Tailor Archive

hehe yure missing my point. its not that tailors need to ''make as much'', Im not even suggesting we make 35k for a single master item (like armoursmiths and droid engis) what I *am* saying however is that it seems OTHER tailors are forcing values down so low on the highest end items that newer non-master tailors couldnt even hope to eke out enough of a living to erect the equipment they will *need* to make master..

I fully agree. A member in my guild who is Master Architect sells homes for 70K and so on...and I agree, it's not like we need to make 35K for a Master Tailor item, but it is very disheartening to see items in the third, fourth tier of a Tailor tree go for under 1K.

Items in the Third Tier shouldn't go less than 1K, and I have had to drop some of my prices just to keep up with the competition.

The Tailors that have highly undercut others though are either making a lot of money by selling a lot of low priced items...but if not selling enough they'll get dried out. I guess it depends on everyone I guess. I've seen dresses by a certain tailor on my server going for 1K, and these are level 4 dresses. I don't charge anything less than 1200 for a dress in level 3. It's outrageous and really hurting the other Tailors out there!

You know, when I'm not on strike Iget a thousand creds for a pair of standard boots. Some people think that's outrageous, but if I'm the only one in the area making boots, and if people are willing to pay that much for them, that's what their value is.

If somebody wants to sell a garment with an approximate street value of 15k credits for 2k, I'll very happily buy it and resell it at market price. It's very much as if they're handing me 13,000 credits for doing nothing at all.

I also buy and destroy items dumped on the bazaar at junk prices. Controlling supply is an aspect of keeping prices up. Some people willcompare you to Machiavelli, Satan, or, worst of all, Alan Greenspan for engaging in such tactics. Or maybe even to your local weaponsmith. These are people with a vested interest in breaking your back over the thinnest profit margin imaginable, and should be ignored.

It's not like the weather. You CAN do something about it.

Okay, I admit I am one of the guys selling at lower prices not cut throat mind you, but lower. Here is my reasoning. At first I lowered prices because some folks were out of control on Kettemoor. Some masters were selling dresses for like 10000 each and shoes for 1000. That is a little too high in an economy that is struggling to stay afloat. I am not a master but I have Formal IV. Formal IV goes for 2000 credits for the dresses and dress robe only. It seems fair and those are really the only items in the formal line worth selling at this point. Formal Jackets and Dress Uniform jackets maybe, but I stress maybe.

Second reason. When I started I had no customer base. Of course not cause I was new! So to gain one I put my stuff on the bazaar at reduced prices to attract customers. As it turned out, I only needed to do that for about 1 week and then I had a long lasting set of girls who came to me for their items . . . until recently when the well went dry.

Third: It is the economy silly! (Oh God, I just said a Clintonism . . . let me go wash my mouth out with soap real quick) Much as I HATE that real life saying, in our case it is true. The tailor economy is not really very good right now. Selling at higher prices something that no one needs (Unless a player "City" asks you to not be armed or armoured in town and no naked bodies) is only going to further kill our profession. Don't take me wrong, I love tailoring and when I do it for someone I get REALLY into it and go beserk!! lol But let's face it. Right now, our profession is a nerfed out CDEF Rifle made with low quality material by a newbie with no experimentation for sale on the Bazaar at 1000 credits. (looks good, not going anywhere though) Now, I don't expect that to last forever, but FOR THE TIME BEING we tailors are pretty close to obsolete. The only folks who need clothing are newbies and maybe your regular 5 - 20 customers (almost all women) So "gouging" them isn't going to get us anywhere.

I understand the frustration that tailors will never get super rich in the game unless you are a miner as well and you gouge on that (Which I hope we all do :-) Arrgg matey prepare to be boarded 10:1 on the minerals ya really need har har har take that ya land lovin DE, Architect,WSscallywags!) But really this is a RP profession. Love it for that if for nothing else

Broy Brions

Crossriver, Talus, Kettemoor

Maybe your economy is that bad on Talus in Kettemoor.. but on Naboo it's just fine. I'd even say it's growing by leaps and bounds, judging by the number of new large houses being built.. and by the number of customers dropping 20K-40K on clothes in the blink of an eye.

