Tailor Archive
Thread: No biz for tailors? Economy problems with the mission nerf
Anyone else worried about this?
I sure am! Sure people were making good money with kunga missions before but considering how much money cities are costing that would have been all the money sink the game needed.
With the exception of bio-enhanced clothing, all clothes are LUXURY ITEMS. What happens to luxury item sales when people's income is taken away? Simple, luxury items are not bought and vendors loose business. Only items of neccessity are purchased when financial situations are tight.
All of my customers are people who have some spare cash to throw around and they use it to either get new threads or invest in a bio-enhanced garment.
I am certain I can kiss my business goodbye. I am very unhappy with the mission nerf, not only have our costs gone up but the economy is going to be choked.
Hmm. I dunno.
Every time they nerf the mission payouts everyone has become accustomed to, it's not long before they have dug up a new one that pays well, then that one is camped, rinse and repeat, credits burning a hole in theirpockets gotta spend it on luxury items now.
The Devs will either buckle and take item decay back out of the game -- or not -- and if not -- some will quit the game over it (silly) and some will live forevah and evah in their newbie clothes (boring) and some will get used to it like they have all the other changes, additions and balances and still spend their money on non-essentials. Like clothing. Eventually. Then there's some who realize 1% decay or even 5% decay on clothes,and the miniscule costs of insurance or repair, really isn't that much and will keep buying as much as they ever did.
In the meantime Tailors can continue to supply Armorsmiths with crates of cloths and Architects for Merchant tents toonow. Those who also have Master Artisan, well, there's lots of gew-gaws to sell by the crate. Droid batteries are a pretty steady seller now.
And I've noticed a new trend. A backlash trend maybe. Dancers are beginning to nearly faint when they see a Master Tailor walk into a cantina. They cry... "Where have all the Tailors gone!" and "I've been looking for a Master Tailor for a month now! I am so happy to see you!" Stuff like that there. Then they start throwing money at you.
I was rather flabbergasted when I walked into the Mos Espa cantina tonight and was accosted with glee. I was just going to log out there rather than run all the way back out to my shop. A Dancer saw me, shrieked to the room.. "A Master Tailor!" The other dancers are like... "Where? Where! Oh, there! Yay!" /boggle
So while my crafting droid and I were busy sitting at a table sewing pretty clothes that were not in black I told them where all the Master Tailors had gone. BE clothes for combat professions. Or hiding under one of their other profession titles, AFK on, and out hunting with their friends, or out tending harvesters and factories or swearing at their labor intensive vendors. Or simply hiding from overdemanding or clueless and rude customers.
The Dancers cried "Why? Why are they hiding from us?" I told them. "Because y'all start the tell hell before we are even done loading and want everything now, right now, yes drop whatever you are doing and hop four planets todo itand I want it delivered too. Now." They go like, "Oooh. That's understandable then. We didn't know." /boggle again
Not a one of them balked at the price of a single item. They were just too happy to actually have a tailor sitting in the cantina providing personal and immediate service. That economy is not dead at least. For now.
If the combat classes keep crying bankruptcy though, the dancer's disposable income will shrink as a result. Temporarily. The week before this last patch with item decay and nerfed missions, my dancer char on Bria easily made 20k in a few hours. After the patch, 500 - 2000 credits for a whole night has been common. Bah. It will revert back to the same old same old. It justs needs a little time to adjust and sink in that decay is here to stay. If not in the form it is now, another will replace it. Death should hurt. Death is gonna cost ya.
Same cantina, as the dancers were still stunned at the novelty of an MT in the room -- a Master Marksman spoke up. "Qitu! Can you make me some cool clothes for free?" Ha. Funny guy. So just for the heck of it, I said Yes. He actually stood up, turned to face me and took the time to type in, "Uuuuuhhhhh??!!"
Oh I was so polite. I was cheerful. I complimented his Guild uniform but agreed he needed something less martial for lounging around in the cantina. He preened and asked politely for a suggestion of what to wear. I told him I would not give away Master level clothes, but that I would make him an outfit of Artisan level clothes.
Well, he wanted to know what Master level clothes? I was wearing a Robe of Honor. I told him, "Like what I have on now. It is worth 15k." He thought that was a lot of money. I told him, "Not compared to armor or guns it isn't." He agreed that was true. Then I took off the robe to reveal what I had on under it. A metal bikini and belted skirt made with the new red metal palette. His eyes popped out with a "Wow!" I told him, that those were the kind of clothes he would not get for free.
