Player owned shops - Very annoying!

[ParableApple]

So I've been having problems managing my shop.
I can't tell if anything in my inventory is worth much.

So I go around searching other people's shops... At first I assumed The search results would display the cheapest items first. But they don't...
often the first listed shop is locked, the second has the item at a ridiculously inflated price, the next shop i go to has the item I want, but only a couple, so I get them... then the next shop has many more of the item I want but much cheaper! argh.
So I have trouble finding out what things are generally worth, and also waste a lot of money when I'm buying stuff.
It also makes it almost pointless for me to lower prices, because I have no idea to get attention brought to my store - since I thought cheapest items would be displayed first, my shop would be listed first, but that's not the case.

So please, are there any tips? Any tricks to running a good store?

[Siertes]

I'm kind of glad stores can't be sorted by price. It increases the odds of me getting a good deal.

IMO, the way to get people to go to your shop is to advertise cheap items in your ad. If you think it's an item people want, put that item as well as its price in your ad. It increases the odds that anyone who visits will know the price and have already decided to buy it.

[Nani-chan]

Read similiar threads via "Forum Search"

Compare prices with both Npc and player shops.

Decide what kind of seller you are; i.e. 50% off weapons sell much faster than 75% but if you can wait a few days the 75% off may pay off as everyone bought out all the 50% so they come to your store.

Another method is to list a price that you think is fair and then if it won't sell lower slightly until it does.

Things that should sell B rank materials that npc at 800, sell at 500. A rank materials that sell at 2.5k, sell at 1.5k-1.7k, etc. Usually the more rare a item is the closer it will sell at 100%. At first people where selling (165K) 8* weapons at 200k+ since they have no npc competition yet. Things that drop every run like mates, will have a hard economy rate.

[Umberger]

Tricks? Go look at other peoples' stores and price your items lower...basic economics. Or find something that nobody or few people are selling. For example, yesterday, only one player shop had Ortaresin...at 9k...as opposed to the NPC selling them for 7.5k. If he would have even sold them for 7.4k, he could have made 74,000 meseta.

=x

[Dhylec]

Some threads & guides on player shops..
http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=126852&forum=22&14
http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=126038&forum=22&start=0&4
http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=125538&forum=22&9

[Jae]

When I'm pricing a new item, I generally go through everyone's shop, note their prices and leave. This is where I either a) compete with the lowest reasonable price that I saw, or b) undercut the whole lot of them if I want to get rid of something badly.

If I'm especially anxious to sell something, I list said item along with my price in the ad section. The ad section is typically useless because almost nobody updates it, but hey you just never know. Some people (like me) appreciate it when they search for an item and see the same item listed in the shop's ad section along with a price.

Just keep searching through player's shops and you'll eventually get the feel for what everything is worth. Also double check player prices versus NPC prices because sometimes items in player shops are being sold for even higher than NPC prices. *coughkerselinecough*

Oh and if you're on the PC/PS2 version, yes Ray-photons really do sell at 5k. It sounds like a lot for such a common item, but it's really chump change for people that are buying them to make Sori-Senbas that sell for millions.

[PMB960]

The best thing to do is to advertise how cheap your good items are in your ad. Most people look down the list of ads to see if anyone has prices for the items listed. My advertisment is usually something like Wood 75. Ash 400. Ebon 2k. Carbons 1250. People will look down the list see your prices and go to your shop. When I am in stock, which is incredibly had to do, I can often make 10-15K a day. Also get lots of partner cards and send an advertisment to everyone on your list that you have a shop. That is how I got most of my initial customers.

[JAFO22000]

Your ad means nothing. I see people claiming "cheap prices" but sell for 10% OVER NPC!! I don't even read ads.

Things I've found that work:

A: Don't overprice. If you aren't selling things, take a few minutes to compare what other shops are selling the same item for. Also, how many shops are selling the same item. If there are only 2 other shops selling the same item, then don't worry about dropping the price. If there are 24 other shops selling the same item, you will have to undercut them (most of them!) to sell your item.

B. Talk to people who come into your room to buy. Ask them what they're looking for, or if they want you to drop the price on something. Do so if their request is reasonable.

C. Sell certain things for cheap. For example, I'm a Fortetecher, so I have no need for Mates, Sol Ats., Star Ats. or Moon At X's. I never use them and always end up picking some up along the way, so I sell them for cheap! This gets people coming into your shop and buying. I'm on the 360 recommended list (or I was). I don't know how to get on there, but I sell a huge amount of mates and general healing items, so if you get on the recommended list by items sold, thats a good way to get on the list.

