Can't talk about low level markets, but i got tired of seeing all the new 4 star crafters trying to make money in markets i control, so i and other crafters on our server collapsed the 4 star market to the point where making HQ yields a max of 100k profit after tax or even a loss. I don't lose any money doing it, it is just a way for me to ensure that i stay on top and keep others down. We are a group of crafters that like our position of being on top and don't need randoms infringing on our profits just before the expansion that got everything after nerfs. Git gud or git lost.
EDIT: Silly forum limits on posting -.- TL;DR It was a joke, don't get bent out of shape.
That was a joke, there is no collaboration of crafters, at least not on my server. We're always competing with each other with no cooperation in mind lol. But from a serious point of view, why should i let someone who is desperate for profits infringe on mine? Not just desperate but they got everything post nerfs, plz. Back on point, it's more of come in and match my price and i have no issue, i see you undercut me by 1 gil. I'll start undercutting by 100k each time. Buy me out, i'll make 3 more and list em at the same price, repeat.
It was a joke but even if it were true it would be within the rules of the game, undercutting someone isn't an offense. You would have to prove actual intent and you can't do that with undercutting which is why i thought the OP calling it "harassment" was too jokes. Also, remove the curse word from your post or risk getting pema banned, people have been for a lot less.
No planned conspiracy lol, it kind of just happened on my server. I don't know if it happened on others as well. Too many people tried to get in on the pie, a lot of them produce nothing but nq ugh. Here is what happened to the Wootz market as an example. For about a month, one person was buying all of the wootz ore and allagan wootz ore at 2k and 20k a piece; the armors and weapons were at 2.5 and 3.5 respectively. I never crafted wootz even though it had around a 1.5 to 2mil profit per craft, too much to do, too little time. Back to the point, so many randoms entered the market that the guy dried up the supply of mats, didn't matter if it came out at 100k now for the allagan wootz ore; he still bought it. Not only that but he made 5 of each wootz piece and listed it at 1.5mil instead of the 2.5, as time passed. he dropped that even further down to 800k. Wootz gear is now stable at 800k and has been for the last month, on the other hand, allagan wootz ore alone sells for 100k. Giving a less than 100k profit or even a potential loss even on hq crafts. I find it understandable as well and don't really see an issue with it, people need to learn how to think strategically, too many ppl have no idea what they are doing and just run a rotation they found online hoping it "works".