Player-based shops

[Sykora727]

One of my favorite things to do in XIV is to sell things. I like buying and reselling and trading. So why not have large shops, except where players can run them?

It would be a PLUS to the retainer system
Now this would be an extension of the retainer system. Players would need to purchase or buy a plot of land and would be able to sell more than 10 items at a time. It would be a sort of entrepreneur class.


How would it work?
Players would have to sell, buy things at FF-specified minimums, sort of like NPCs so that it wouldn't hurt the economy, but would actually help set more solid rates on items.


Other types of shops
You could do it where you could have 2 or more types of shops, you could have a shopping strip where it'd be easier to get a stand, like rented stands in the market wards, (these would cost more, and would be rented), and then there'd be major shops within the city.

Other small shops would be the "traveling peddler class" where players can set up a small shop of wares (on the back of chocobo maybe?) and set up near crystals and other places of meeting.


What about keeping it stocked?
Players would be able to get their wares wholesale from a large system and they could choose to have a bazaar shop, armour, weapons, materials or more based on the type of lease they have.

Lastly, players could also assign a clearance bin where customers could bid on items and even give things away. This would be good for items that players need to move or items they had on them theirself etc.


Why do we need this?
Having something like this would set a better economic standard on items, it would be very fun, it would give better deals than NPCs do, and it would be more player-driven. I would like this far more than crafting. It's almost the same type of thing if you think about it.


Discuss. If you'd like to see this, comment, or share any other ideas that would make this fun.

[Nakiamiie]

I do agree we need more player shops in the open world (not confined in unappealing duplicate instances like the market wards -- even though I like the market ward system of selling with retainers, I dislike it's current physical form). However, I do not necessarily agree on how you want it (as a class). But yes, for the general principle: player run shops in the open world, please.

[Sinzfeldt]

Or just add an auction house. Problem solved.

[Evangela]

and stop make me laugh by saying market ward is the same or better than AH

[Sykora727]

I do agree we need more player shops in the open world (not confined in unappealing duplicate instances like the market wards -- even though I like the market ward system of selling with retainers, I dislike it's current physical form). However, I do not necessarily agree on how you want it (as a class). But yes, for the general principle: player run shops in the open world, please.

Well I was just throwing "class" out there. It wouldn't have to be that way. Either way, it would have to take some time to acquire. Maybe a high buy in, like purchasing the capital and then going from there, like any normal real-life business.

It'd be great for players looking to spend their money on something big, something big to work towards and make more money on.

[Zelito]

Well I was just throwing "class" out there. It wouldn't have to be that way. Either way, it would have to take some time to acquire. Maybe a high buy in, like purchasing the capital and then going from there, like any normal real-life business.

It'd be great for players looking to spend their money on something big, something big to work towards and make more money on.

I like your idea. Adding a system like that and linking it to a class is a neat idea imo. Leveling would be linked to your entrepreneurial success. Higher levels would unlock more buying/selling options. Also, your high-priced investments would be good gold sinks.

I do like the idea of a merchant class, and your broader selling ideas overall.

[Physic]

how would you beat the market ward/ah prices again? why would people go to your shop versus the market wards?

[Misha]

Making it a class would be interesting though... they could bring back said "Merchant" job or whatever it was called from tactics xD throw potions at people and stuff for battles, you know? >.> Pew! PEW!!! hehe... just thought I'd throw that out there^^

[Sykora727]

how would you beat the market ward/ah prices again? why would people go to your shop versus the market wards?

Well you would pretty much always have certain items in stock. Same thing as buying from an NPC: you wouldn't need to go to the trouble of tracking rare items down, or if an item doesn't exist on the server at all, you'd have a better chance of finding it. Of course, the prices would likely be a bit higher, but much lower than computer NPCs' prices.

[gifthorse]

We will never have a use for this because they are implementing Auction House.