The markets, stalls, price listing and undercutting. (A suggestion)

[Oscillate_Wildly]

Lately on our server {Besaid} there has been a TON of undercutting following the latest patch making it harder and harder to turn a profit from any synth. My LS and I were having a discussion on the recent prices of red glass lenses, silver alembics, glue, and really from what I hear, everything we craft.

I understand that now that quest mobs drop loot it's easier to get a-hold of some of the more difficult mats. Ahriman wings for example.

The undercutting has become more prevalent after the update that added price listings to the item search counter. More than convenient, having it show the 'cheapest' listings has become more of a competition between sellers to get their gear sold first. The finished items generally cost less than the mats together.

I'm not quite sure what to blame, bots or the competitive spirit and ass-hattery that's taken over the wards. Now this isn't meant to spark a debate or argument, but we've been discussing (My LS and I) ways to apply a hotfix until more gil sinks are added to the game which we believe are important(Chocobos, airships, etc.)


Stalls: No one uses them anymore, they're just not necessary other than to provide us with an even more expensive way to sell our goods.
Our first idea was to limit price listings to those using stalls, or a fee to the price listing itself. An extra tax per se.

To stop stall camping, a cool down timer would be added, or a queue much like those on leves.

I always thought the stalls were interesting, and they should reward those who use them some sort of benefit.
I enjoy the Item search counter but the price listing is killing us.

Price listing tax: By having your prices announced in the Item Search Counter, there should be an added tax of a certain percentage of the items sold, or a daily/36 hour straight fee. I'm more for the percentage as it wouldn't discriminate against you whether you're rich or poor.

But what about the stalls? One way to benefit those who use them, and to justify the cost of running one, the price listing for those using stalls would be slashed to 0 allowing their items to be posted with no fee.


I don't really know how to end this post. ): So pip pip. Discuss.

[Cairdeas]

I love when people use the word "Undercutting" as if the person doing it is the bad person.

When a producer undercuts, It is usually because they can make a profit while still granting an affordable price for an item.

When a Producers price is undercut by another person it usually means that producer is Overcharging for the item to make pure profit.

In a Free Market these events should always be allowed to happen unhindered it is what leads to competition and balancing the economy.

The problem that is faced in an MMO versus the Real world is Marketing. An item that is similar to another can be sold easily for a higher price with the right marketing. The best example of this is the iPod.

If you look at the core things an iPod Does.

Catalog, organize, and play music.

It is a wonder it sells so much when there are plenty of other devices out there that also Catalog, Organize, and Play Music. Some for much cheaper? So why does the iPod sell more then most other MP3 players?

Advertising and Marketing. Pure and simple. These features can not be used in FFXIV. Because no matter what a player does to produce an item it will always be that item. They can not modify it to add a feature that others might want more thus increasing its value to the next user.

How can this be fixed? We already know of a system that is coming that will help. Materia.

If a Crafter can make an item, instil materia into it that makes that item more powerful and thus more appealing, he can get away with charging more for it and making a sell. But again once another user can make the exact same item with the same materia load out, do it cheaper and make a profit he will. Thats how an economy should work.

[Oscillate_Wildly]

Fair point, our markets are also over saturated with many of the same goods which go unsold week after week, and people get impatient and lower their prices just to make 'something' which is frustrating as the price just keeps getting lower and lower.

If however the undercutting was being done because it's cheaper easier, that's just fine.

But what I'm seeing at least on my server is this: You pay a steady price for an item, perhaps upwards to 2-3k, there isn't always a lot it, but you get what you can get. Then suddenly one day, someone puts up half a stack, drops the price down to 1k, and the price steadily declines even after the stock has been depleted and that seller is gone.

[viion]

I undercut because I want MINE to sell fast and before everyone elses. Cant blame me for that

But im mainly only in the shard department. Until you cant see the price (which i doubt will ever happen) you will always, always, always get undercutting.

[Cairdeas]

I undercut because I want MINE to sell fast and before everyone elses. Cant blame me for that

But im mainly only in the shard department. Until you cant see the price (which i doubt will ever happen) you will always, always, always get undercutting.

This is the other element of Undercutting that I forgot to mention.

Product Stock. If there is too much stock and not enough demand the price should drop. If the stock disappears and never replenishes the price should go back up.

[kiba]

ya like on my server the prices stay bout the same cus one day theirs none of that product and the next theirs alot of it

[Oscillate_Wildly]

The problem is the price never does go back up on a lot of things. Like fish. At least not for very long. You always have people willing to take a dip in their profit to sell just ever so slightly over the NPC price just to make a little more qil, a bit more quickly.

[Oscillate_Wildly]

Sorry double post.

However, another point to this thread is reworking of the stalls, they're really interesting and could serve another purpose.

I like how the market works, instead of XI where a price HISTORY was shown allowing people to artificially inflate items. But to show the cheapest...Lol, pretty much what Premium Virtue said. There doesn't even have to be a large stock of items for others to have the same thing in mind.

[Rentahamster]

But what I'm seeing at least on my server is this: You pay a steady price for an item, perhaps upwards to 2-3k, there isn't always a lot it, but you get what you can get. Then suddenly one day, someone puts up half a stack, drops the price down to 1k, and the price steadily declines even after the stock has been depleted and that seller is gone.

That's called the laws of economics knocking on your door and telling you that everything is just according to keikaku*.






*translator's note: "keikakku" means "plan".

[Mack]

I like your idea TC but I personally think they are going in favor of an AH in the future so I wont comment any further, however I will say one thing that if they stick with MW I think your idea is great, it gives stalls a clear benefit and makes it so the search only shows you a limited number of prices. Thumbs up.