes less time to visit 2-3 vendors that I knwo have stuff than it is to look around different vendors in Coronet area for example.

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Hmmmm... maybe we should talk .

And I totally agree with you about the shopping behavior change. I've been offered prime spots in South Coronet but largely as a result of the galaxy-wide vendor search I've been able to successfully run out of a player city. Not being a big fan of South Coronet, it's been a huge help to my business.

Your profit takes a hit when you don't offer all components, though that doesn't mean you can't specialize. Most of my sales involve people buying several different items at a time, so if I don't offer a certain component they'll get it from elsewhere and will likely buy multiple products from the other shop as well.

I sell best when I am fully stockd. People like to find a fully stocked shop, and I get many mails and tells from customers telling me exactly this.

Having a mostly fully stocked vendor of crafted parts (accept droids & boosters which don't sell well) I find that most of my customers buy multiple things at a time. Very rarely to I have a I purchase customer, and when I do, it is usually someonelooking for a RE part and not a crafted item.

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Reek12 wrote:

Hmmmm... maybe we should talk .

And I totally agree with you about the shopping behavior change. I've been offered prime spots in South Coronet but largely as a result of the galaxy-wide vendor search I've been able to successfully run out of a player city. Not being a big fan of South Coronet, it's been a huge help to my business.

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I run my shop solely from Dantooine. I would like to say that I have a one-stop shop but frankly, I can't keep things stocked long enough to get all the different items available at the same time.