Then I politely inquired what colors he liked and also suggested what colors would go well with his skin and marking colors. (Twi'lek) I then made him a Casual jacket, a Padded Jacket, some large pocket pants and a Flex form shirt. For free. He was overjoyed. Preened for all in the room. Tried to pay me anyway didn't have the cash. I told him to take care and come see me again sometime he had money to spend.
I had made his day. He left reeling, with his attitude adjusted. A little more educated and a lot more polite to me than when he began. I did what my Texan Grandma taught me as a little Southern Belle in training. Kill them with Kindness. It works.
I am not worried about the tailor economy. It will shake out. I enjoy doing what I do whether I make a lot of money at it or not. I don't cut my prices to make a sale. And sometimes I do a freebie just because I am in the mood to. I enjoy it. I won't be quitting the game or changing professions because a few vocal whiners want item decay removed. They are and always have been the typical type that weren't a Tailor's bread and butter anyway. And when they learn more about BE clothes, even most of those will be looking for a "Good Tailor."
Sorry I got long there. I'm just getting so tired of the "Petition to remove item decay" threads. I swear, I hear echoes of my 8 year oldwhining it takes too long to pick up his toys when he already knows I will reply that he shouldn't have gotten so many out then. Same to those who die and get decay. Don't die so much. Duh. Fight smarter. Not naked.
I agree on your point about nerfed mission payouts resulting in combat classes buying less luxury items. Entertainers and Tailors at least, will see a reduced income from the combat market. But I think it's a knee-jerk reaction on their part. They always do that whenever a new cost is added to their former playstyle. They don't wait to see how it even works before they start crying foul and hell no we won't pay protests.
But after a week or so, someone finds a new high paying mission, albeit, each cycle the payouts have been decreasing (per the Devs lament that there is far too much wealth circulating in the game). Once their fears of being broke all the time are not realized, they will start purchasing non-essentials again.
They will still use their first spending cycle on Doctor and food buffs, weapons, armor and travel expenses, but once they have a better understanding of BE clothes, the tailors making those will see their income pick up as well.
And as is always true, a new fashion trend always creates a buzz and flurry of spending. Warrior A just can't stand not looking as cool as Warrior B. That whole Teras Kasi fashion is so prevalent now, you can recognize one from 30 meters just by what he is wearing. Ha. Retro-newbie branded by what you are wearing.
Combat classes income reduction is a concern, but I think it is a temporary one. Peer pressure alone will stimulate spending. Keeping up with the Jonse's kind of thing. Entertainers will see tips increase again, and Tailors will see well-dressed warriors again.
One thing I am seeing is that with decay live now, more people with little to no combat skills are now fearful of running out to far flung shops to do their shopping. Most of my sales of late have been in city limits. Take your business to the customer. *hugs her crafting droid* Get a merchant tent and set up on the edge of towns.
Another strategy to try would be to cater to the warrior's needs as well as sense of style. Create outfits that combine pleasingly with the armors they wear. Arrange a partnership with a few armorsmiths to accomodate this style. Create more feminine looks for martial-wear. Cater to the female warrior fashions. I have yet to see a female combatant running around in just her white undies.
Sorry. Got long again. I haven't had enough coffee yet to ramble any more. Thankfully eh? LOL.
Anyway, don't worry too much. Things always pick up again once the initial fears of bankruptcy have not been realized. Just alter your marketing tactics a bit till then, and meanwhile maybe even open up new, unrealized markets for increased sales.
*runs off to get more cofee*
And I'd bet that even with whatever the new mission payouts are, people will have more than enough money to spread around.
BindyBalaroo wrote:
...Make yourself availible to your customers, charge a fair price to both them and you and you will be fine.
I think this sums it up nicely. I fear not the "nerf". People want to look cool, and as much as they all say "decay will make me go nekkid!" and "I've got no money for clothes", it will never happen. After you've paid your rent and insurance, after you've got your top-of-the-line DRXXZ-72 super capgun, the credits just sit in the bank. You don't gotta buy toilet paper and three squares a day, so what else are you going to do?
Besides, I make enough cash RPing fittings with people and giving them personal, professional service that I don't even wear my Master tag around anymore. Heck, I'd like to hunt holocrons, but at this point I'd probably have pitchforks and torches at my door if I tried to drop tailor!
It's good to be king. 
