[Suggestion] Icon/tooltip indicating if an item can be bought from a vendor

[Niwashi]

Item tooltips already say how much an NPC vendor will pay for an item. Just add beside it how much they'd charge for the item if it can be vendor purchased anywhere.

As for details like where you can purchase it, whether you can gather it, whether you can craft it, what mobs drop it, what quests or leves reward it, and so on, that's far too much to put in a tooltip. Even just where you can purchase the vendor sold items can be a long list for common ones. But perhaps an extension of the Search function could bring up this type of information.

It would be better than outside lookups, not only because it doesn't require people to leave the game every time they want to buy something, but because it could incorporate game data. For instance, if a Beast Tribe sells it, only show us that source if we have the reputation to be able to purchase it there. Same if the GC sells it, but only if we meet the right rank. If it's craftable, do we have the corresponding DoH class to the necessary level, etc. (Or perhaps list it anyway, but with a red "unavailable" icon next to it if we lack the reputation/rank/level or whatever.)

But in general, the vendor's selling price in the tooltip is more important than a full availability search. The tooltip would be enough to tell players whether it's worth looking up more specifics.

[Lukha]

...I don't see anything wrong with charging a premium for the convenience of being able to buy an item on the marketboard instead of having to hoof it all the way to the vendor to buy it yourself, nor do I see how this is in any way different from charging a premium for gatherable items. If you don't like the prices the item is listed at, then run to the vendor yourself and pay less. If you're too lazy to do that, and have gil to burn, then I did you a favor by posting the item on the MB so you didn't have to move more than a foot from your usual crafting spot to get it.

That applies just as much, if not more, than if you're too lazy to look the item up or ask your FC if and where it might be purchased. You're unwilling to expend the bare minimum of effort (especially considering that there's no way to play the game that doesn't also offer an internet browser that can be easily be swapped to for a moment), so you pay for that.

[Niwashi]

especially considering that there's no way to play the game that doesn't also offer an internet browser that can be easily be swapped to for a moment

Yes there is. Everyone playing on PS3 or PS4 needs a secondary device to look stuff up. Nether console has a browser that's actually usable. I don't always have my laptop with me, and rarely want to go to the other room and boot up the computer just to look up an item I want to buy. If I happen to have my iPod on me, I may look stuff up in its Libra Eorzea app, but if I left it upstairs, I'm not likely to leave the game and go get it just to look up every item I buy.

[Lukha]

Yes there is. Everyone playing on PS3 or PS4 needs a secondary device to look stuff up. Nether console has a browser that's actually usable. I don't always have my laptop with me, and rarely want to go to the other room and boot up the computer just to look up an item I want to buy. If I happen to have my iPod on me, I may look stuff up in its Libra Eorzea app, but if I left it upstairs, I'm not likely to leave the game and go get it just to look up every item I buy.

The browsers may not be awesome but they are perfectly functional for the relatively untaxing task of googling an item.

Even if they weren't, you just proved my original point; whatever the reason for it, if you decline to check whether the item can be purchased at a vendor then you're making the decision to pay the convenience fee I charge for providing you the ability to simply obtain it from the marketboard. Nothing is preventing you from doing so, so obviously it wasn't that important to you. It's no different than the person who chooses to buy a mat they could easily go gather for free.

[Dzian]

EDIT:
After some discussion, it seems to make more sense to include vendor location and the price. This will help players become more aware of vendor items, discourage players from reselling vendor items at a ridiculous markup, and it makes the research process faster for people who like look information up online.

A more detailed implementation would be to have different stacking icons/tooltips for the different ways (desynth, airships, dungeon drop, etc.) that an item can be obtained for quick reference.

The problem here is you\\'d end up with so many icons it\\'d just clutter the when interface.

As for adding the vendor information that\\'d be crazy. Some items maybe not a problem but other items. Especially common ones like gysal greens. How many vendors would be in that list you can buy those things literally everywhere. How big would that items tool tip be to include every vendor.

Would you have icons for items obtainable via tombstones gc seals allied seals, scrips etc etc. Some of those crafting mats sell for 100k and but you can buy em for 20 tombstones of lore. Or 1000 gc seals. Or brute leaches stack of them is 150k or you can grab em with 99 blue gatherers scrips.

It\\'s fine as it is really. The information on what vendors sell is not really hidden there\\'s even the official libra eorzea that already contains most of this information and is widely available.

Also I will quite often buy things on the market board at a higher price just for the sake of convenience. If I need rock salt or something I can probably buy 99 of the market board for 4 or 5k Gil. If I go to a vendor probably 1k Gil. Plus the cost of the teleport and the extra time. Might take me 5 minutes longer and only save me 2000 Gil. Not effecient

[Niwashi]

How big would that items tool tip be to include every vendor.

It doesn't need to take up extra tooltip space. On the item tooltip, just the gil price would be enough, and that can share the same line where it already shows the price vendors will pay for an item.

As for where to get it, we already have search features both for items we have and recipes we know. This would just be a third search option (more like the item search), for where an item can be bought/traded. Just like the chat box lists every slot where we or any of our retainers have a given item when we search for it, it can list every vendor who sells or trades an item (and who would sell/trade with us). Sure, if it's a long list, you might have to maximize the chat box to view it all, but there's really no lack of space there.

