Smuggler Archive
Thread: Smugglers blues when dealing with pricing power.
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Balkstar
Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:40 am
#1
Can someone please tell me why people have a need to sell crates at 5k or less for Moun and Pixie in bazaars???!!!!!
Not one real world company I know gives a discount of 60+% when items are bought in bulk, unless it was to buy someone out, but routinely I'm seeing items like Moun that I sell out everyday for 500 cr. individually in the Coronet bazaar be sold by people that believe that selling cases of 25 for 5-6k is perfectly acceptible there.
Please break up the cases into 5 and 10 unit batches. That truly would more represent the actual cost of these units. The Smuggler profession is already broken enough. Don't help contribute to its downfall.
Not one real world company I know gives a discount of 60+% when items are bought in bulk, unless it was to buy someone out, but routinely I'm seeing items like Moun that I sell out everyday for 500 cr. individually in the Coronet bazaar be sold by people that believe that selling cases of 25 for 5-6k is perfectly acceptible there.
Please break up the cases into 5 and 10 unit batches. That truly would more represent the actual cost of these units. The Smuggler profession is already broken enough. Don't help contribute to its downfall.
As for the whining public that tell us that 10k a slice is too much and that when compared to Docs buffs we are being inconciderate with our pricing, remember this:
1. Compare the number of times that players visit Docs for buffing to the number of times that you visit a Smuggler to slice a weapon. Pretty high ratio, huh? When someone puts on their Master Doc tag, immediately they are overwhelmed with requests of "How much are your buffs?" and "Are you buffing right now?" Docs know that they can get immediate business anytime they want, anywhere they want.
When I put on my master smuggler tag in Coronet you can hear crickets chirping. Face it. Slicing is not that popular any more, but when someone needs to get a slice, they have to have one now. That is where I say that my time is money, and you will have to pay for my immediate service. This leads me into my next point...
2. Slicing cannot be scripted. It ismore than therawmaterials that we put in.We have to continuously focus on the screen in order to do slicing successfuly. One false step in our slicing, and we are out several K in aquiring a new weapon for our customer. Trykeeping track of serveral conversations at the same time you slice.It's not easy.
I don't think Docs really worry about that too much.
Rogue135
Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:24 am
#2
To me 10000 credits for a slice is a bit over the top, but hey, if someone can charge that and get decent buisness, more power to them, I won't complain. I've been charging 5kon slicesfor Joe Schmoein Coronetmyself,3k for my regular customers (butthey seem to insist of tipping me extra)and free for a selectfew friends. I've built up quite a decent reputation, for a no good, low down, dirty pirate... I've been told my prices are fair, too much, and too cheap so as far as I'm concerned, that means they're just right. I do not give slices under 20% away for free, that's just bad buisness in my opinion, but ifanyone elsewants to do it, that'stheir perogative.
I won't even touch the spice trade at this point, I make enough of it for my own personal stash and that's it. I do have one of each spice type on display in my house though, for quick reference on which one does what, and I've been hoping the revamp would go back and change them so I don't have to re-do them...however, they're taking up valuable space and I may be disposing of them soon. I feel your pain though, I for one wish the Devs would at least fix the spice tree soon, I can wait for the rest, but spices are dead. It's kind of sad to see booze that does more for your mind than a spice, I always thought drinking made you think slower. 
jbezorg
Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:00 pm
#4
Balkstar wrote:
Can someone please tell me why people have a need to sell crates at 5k or less for Moun and Pixie in bazaars???!!!!!
Because nobody need's Pixie because of brandy and buffs and if they get in trouple they can eat Vercupti (sp?) for at 1k+ buff on their health action and mind with no downer rather than my Pixie that does not improve mind and has a downer.
People know this. Spice is an unpopular alternative to food. Muon does a little better since the PvP crowd needs it to counter the mind attacks in an emergancy, but with the combat revamp coming before the smuggler revamp and with less attacks on the mind, the PvP crowd is going to need Muon less......
I've been sitting on crates of muon and Pixie for weeks.... they've cycled through the bazar 3 times now.... I can't give it away sometimes....
"Thanks man, but I'm okay. I only use it in emergencies and I still have 14 left in the crate you gave me a while back".
/sigh
/sing "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, think I'll go eat worms.";
xTekx
Mon Aug 02, 2004 4:54 pm
#5
Balkstar wrote:
Can someone please tell me why people have a need to sell crates at 5k or less for Moun and Pixie in bazaars???!!!!!
Not one real world company I know gives a discount of 60+% when items are bought in bulk, unless it was to buy someone out, but routinely I'm seeing items like Moun that I sell out everyday for 500 cr. individually in the Coronet bazaar be sold by people that believe that selling cases of 25 for 5-6k is perfectly acceptible there.
Please break up the cases into 5 and 10 unit batches. That truly would more represent the actual cost of these units. The Smuggler profession is already broken enough. Don't help contribute to its downfall.
As for the whining public that tell us that 10k a slice is too much and that when compared to Docs buffs we are being inconciderate with our pricing, remember this:
1. Compare the number of times that players visit Docs for buffing to the number of times that you visit a Smuggler to slice a weapon. Pretty high ratio, huh? When someone puts on their Master Doc tag, immediately they are overwhelmed with requests of "How much are your buffs?" and "Are you buffing right now?" Docs know that they can get immediate business anytime they want, anywhere they want.