C. This is a weird one, but have a unique name. I can't tell you how many times I've found a shop selling for cheap prices, but couldn't recall the name when I wanted to buy the same item again because the name was common, like xX Sepheroth Xx. But I do remember that PACKERFAN01 (unique name) had good prices on Neu Ash...

D. Remember, everything is supply and demand. 7* knuckles may not sell for $30000, but you can charge 75-80000 for a 7* rod. Knuckles are used by few, thus the DEMAND is low, while rods are used by many (High Demand) AND the supply for them is low (I think 5 stores were selling them last time I looked).

Simple Economics. Everything is worth what someone will pay for it. If you have high prices, expect to not sell as much, but make more per sale. If you have low prices, expect to sell more, but at a lower profit.

[Siertes]

Well, advertising your items as "Cheap" in your ad certainly means nothing, but actually putting the cheap price in the ad means something. I know my items have certainly been going faster since I started doing that.

[Kesena1Tsum1]

Just don't sell stuff over the NPC price or I will come and eat your PM >:O

[FrogKicker]

I keep a record of who sells what for what price. It's good for comparing/buying. I don't keep track of everybody though(that would be crazytalk), but for synth materials I use alot of, it helps out a great deal.

I have about 5 people I go to on a regular basis for kerseline, vesteline photons, grinders ect...And their prices are always great. Trust me, if you have good deals in your shop for people they WILL remember you the next time they need that item or something similiar.

[Ryoki]

Or, if you are on PS2/PC, you can just sell Ray photons for 5k each. I don't feel too bad about doing it, since the only people who buy ray photons there are Sori-Senba makers, and they are rich MFer's right now.

Yeah, don't over price stuff. Unless it is Ray photons.

The Jan 12 update is going to destroy my business...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ryoki on 2007-01-04 12:26 ]</font>


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ryoki on 2007-01-04 12:28 ]</font>

[ParableApple]

Those grids are extremely helpful, thanks very much!

So it seems a lot of you specialise in selling certain items? I just tend to sell of anything i think worthwhile

[Razormaid]

Like someone mentioned above, when I get an item not sold by a vendor, I always check at least 10 player shops to note their prices. Sometimes the range is obnoxious, but I always find a happy medium.

Even when things are in high demand, I don't raise the price. Yes i'm on PC and sell Ray photons for 75m Lol call me silly but I call it fair. The easiest thing is just to price check whatever you're not sure on, and find a good base for you and your customers!

[AlieNxxxxxxxx]

Write something awsomely rare for super-rediculous cheap in your ad. That will bring people to your shop =]

[ParableApple]

On 2007-01-04 11:29, JAFO22000 wrote:
C. This is a weird one, but have a unique name. I can't tell you how many times I've found a shop selling for cheap prices, but couldn't recall the name when I wanted to buy the same item again because the name was common, like xX Sepheroth Xx. But I do remember that PACKERFAN01 (unique name) had good prices on Neu Ash...

Parable apple not unique senough for you? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

I don't think i've overpriced stuff, it's very hard to tell. I've just put up most of my synting items for sale, at 50% of what's on those tables. Also a couple of fluorescent bulbs at 30k... much cheaper than the others I found, but still seems ridiculously steep for a C rank.

Many thanks guys, next time I'll try searching harder.

[ChocoboChad]

Something other:

The recommended list, I find, is made up users that are in their shop.

Can someone confirm?

[Jae]

Every time I've ever looked at the recommended list, it's empty. How do you even recommend a shop?

[happy_cricket]

On 2007-01-04 11:34, Siertes wrote:
Well, advertising your items as "Cheap" in your ad certainly means nothing, but actually putting the cheap price in the ad means something. I know my items have certainly been going faster since I started doing that.



Hey! Good idea! This would make the ads actually worth something... I have almost completely stopped looking at ads becuase they are so mis-leading. Seems many, many merchants write the ad when they first open, trying to describe what they want their ship to be like, but then never achieve that, and never change the ad.

"swords, wands guns! Crazy Eddie's half price Force Superstore! Room Decos, Mag Food and More" Then you go there and there's one Wencaline and a monomate board.

[JAFO22000]

On 2007-01-04 13:03, ParableApple wrote:
Parable apple not unique senough for you? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif



Hey, your character name might be different...I don't want to assume...lol!

Also, stick in there. It took awhile for my shop to take off, but it will. If you take care of it and keep on top of the prices, you'll do fine.

[Synyster]

On 2007-01-04 13:58, happy_cricket wrote:

"swords, wands guns! Crazy Eddie's half price Force Superstore! Room Decos, Mag Food and More" Then you go there and there's one Wencaline and a monomate board.