Also I will quite often buy things on the market board at a higher price just for the sake of convenience. If I need rock salt or something I can probably buy 99 of the market board for 4 or 5k Gil. If I go to a vendor probably 1k Gil. Plus the cost of the teleport and the extra time. Might take me 5 minutes longer and only save me 2000 Gil. Not effecient

Choosing to pay a bit extra from the market board for convenience sake is fine. Paying a thousand times what something's worth because it looked as though that were your only option isn't so fine.

Honestly, it seems the only reason for anyone to argue against this is because they like taking advantage of people in the later case, those who aren't choosing convenience, but simply being duped. After all, being given the info wouldn't prevent any sales from those who like the MB's convenience. It would only impact sales from those who were stuck with it as the only choice they could find. I don't think enabling sellers who are deliberately trying to scam their buyers is a valid reason to object to this suggestion.

[CayaLuna]

Paying a thousand times what something's worth because it looked as though that were your only option isn't so fine.

Buying something from Market Board already implies that there is at least one other way of getting the item. So I don’t see how anyone could ever think that MB is the only option to get the item.

[Niwashi]

Buying something from Market Board already implies that there is at least one other way of getting the item. So I don’t see how anyone could ever think that MB is the only option to get the item.

But the MB could still be their only source if they haven't leveled crafters and gatherers, for instance, or if they aren't at a level to run all the hardest content, or if they haven't gotten lucky with a rare drop, or if they don't have access to a garden, and so on. There's all kinds of reasons why someone may not have had a chance to get something on their own that might make it worth buying from the Market Board. (The market board wouldn't even exist if that weren't the case.)

A person who's duped into paying a huge sum for something to avoid having to level up multiple classes or farm lots of dungeon runs just hoping to get it, when in fact their other option is to go pay an NPC just a few gil, has been duped. And sellers who are deliberately targeting such players are scam artists.

If somebody bought an orchestrion roll for a million gil when it came out, because they thought that must be a really rare dungeon drop or from content they hadn't unlocked, since it's one they hadn't even seen yet in all the runs they'd done, and they'd already bought all the vendor ones a long time ago, when in fact it's one that had been recently released and is sold for 5k by talking to Maisenta, do you think that player chose the convenience of being allowed to pay a million gil for it instead? Or do you think the player who bought it for 5k and listed it for a million managed to scam them?

Every time new readily available items come out, they go up on the MB at these sort of scam artist prices, and a few of them sell that way. Scam artists don't need to be protected. When listing something above NPC price is genuinely about convenience, then letting people know the NPC price won't stop those sales. The only sales that would be impacted are ones that should never have happened in the first place. (Or i should say, the only sales that would be negatively affected, since an item that genuinely is hard to come by might sell for more if that fact were made more readily apparent.)

[CayaLuna]

But the MB could still be their only source if they haven't leveled crafters and gatherers, for instance, or if they aren't at a level to run all the hardest content, or if they haven't gotten lucky with a rare drop, or if they don't have access to a garden, and so on. There's all kinds of reasons why someone may not have had a chance to get something on their own that might make it worth buying from the Market Board. (The market board wouldn't even exist if that weren't the case.)

A person who's duped into paying a huge sum for something to avoid having to level up multiple classes or farm lots of dungeon runs just hoping to get it, when in fact their other option is to go pay an NPC just a few gil, has been duped. And sellers who are deliberately targeting such players are scam artists.

If somebody bought an orchestrion roll for a million gil when it came out, because they thought that must be a really rare dungeon drop or from content they hadn't unlocked, since it's one they hadn't even seen yet in all the runs they'd done, and they'd already bought all the vendor ones a long time ago, when in fact it's one that had been recently released and is sold for 5k by talking to Maisenta, do you think that player chose the convenience of being allowed to pay a million gil for it instead? Or do you think the player who bought it for 5k and listed it for a million managed to scam them?

Every time new readily available items come out, they go up on the MB at these sort of scam artist prices, and a few of them sell that way. Scam artists don't need to be protected. When listing something above NPC price is genuinely about convenience, then letting people know the NPC price won't stop those sales. The only sales that would be impacted are ones that should never have happened in the first place. (Or i should say, the only sales that would be negatively affected, since an item that genuinely is hard to come by might sell for more if that fact were made more readily apparent.)

1. I think you are vastly underestimating the intelligence of an average FFXIV player.

2. The purpose of Market Board is for people to make profit. No one goes there to sell things at a loss. It’s not a Charity Board. Don’t like overpaying for stuff, don’t use it. Every item on MB can be obtained by playing the game.

3. It’s buyer’s responsibility to research an item before buying. Google it, ask about it in FC or LS. It’s not a rocket science. Most people know how to do it in real life (comparing prices online, looking for discounts, etc.) so it’s not like they are unable to do it while playing.

Anyways, I feel like this discussion has run its course and I have better things to do. Bye!

[Niwashi]

1. I think you are vastly underestimating the intelligence of an average FFXIV player.

I'm pointing out something that happens regularly every time new items are added or new ways of obtaining them are added. You'll see easily obtainable stuff listed at completely outrageous prices, and if you check the history you'll see that some pieces actually sell that way.

2. The purpose of Market Board is for people to make profit.

Which you can still do perfectly well even if your ability to scam them is taken away. There are plenty of people who will buy stuff because they want to. You don't have to trick anyone into it. Information is perfectly harmless to legitimate trades.

Just like legitimate businesses are perfectly able to make a good profit in the real world, you can do so in-game as well. You don't have to resort to scams as the only way to make money.