I think the *worst* thing tailors can do is sell stuff cheap on the bazaar. You want to sell cheap face-to-face? Fine.. but once you start putting your low-priced wares out on the bazaar, you start forcing prices down for everyone. And you hurt the up-and-coming tailors who need to sell artisan wares to fund their business.

I'm not really sure about my dress prices, mainly because I haven't sold that many. My customers seem to be more interested in field wear and casual items rather than formal. Anyhow, since I'm not confident that my dress prices are "right" I don't list any on the bazaar. If I have one or two items way cheaper than they should be on my vendor, I can live with that.

I had a nice post written up on one of the threads a while back, but the forums ate it.Basically I said that I consider my vendor and bazaar prices a MSRP. A list price, basically. I will discount as much as 20% in person for multiple item purchases. I've thrown in matching dress slippers with gowns, or lekku wraps, from time to time. Heck, if we could somehow "package" items I'd do things like "get a free matching flex-form shirt with every camo" or something like that.

Now, sometimes this backfires. I gave someone a discounted price on a flightsuit (he bought a total of 3) because there was "supposedly" a PA order for 20 of them to follow. Well, so far the PA order hasn't materialized, which is okay. What is NOTokay is that this person told someone else that I sold flightsuits for the discounted price. So, I have a customer walk in and say "So-and-so told me I could get this flightsuit for X price." That made me VERY unhappy. It also made me realize that I'm not going to discount based on promises of future large orders. :-)

Anyhow, Imaintain that it is NEVER necessary to sell high level items at artisan prices just to build business.

"" Ri'a Ocoli
"" Master Tailor, Kettemoor
"" Fine Attire by Ri'a is 1km north of Keren at 1190, 3770
"" .. my door is always open, stop by any time!

I'm one of those Tailors that sells my stuff for a lot. 1k for boots, 10k for master level suits and some dresses. I justify 2 ways: 1) I don't spend a whole lot of time making clothes. Maybe an hour, two or three on a busy day. But this keeps my maintainance paid up, donations to my guild, and a decent amount in the bank. 2) By selling for more, I can afford to not make money on every component, every resource. Often times I'll have someone come to my shop, ask for something, and want the colors a little bit different. With what I charge, I can make 3 different items, to make sure they get exactly what they want, and shrug it off. I can give out clothes for free when I want, such as free clothes to the models when I did the fashion show, or free hot pants when we streaked Theed. I'm definitely here to have fun, and if I were poor, I would not be having fun. Plus, people are totally willing to pay what I charge. Those that aren't go else where. And for low level items, that's great, because it means a lower-level tailor can get some business, get the XP, and even if their prices are a little high, they seem low after mine So until the economy falls out, and everyone is broke, I'm gonna keep the prices high.

Oh, one other thing. Keeping my prices high, I'm able to offer 50% off everything for entertainers. They always love this, and they deserve something for all the hard work they do.

I'm on Kettemore too and I don't have a problem charging a lot for the clothes I make. I have a set price list (1k for tier 1, 1.5k for tier 2, etc...) and it sells. It sells even though I charge a bit more than the other tailors in the area. Why charge 1k for a cloak when you can get 2k for it? Most customers simply don't care about a measly 1k credits - after allthat's a newbie mission. So I decided early on not to undercut the other tailors, but just to sell things for what I think they should be worth and if they don't sell then I make something else that does. Although, it does help that there aren't too many tailors near Keren so I can always find something that isn't being offered.

P'las

It may sound harsh, but if you don't like the prices where you are, move. Find a good place to ply your craft.
I've found all kinds of things cheap on the Bazaar. the other day I saw a Gunman's Duster for 200cr!! Now I don't know if this was by the tailor or someone just wanted to dump it. But you can bet your bottom credit I bought it and put it back on there at 3k. And you know what? In 20 minutes it sold!
There's a certain Rebel heavy city on my server that I hang around. Why? For all the military types there, no one else is making boots, gloves, uniform looking clothes. And I make good cash there, let me tell you! It's all about finding your place in the universe.