All too often...
Except its usually just the wenceline...

[ycavan]

I would really appreciate a way to list stores by price... or by upgrade level... or by element, etc... as it is, I think the game server just serves up a random list of shops limiting the return value to 20 or something...

'n as far as I'm concerned, it's a real crappy thing to price your stuff more'n NPC prices... when I start looking for things, I have PSO-World Items database up w/ the npc price, so I can compare really quickly which shop owners are thieves. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[Thrash777]

It lists it in ID number order I think...? You know... the number that is 3000XXXXX something...

The lowest I've seen is Sychosis (Nyasia) at #614, but he tells me he's seen #12! Wow, 12th person online on the 360...

[Chris28]

player shops are wild. i put up a ydral for 10 million to see if any hackers would come...and they did. now i feel bad =(

[throttlekitty]

"recommended" is a random list, as far as i can see. the first time I used it, i got someone who hadn't had a thing for sale in over a week!

Sit in your room, hit recommended, cancel back, and repeat. You get a few people most every time.

Edit: not everyone who is making sori senbas needs ray photons, jerk! There's plenty of us who make weapons too! I'm constantly on the go for a high % ice weapon or two. And even then, jacking your price only jacks their.


What's worse than all the hacked meseta are the people who capitalize on it, why not just dupe it yourself?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: throttlekitty on 2007-01-04 18:06 ]</font>

[ljkkjlcm9]

they don't dupe it themselves because
A)They don't know how
B)Getting it through a shop is "legal" and not your fault, cause you're not a hacker

Either way, to have a successful shop, ONLY put things you plan on selling. I hate people that "use it for storage." You have 3 other characters... use them

THE JACKEL

[huntlyon]

I wonder how advertised low prices account for people seling nanocarbons for 3-4k...

[throttlekitty]

On 2007-01-04 18:26, ljkkjlcm9 wrote:
they don't dupe it themselves because
A)They don't know how
B)Getting it through a shop is "legal" and not your fault, cause you're not a hacker

Either way, to have a successful shop, ONLY put things you plan on selling. I hate people that "use it for storage." You have 3 other characters... use them

THE JACKEL



Meh, not my fault they're lazy!

And Agreed! I have seen shops where items are listed at 9999999999, but the shopkeeper was in, and was taking/giving deals. It was pretty fun actually!

[Razormaid]

Agreed on listing items 999999999999999999999 in shops "as storage." PUT IT IN -STORAGE- and leave it there >O! I also wish there was a way to filter out locked rooms in search results.. Nothing irritates me more ( than overpriced stuff ) than selecting a room boasting "Hey we have your whatever here!" and then it's LOCKED.

In short. If you want "storage", just leave it in your PM. There's no need to put it up for 11ty billion meseta. And if your room is locked for whatever reason? Take the stuff out! >O

~rant off.

[Jarek]

Stuff like this is annoying,
http://img.photojerk.com/SO1GGID.jpg
And I'm not sure who's more at fault: the idiots who brought all this h4xed meseta in, or the people who take advantage of it to fill out their own pockets.
I've only had the chance to synth various C rank things, but I sell them all for at least 50% off NPC prices, most things nearer to 25% really. And I've been pulling in money since the day I opened the shop (which was only 4 or 5 days ago). I'd say I'm pretty close to breaking even with the 15k needed to open shop in the first place.

And ray-photons being bought for 5k? lmfao people are so lazy...they are not hard to find.

[FrogKicker]

On 2007-01-04 15:30, JAFO22000 wrote:

On 2007-01-04 13:03, ParableApple wrote:
Parable apple not unique senough for you? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif



Hey, your character name might be different...I don't want to assume...lol!

Also, stick in there. It took awhile for my shop to take off, but it will. If you take care of it and keep on top of the prices, you'll do fine.



Until Sega decides to fix the retry button. Or at least make it so you don't have to make 47865967 attempts to log on with the 360, I will continue to put my 'storage' items up at 999999999. I refuse to log off my main, spend 15 friggen minutes logging on as an alt to put something in shared storage, then spend 15 more friggen minutes getting back on my main.

You don't like it? Don't shop at my store. You're loss not mine.

[Razormaid]

On 2007-01-05 04:27, FrogKicker wrote:

Until Sega decides to fix the retry button. Or at least make it so you don't have to make 47865967 attempts to log on with the 360, I will continue to put my 'storage' items up at 999999999. I refuse to log off my main, spend 15 friggen minutes logging on as an alt to put something in shared storage, then spend 15 more friggen minutes getting back on my main.

