Tailor Archive
Thread: Do I have to run a shop to make Master Tailor?
JimTheCactus wrote:
Uh, even if you buy the resources on the bazzar (At horribly inflated prices) they only cost 3 creds a unit. Rin your own harvesters and they cost 1.07 if you have a 75% spot and a 40% wind generator runnin it. Less if you have more harvesters...
Opportunity cost: if I can sell raw resources at 3 credits per unit, but instead turn those resources into clothes that I price at 2 credits per unit, I have incurred an opportunity cost of 1 credit per unit.
My only hope is that some of these kids run themselves into the ground and burn out in a few weeks or months, at which point prices will rise to the point where they do coverthe full costs of resources, labor, and infrastructure, while leaving a reasonable profit.
In the meantime... you don't need a shop, but it certainly doesn't hurt. It doesn't cost much and provides a convenient base of operations. In a good location, it might even be profitable... but I wouldn't know about that.
You don't have to but a showroom for your clothes is so helpful. People can look at what you offer and make a choice off of that. It sure beats the,
cust: I saw someone running around in something really cool. I want that.
me: Well what was he wearing
cust: This really cool black thing
me:ahhh..... okay..... could you maybe explain it a bit more?
cust: It wasblack and cool looking!! I really want one!!
me: please let the server crash so I can get out of this conversation. 
There was some severe bug on the Ahazi server that caused all characters to "mutate" in appearance, changing almost all features to an unattractive "default" mode. Suddenly, an entire galaxy got ugly all at once. There was immediate, vociferous outrage and wailing, and desperate attempts to somehow get peoples' characters fixed. And at this point, Image Design was *incredibly* borked, with most things non-or-barely functional, and XP trees that were *completely* ludicrous, requiring hours and hours of "pair grinding" to get anywhere. Yet some people did them, and had huge a huge market of people wanting to get their characters presentable again.
But the funny thing is, these were all Beta Testers (playing the game, yes, but supposedly at least *somewhat* detached), and all people who *knew* with certainty, that their characters would be wiped forever in a matter of weeks when the game went live. Yet despite all that, people were going to extraordinary lengths to "de-uglify" their characters!
Unintentionally, I think that was the best test of the game's immersiveness they could have asked for....
Another thing about the above story is that, *functionally* - which was like 99% of what we were testing - appearance made no difference whatsoever. Every character could have looked like a clone of Vic Tayback, and the vast majority of testing would be completely unaffected.
Nothing that we make (outside of the packs, yup -- and even then, who needs a Tech pack when they can have a Travel Pack for far less?) is necessary for a character to function. But the very expensive clothes are absolutely a sign of status, and at the very least, folks don't want to look *ugly*. I regularly get folks coming in saying "Please make me something, anything, so I don't look so n00b."
What gives me hope for the profession's long-term viability, though, is that *multiple* sets of clothing also seem to have become a status symbol.. and not solely amongst the entertainers who thrive on them (and who, in my experience, always want their duds to be the brightest and flashiest...so much fun to design *grins*). I have a backlist of customers who want to know when I can make new designs, and second versions of what they already have, but with newer or brighter colours. I regularly see people coming into the cantina and changing out of their armour into something er...'more comfortable'. And then changing again. And again, until they have everything matched the way they want it. It really is heartening to watch.
Very true. I myself am one of those characters that will sit in the cantina and put on my best stuff (Obviously more of a sales tactic than a vanity thing, but I would do it even if I wasn't a tailor 
) And I carry multiple outfits (Usually 2 because there just isn't the inventory for more) so I have an outfit for just cruising around and a nice formal cantina outfit. Since I double as a musician (and a medic, and a scout, and a marksmen... I would be more but there just isn't the skill points for it 
) I spend alot of time in cantinas showing of my new clothes, and it's great to hear the people say 'Where'd you get that?! I want it!'
But I also understand what you're saying too Sue: and I've heard the 'Make me non-n00b' question, (Even if it turns our that the n00b clothes are actually pretty hard to make, much of it being in casual 2) And although I wasn't in beta (They didn't pick me) it does not suprise me that everyone wanted to be outfitted and redone when they all went 'back to basics'.
But since apparently clothes seem to be the defacto indicator of status, I'm more than happy to be able to provide the community with their markers of nobility. (For an adequate fee... )
I am not a Master Tailor yet and have quite a ways to go but I will tell you one thing, having a factory is a definate must when you hit the 3rd levels of skill. So your going to be cranking out crates of "like" items to make your garments. Without a house to store all these excess crates in, where are you going to put them? The bank won't hold it all and what is excess today won't be excess tomorrow. Having a house is a necessity. You can have your personal station there too.
I use the Bazaar as an advertising medium. I sell alot of garments there and when they are purchased, I send the buyers a thank you e-mail which also gives them the waypoint to my store. This brings in alot of additional sales considering that you cannot stock the bazaar with much and you can stock your own vendor with tons of stuff.
Having your own harvesters are also a must as I see it. Granted it is an additional expense but I would never consider being at the mercy of the vendors at the Bazaar for Fiberplast etc. because they charge much more for it then a harvestor costs to operate.
If you don't go this way, you will eventually find yourself buying Synthetic Cloth, Reinforced Fiber Panels, etc. in crates from another tailor because you can only carry a small amount on you and you would have no way to store it. So I guess I can say is good luck because without doing all that I said, it will be very rough to make it. And don't worry about the money. It comes in. I have expenses that are pretty high but I also make alot of money daily.
I've still found that selling through bazaar and custom business -- garnered by sitting about in the cantina just as Jim does, actually (*grins*) -- has more than sustained me thus far; it's perfectly viable a thing to do. However, eventually you'll get to the point where you're able to make so many neat things that you can't even fit one of each on the bazaar.. let alone one of each colour. *coughs* And at that point, a vendor is practically a necessity too.
Now I just have to hope that I needn't spec in Merchant to get a decent vendor NPC...