When I put on my master smuggler tag in Coronet you can hear crickets chirping. Face it. Slicing is not that popular any more, but when someone needs to get a slice, they have to have one now. That is where I say that my time is money, and you will have to pay for my immediate service. This leads me into my next point...
2. Slicing cannot be scripted. It ismore than therawmaterials that we put in.We have to continuously focus on the screen in order to do slicing successfuly. One false step in our slicing, and we are out several K in aquiring a new weapon for our customer. Trykeeping track of serveral conversations at the same time you slice.It's not easy.
I don't think Docs really worry about that too much.
When I put on my master smuggler tag I can almost guarentee getting a /tell from someone asking for a slice. Slicing is in high demand. I have friends and guildies constantly asking for slices. Everyone wants that 30% or higher damage slice. And they'll get 2, 3, 4, 5 or more weapons just to have a chance at that slice.
As far as the prices for gold and pixie I can't believe you're going to say that. I charge 5k for a crate of 25 on each one. I get plenty of business for it and its all pure profit to me because I supply my own resources.
And Don't bring that "You should charge atleast this much for a slice" attitude to gold and pixie. We've already been over that topic again and again. We don't need another one.
Just my 2 cents
JTGAlpha
Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:13 pm
#6
Balkstar....I TOLD you guys that would happen when they raised the bazaar cap to 6k. I TOLD you. No one buys spice anymore PERIOD and it's still profitable to sell on the bazaar (though narrowly) if you mine all your own resources (or have some other channel to buy at less than 2 cpu).
Why have ONE shop when you can sell in every major city? Called it.
Ugh. Hate spice low balling. As if spice sales weren't bad enough.
eitario
Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:35 pm
#7
as far as slicing i charge 10k up front because 1. i dont need to slice and 2. i am usually running a BH mission and am buffed. if someone wants to hagle with me i press on with what ever my flavor of the moment is. i dont comment on other smugs slicing prices, its their business. and i wont even touch a locked container well maybe for 15k 
i prefer a smug coming up to have a shot at that xp since at lower levels can be at a premium if youre strapped.
i prefer a smug coming up to have a shot at that xp since at lower levels can be at a premium if youre strapped.as far as spice goes i use but dont deal its just not worth the time anymore IMO, i keep some one hand or in in the middle of a battle or going to one will craft some muon for a few select associates that may be out.
to reiterate what someone said before that motivated my slicing prices, docs buffs last a few hours and or slices last the life of the weapon and can make a more effective combatant, so i feel justified. plus i take pride in the time and effort to make master.
just my 2 cents
Isoas
Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:08 pm
#8
Same situation for me on Infinity.
I've got a vendor up and running when i only had the spice column up. I "stocked it" with only 20 crates of Muon and 20 of pixie.
Now, of course, i finished the slicing tree and put clamps / knives on this same vendor.
I've been through 5-6 FULL restock of the tools (thats to say 40 crates each restock) already...my puny 20 crates of muon/pixie are still there (and sold @ 6k mind you, not even above bazaar price lol) 
On the other hand, i still sell (when i take the time to) spices on the bazaar and they sell ok..
FrankLee
Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:37 pm
#9
Muon and Neutron are all that sell on the bazaar anyway, and they usually come in at below the 6k cap for a crate. Why? because if you use totally worthless materials and have cheap power, you can make them for pennies. I've got thousands of units of Muon and Neutron, I only sell infrequently or when I need to freshen inventory.
You want a laugh, try selling the other drugs. When that doesn't work, try giving them away.
I actually have a bunch of spice doses at 1cr/unit on one of my vendors...
They're still there.
Sometimes someone knows that due to their stat migration or a new set of armor, or a favorite special, that a given drug is just what they need. That's the only reason I can see my 1 or 2 crates a week or stuff like thrusterhead or booster blue being sold. Or, complete noobs looking for a cheap high.
Spices should be salable on an open market. Altered weaponry, factional components, none of that should be openly for sale. With a well-considered Imperial Crackdown, Imp cities (or rebel cities under serious resource strain) should also limit certain medicines and resource sales, even nationalizing some materials if they're put up for sale.
Oh yeah, and spices need to stop being **edit**ing worthless compared to food, buffs, and drinks.
You want a laugh, try selling the other drugs. When that doesn't work, try giving them away.
I actually have a bunch of spice doses at 1cr/unit on one of my vendors...
They're still there.
Sometimes someone knows that due to their stat migration or a new set of armor, or a favorite special, that a given drug is just what they need. That's the only reason I can see my 1 or 2 crates a week or stuff like thrusterhead or booster blue being sold. Or, complete noobs looking for a cheap high.
Spices should be salable on an open market. Altered weaponry, factional components, none of that should be openly for sale. With a well-considered Imperial Crackdown, Imp cities (or rebel cities under serious resource strain) should also limit certain medicines and resource sales, even nationalizing some materials if they're put up for sale.
Oh yeah, and spices need to stop being **edit**ing worthless compared to food, buffs, and drinks.
p4Samwise
Fri Aug 13, 2004 2:42 pm
#10
Balkstar wrote:
Can someone please tell me why people have a need to sell crates at 5k or less for Moun and Pixie in bazaars???!!!!!
Beauty of a free market.
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