Tailor Archive

Well, I'm just about at master tailor. If i can get my hands on enough petrochemical, I will make it by tonight. What I want to know is this...

What should I charge for master items?

I want to be reasonable, but I already know I'm going to be swamped with orders and I don't want to be taken advantage of. Any suggestions on pricing from other tailors.. especially other master tailors? I'm on Valcyn and know of only two other masters on the server (doesn't mean there aren't others just the only two I know of) so we're still quite rare.

Thanks!
Nalinya

Try to find local clothing shops around you and match up with the prices.

I'm currently selling master wear between 10k and 15k depending what item it is, and most dont even seem to have a problem. Hell I got tipped deluxe multiple times by other people for doing their requests so quickly. If someone thinks he can tip another 5k on a 3k order easily, there is money to get. His reason was that missins pay out well, he can afford it. Too bad a lot of people in here dont want to understand that, see the spreadsheet thread.

I think it is always better to price higher because you can always go lower when dealing with someone, but it is much more difficult to start low and go up

One major problem is that there's no decay, because that would allow you to keep high prices when items have high durability.

Assuming I've an item that lasts 1 month for 5k. Why wouldnt I be able to charge 10k for one that lasts 3 months? Such scenarios would be possible with decay...

When I hit Master Tailor I'm going to bump all my prices up a little, even the ones for lower level items. Because I think a Novice Tailor level item that people can get in a Master level color with 4 slots will be worth more than a Novice Tailor item with no slots in one of the bland Novice colors. I know this isn't how everyone's going to do it, but it may also be something for you to consider when you're working out your pricing.

10 - 15k for one-piece items. 6 - 8k for bikini types

Same, 10-15k.. 6-8k ish..

The flightsuits will fly out at 10, far quicker than you can ever stock them once word catches on. After I got over the master euphoria I bumped them up a bit. I'd rather have slightly higher prices than an empty vendor.

I think the real question is the tier 3/4 items. I have been pricing them conservatively, yet lately I've been tipped double because my prices were too low.. nice 6-7 piece outfit tier 2-4 for 10k and being told others are charging 12k just for one of the pieces.. *shrug*

Mine are the same as well. 6-8 for bikini 11-15 for suits.

There was a thread about this way back when, but I'll gladly share my pricing model with you. It has served me well and is far simpler than many of the formulas and spreadsheets that you will find. I have been a tailor since the start, and have been a master tailor for a couple of weeks. I currently have almost one million credits banked and spend no less than 75k per day outside of maintenance (let us not forget that an economy can't work if nobody spends any money).

Put simply, I charge materials * complexity for a given tailor item. That is to say the total number of raw materials used (counting the materials from sub-components) multiplied by the complexity of the final item. This causes some of the lower level items to be a bit more expensive, but the higher level items to remain affordable. For example you will find a revealing fleshwrap at my shop for just under 9k as opposed to the 15k that it goes for in many places.

When it comes to sockets, I do not charge extra unless a customer wishes for me to make sure that an item has a certain number of sockets. In that case, I charge 10% extra per socket.

As of yet, I have not "bumped" the price of master items just because they are master items. I may well rethink my pricing when clothing decay goes in and when BE factory components are available (and actually work).

In the end, I think that one is truly successful as a tailor by being willing to spend a significant amount of time with a customer to make them exactly what they want, as well as help them figure out what they want if they don't know. Even if it ends up just being some hide boots and some casual pants.

The other important factor for me has been location. I'm very close to Anchorhead. People can get off the shuttle, run to my house, shop a bit, and still be back for the next shuttle. I also try ("try is the keyword here") to keep my other vendors stocked with spice, skill attachments, a little armor, and a few weapons just to get more people in the door.

Anyway, hope this helps.