You don't like it? Don't shop at my store. You're loss not mine.



My question is why put it up at all, when you can just leave it in your PM? Did you run out of space or something? o_O Also.. how are we supposed to shop at your store when everything is 9999999999? In general, if I see items priced for that much as storage, I don't even bother to look for what I came in for and just leave. That's just me tho', I dunno if anyone else does that @_@

[FrogKicker]

Yes, I only do that to items that filled up in shared storage and my pm. Mainly scapedolls and buffs though. I always get laughed at for having low as hell prices, vesteline 4k, need I say more? So yea...ignore my shop because you see a couple 999999999.

[Lowene]

I think this could be so much more improved than it is right now. And i gotta admit that i myself get PRETTY annoyed when shops that are locked pop ups. i mean if they are locked filter them out ffs! That would make the time searching less painfull.

[Magician]

Yeah, the player store system here is sloppy, ill-conceived. The meseta duping on PC/PS2 certainly doesn't help matters. ST could've spent the time to fine-tune the player store search system, having an advanced search to select a particular item plus a max meseta amount you're will to spend would do worlds of good to weed out the 99999999 price listers. Would that have been so difficult?

Anyway, for as flawed as the player store system is, it is still the best way to make meseta. And with that, I add a shameless plug for my X360 store.

Magician's Wares (http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=126714&forum=2&start=0&22)
2* Wpns 250/each
80% off usable items
70% off synth mats
30% off 8* wpns

[Vuman]

I agree with the sort function. I don't care if a random passerby buys something, most likely won't be a regular customer. Smart shoppers make the best money.

This would especially be helpful for finding weapons with attributes. Having more than 20 come up in the list is a drag.

[Arislan]

I make a list of shops that have especially good prices, and another that has things like the pic above, along with people that misadvertise (Everything below NPC price! Oh yeah? Why are all your synth mats 250% of the NPC?) or those that aren't worth the time (Everything below NPC price! Great. I get to pay 3999 instead of 4000 for a Kerseline. I'll buy from the NPC, thanks). Most I remember right off, but other times I'll make a quick pass on the list and see if it's worth visiting.

[FrogKicker]

On 2007-01-05 06:58, Arislan wrote:
I make a list of shops that have especially good prices, and another that has things like the pic above, along with people that misadvertise (Everything below NPC price! Oh yeah? Why are all your synth mats 250% of the NPC?) or those that aren't worth the time (Everything below NPC price! Great. I get to pay 3999 instead of 4000 for a Kerseline. I'll buy from the NPC, thanks). Most I remember right off, but other times I'll make a quick pass on the list and see if it's worth visiting.



Never thought of adding the bad people to my list...great idea. Guess it would help when trying to avoid the bad apples.

[Sychosis]

On 2007-01-05 06:58, Arislan wrote:
I make a list of shops that have especially good prices, and another that has things like the pic above, along with people that misadvertise (Everything below NPC price! Oh yeah? Why are all your synth mats 250% of the NPC?) or those that aren't worth the time (Everything below NPC price! Great. I get to pay 3999 instead of 4000 for a Kerseline. I'll buy from the NPC, thanks). Most I remember right off, but other times I'll make a quick pass on the list and see if it's worth visiting.



Same here. Unfortunately my blacklist is 6 times larger than my whitelist http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[Knight_of_MIA]

Another example that player shops do not have to be annoying:

In general, my shop prices range at about 80% of NPC prices, in many cases even lower but never more than that. The reason is, that I do care (!) not to spend too much time on (re)arranging my player shop and checking for other players´ shops. The limited spare time given to me, I want to play.

As someone said before, you can call that silly to have more or less fixed prices, but I just call that fair. 80% means, prices could be averagely higher for general items, but considering special items, weapons or line shields - there you can make a nice deal out of it. All in a sum, it still remains fair.

Of course you can´t get grinded weps from NPC, or line shields with odd elemental defenses. In these cases you can obtain these goods to reasonable prices - and still fair prices in the common sense.

You can proof on your own, check my store (PromoStar) regularly and see. If you meet me in, we can bargain of course http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[_Deliverance_]

It's frustrating how the "fucktard" population outweighs the "resonable/good people" population.

[PMB960]

On 2007-01-04 15:31, Nukei wrote:
Put prices low, your wares will sell in less than an hour http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif o.o;



Less than an hour? Does it really take that long? Honestly when I put up Wood, Ash, Ebon, Photons, or any other synth mats people are honestly in my store in under 5 seconds. Often times I see people getting mad at each other because they bought an item someone else wanted. If you actually list prices for good items in your ad you can make easily 30K+ the first day your shop is open. As long as I can keep in stock I can make 10K a day selling stuff I find with my lower level alts.

