Quote Originally Posted by Legion88 View Post
Do you know this: Libra Eorzea
This is the official app from SE for smartphones and such devices, IT IS PART OF THE GAME.
They give you the possibility to get all info you need to find most items ingame with their own app for the game and it doesn't cost anything.

Or just use xivdb, the best database for this game.
I know of Libra Eorzea, and I also know of the several other resources sites out there. I use them regularly. But clearly a lot of players don't know - or don't bother - to look up online whether an item can be bought from a vendor or not, because that's the only reason I can see as to why a person would buy, in the particular example I keep citing, an easily accessible 6,000g item for 20,000~30,000g on the marketboard. The suggestion I'm making is to have icons/tooltips in place for each item to give players a heads up as to whether an item can be bought from a vendor or not. This can be expanded to multiple icons/tooltips if the item can be obtained in multiple ways, similar to how Gamerescape does it.

In the end it boils down to "I have a item, you want it and how much are you willing to do or pay for it?".
If you are not willing to do anything (google search, Libra, XIVDB, dungeon farms, gathering, crafting, leveling, ...) you have to pay the price the salesman set or you just don't get it at all.
Then, as the developer, help the players develop healthier buying habits, right? Have things in place within the game that will help players become more informed buyers.

I can't find listing a 6,000g item for 20,000g on the marketboard as morally sound despite that "I list it they buy it" reasoning. 14,000g is not chump change for players who have limited resources.