If tailors supposedly don't have items that people need then please take a screen shot of someone with a non-nOOb title over their head that is still in the original profession clothes. Truth is you probably won't find it. Everyone needs clothes. Not everyone wears armor. Tailors desreve to make enough money to survive and run their harversters without having to run missions. Truth is all master level items should be 8-10k and work down from there. I like the idea of buying underpriced items on the vendors and reselling them. I think I will start doing that. Also when you buy those items, and if they are sold by the tailor, then send them an email saying you bought the item forX price and that you will be selling it for Y price. Once people realize that they can sell for more then they probably will.

Make items that people are always wanting and charge extra for them like orange flight suits and grey imp dress uniforms.

I have no problem with price competition, or any competition in general. There are 2 other very large shops in the area of my shop, and I still get good business, as I'm sure they do too.

I do have a problem, however, with the 2k for master tailored items bit. It is ridiculous, especially if it's one of the complex items likea Robe of Honor. Some of my master tailored items go as low as 4k, but that is because they use less components, etc.

It seems to me that some people (not just tailors) will put stuff on their vendors with no relativity to other items, what it took ti make the item, etc. For example, my fiance was shopping for a new wep, and saw two with very very little differences in damage. and the price difference between to two was 50k.

I dont see how a Master tailor can NOT be losing money if they charge so little for their wares... don't they have harvesters and a factory to pay for?

or so it is starting to seem, according to other tailors. Ive found master items (made, not dropped) for sale on the bazaar for 1 or 2k and yes, these are being sold by the tailor who crafted them. What's wrong with that? It doesnt cost *that* much to make. Well, neither does anything but other professions manage a healthy profit. Frankly, I dont need the profit, but here's my major problem with it. You're new. you start to decide on a profession. You choose tailor and work hard to gain novice. Now, youre managing a few of the basic skills and lo and behold you discover that the finest items in THE GAME sell for eh 1000 credits. You look at your meager wares and simple colours. what can you do? ask 20 credits for something you've made? oh joy. Luckily, youre also a fighter. So you ask that master armoursmith for some composite. good heavens, he says, ''not for 2k LOL ROFL'' and you wonder just how youre going to afford OTHER profession's master items...and how *ever* will you afford that much needed factory? Or your harvesters? or the generator? or the hides? good heavens the hides! yep, thanks to caring master tailors who make items that are the hardest to earn in skills the cheapest pieces of common trash on the bazaar you too can wonder how on earth you'll make it. Oh, I know, be a tailor for the sheer joy of the profession. but good luck getting to master!

Tailors probably don't make as much because unlike droids, weapons, armor, etc, nobody really needs clothes, because they don't do anything except make you look good and possibly hold skill enhancers (which would be neat if tailors could craft those). Sure a lot of people like to buy clothes, but the average person (average being people that run around shooting things and each other all day) isn't likely to want to spend a lot of money on something that can't even be worn over their r0xx0r armor. I think of tailoring as the entertainer version of the crafting professions (though I personally am enjoying being able to make my own stuff now).

The economy IS broken, but only because there is far TOO MUCH money in it. People who are broke are either not trying to make money, or are buying lots and lots of stuff (usually the latter). Selling your wares too cheap only hurts you, it doesn't really help anyone else, except to save them a few minutes of running a mission.

I've made a very nice profit on tailoring. My prices are WAY higher than the cheapest tailors, and lower than the more expensive ones. Tailors who sell items for less than the resources are worth, then claim that "tailors can't make good money" are pretty funny. Of course you can't make money if you drop you profit margin to near-zero!

Your resources, time and effort all have a value. If you price your wares too low, you only hurt yourself. Nobody who enters my shop complains about the prices, most are just excited to have found a source for anything they want. People will pay 1000 for boots or gloves, and they'll pay 10 times that for the best items, without blinking. Charging a lot less isn't "being nice", it's pointlessly giving away money. Charging what people are willing to pay isn't "being mean", it's being smart.

Tailors need to decide if they're running a charity or a business. If you want to be the patron saint of Tailors, giving away your work for pennies, more power to you... but I'd prefer to deal with people who respect my time and effort, and are willing to pay for it with the money it took them an equivalent amount of time to acquire.