[Diablohead]

One time I was still putting items in my store and someone came along and brought them before my eyes, was great XD

[Spacepest]

On 2007-01-05 08:05, PMB960 wrote:

On 2007-01-04 15:31, Nukei wrote:
Put prices low, your wares will sell in less than an hour http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif o.o;



Less than an hour? Does it really take that long? Honestly when I put up Wood, Ash, Ebon, Photons, or any other synth mats people are honestly in my store in under 5 seconds. Often times I see people getting mad at each other because they bought an item someone else wanted. If you actually list prices for good items in your ad you can make easily 30K+ the first day your shop is open. As long as I can keep in stock I can make 10K a day selling stuff I find with my lower level alts.



LOL I saw that people were complaining on this board about Rayphotons being sold for 5K, so I went to my player shop and listed a dozen for 3K. People came stampeding into my shop and cleaned it entirely out in less than 30 minutes.

[CyarVictor]

It's great to wake up to find 70k in your bank yet you don't know what sold.
I like to sell items I know will sell for dirt cheap since i usually don't have use for them anyway like kerseline for 2-3k or par Ebon for 1500 since I easily find them/convert them from ash I find constantly. I don't like idiots who think because it have green or yellows stars that the item is worth crazy prices like: Vestaline for 10k or Mot Ebon for 7k. people need to look at the npc shops. My favorite is the price is equal to npc shop: i say i'd rather go buy it from the npc shop which i usually do since player shops usually are meant to keep prices slightly lower than npc even if it's only 100 meseta lower.

One of the best speech from a random person to me and my bud: Could you guys give me meseta?
Me: Why?
The random guy: Because it's New years and it's good to be nice
My bud: Well Happy new years and Goodbye followed by Blacklist

Seriously..... either it's way overpriced or your own shop attracts lazy beggars. >.<;;



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: CyarVictor on 2007-01-05 13:36 ]</font>

[ycavan]

LOL http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif)

I totally agree that no PC shoppe should ever be higher'n NPC... it's just stupidity... if you dupe someone once, they are NOT going back to your shoppe.

[panzer_unit]

On 2007-01-05 11:17, Spacepest wrote:

LOL I saw that people were complaining on this board about Rayphotons being sold for 5K, so I went to my player shop and listed a dozen for 3K. People came stampeding into my shop and cleaned it entirely out in less than 30 minutes.



Someone probably bought them all, went home, and re-listed them for 6k. You know they'll sell.

[nefarious]

The way player shops are set up at the moment is horrible.


The long and short of it... is that you're assiting people in ripping off other players by making it a monumental pain in the ass to check more than a few shops.

When it comes down to it, it's a better use of my time to just browse a set amount of shops, and go back for the cheapest item... and even if I could get it for 25% less, somewhere else, the amount of time I'd have to spend to find that item, isn't worth the amount of money I'd save.... I'd make the money back faster, in a smaller amount of time, if I just went and did some runs solo. In addition to the EXP and MP.

What they REALLY need is a way to add players to your block/ban/blacklist (Without physically standing next to them or having them in party) and through that not see them in search results for shops... So you could block a player who's shop sucks, since they probably suck, too.... and stop seeing them come up in results.

Just my 2 cents.

But I really hate the whole loading screen every time I switch rooms. Shopping around turns into a huge waste of time, and freaking event, if you actually shop around.

And word of mouth or remembering good shops/deals/players is bad.

Why?

It's the walmart theory. Low advertised prices, but normal, or higher than normal, on other unadvertised prices. Basically a good rep just lets you rip people off easier because they're not expecting it from you.

[throttlekitty]

A feature I'd like to see, when searching by item:

Make the list window bigger, and let it involve the price of the item you searched for, along with quantity
(or the first item for sale if multiples are entered)

_>Mot Ebon

-John - Mot Ebon /3/ 500000
-Bob - Mot Ebon /76/ 862
Jane - Mot Ebon /1/ 3000

Or even:

_>Del Jagnus
Tom - [b] Del Jagnus /1/ 732468726987236498726
Cluod - Del Jagnus /1/ 1300050
Joe - [b] Del Jagnus /1/ 31337


Wouldn't that be handy? It might even help fix the economy a little bit too. I'm sure many people are selling high because they aren't looking to see what other shops sell it for.

And yea, selling at vendor price? It's easier to just head to the NPC, so at least you can buy however many of X item you need all at once. I've been tempted to just trade items for "Close Shop" Tickets.