Tailor Archive

Okay, I can't bear the guilt anymore. I did it! I did it and I wasn't ashamed of it!

Now, for the full story.

As an artisan going up the domestic line, I undercut, and I undercut drastically. I had barely any selection of schematics, and a laughable palette of colors. To get any business at all, I had to be the very cheapest at what I did. The progession went like this -

Phase I: You can have it for free! No really, you can!

My Experience: Few takers, since the items I was giving away weren't terribly desireable. Those who did take m items, often tipped me something for my trouble.

Phase II: Pay me what you think is fair

My Experience: After a few days on phase I, I realized that I could be a galactic do-gooder who encouraged tips by telling people to pay me what they thought the outfit was worth. This worked with marginal success, although with more takers than phase I. Tips ranged from 10-2000 credits.

Phase III: The first price list

My Experience: When I compiled my first price list, I simply multiplied th number of resources required by 6. Prices ranged from 90-680 credits, and I had more takers than ever before. My bazaar sales were doing great. I wasn't. I constantly had to run delivery missions when I needed training, or had to buy resources. I was frustrated.

Phase IV: I'm a tailor now!

My Experience: Once I hit novice tailor, I raised my prices a little, and rounded them off. Still purely resource based. More schematics than before brought in more orders than before, but I had to turn most away since I could not make about 75% of what I was asked to make. I was still one of the very cheapest tailors around - I just couldn't make much.

Phase V: Things get harder

My Experience: This was finally when I began to raise my prices to match the market standard. It got too difficult to keep up production when I still had to run missions, or depend on the kindness of others to keep me going. I could grind for advancement only one box every three or four days. It got boring, monotonous, and depressing. So bit by bit I raised my prices, and aimed myself at the more upscale market.

Phase VI: Master Tailor

My Experience: One skill box before I hit Master Tailor, I finally raised my price one more time. My prices are high, (higer than what is considered high on this message board). I own a large house, beautifully decorated with clothes, furniture, food, and a painting hanging on my foyer wall. I don't have a vendor that's stocked to flowing - I ad items every few days. I take emailed orders, but my prices keep me from being overwhelmed.

I enjoy the game thoroughly, and I enjoy servicing my clients with the best service and standards I can provide. My credit balance has been increasing by leaps and bounds - so much so that I consciously look for opportunities to help funnel the money out of the economy.

Since my prices are so high, just about everyone charges less than me. I have never let their pricing affect mine. I fill a niche - those willing to pay the highest prices for the quickest and best service. Having been an undercutter myself, I understand and empathize with their reasoning. Often, when a client finds himself unable to pay my prices, I willingly direct him to tailors with lower pricing schemes. Some of these clients I lose forever - some come back. I don't worry myself overmuch with what they do and do not do.

So long as I still get enough orders and sales to continue making enough credits to pay for my house and harvesters, and to buy anything I want to buy, I don't really care about how much of the market share I own.