Serious Question.

[Lavi]

Ok I was wondering what everyone thought about this: If someone who is rich controls the AH prices. By this, I mean a single person buys the entire stock of an item, usually very expensive, on the AH and since the item is very limited in stock (in other words a high level craft item or rare NM drop) now controls the entire stock of said item. The person then turns around and sells the item whether it be on their main account or another mule for a much higher value.

Is this wrong? I mean this person did nothing to gain this extra gil and gave nothing to the server as a whole. They didn't farm for said items nor did they craft said items. I see this alot and it bothers me that just because someone has too much gil, needs to spend their gil to make more in what I think its a immoral fashion. To me they did nothing to deserve this gil and basically took away gil from people that deserve it more. Those that actually took the time to farm for their gil and contributed to the server.

Please vote and post any comments you wish. Feedback is always welcome, but please no flaming as this is the general discussion section and I posted here for that very reason.

 

[Nyett]

I voted yes just cause its you Lavi. ^^
Its not wrong in the sense that its business and thats that. But.......in a game about community, they are being selfish as hell draining ppl of gil when the "Rich" should be helping the lower ppl gain greater items. Too much real world gready bull leaking into the game. (Especially when gil can = RL cash)

 

[Mithracat]

Wouldn't it be considered monopoly? Because if it is...

 

[CubsWoo]

Nothing wrong with this in the least. In this kind of game, with an economy driven mostly by the players, it's cut-throat sometimes and if someone wants to run the risk to try to 'control' a product, more power to them.

For example, let's say I want to 'control' the Platinum Ore market. So I go and buy every Ore in every AH for ~50k apiece. I then start turning it around for 75k each, since I have all the supply. Can I make a profit on this? Sure. But what if those that need the Ore simply say 'too rich for my blood' and don't buy the product? Now I'm stuck with a lot of returned Ores and even more gil lost in AH tax.

Playing the AH is not some foolproof magic money making option. You need to know your market and know what those who want what you're trying to control really will pay for an item. I don't think 'morals' have any place when it comes to something like this - I have no regard for Anonymous Person X who wants to buy what I'm selling.

 

[Ezikiel]

Buy low.. sell high.

Its like the stockmarket, nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

 

[Direwolf]

Its alot like the stock market, take Cubs example of the Platinum ore, there is now higher insentive to go mine platinum ore. Granted with items like PCC it would be alot harder to do that, but again it is all supply and demand.

 

[Mistaya]

Its not wrong at all. The person who does it can get burned and BADLY like in cubs' example. What if someone mines a bunch more plat ore and puts it up for normal. To continue his monopoly he has to constantly make sure the only ore on the market is his own by buying it out, which reinforces the low price even more and costs him money. Eventually the market will just bottom out because its too much of a loss to buy ore off the AH. Then the monopoly man will be stuck with a ton of ore he can't sell. He will end up selling it at a loss to get rid of it.

Toying with the AH this way can get you a lot of money, or lose you a lot of money. Its a big risk.

 

[Drea]

Yes Lavi that is wrong, but people don't care they just want the gil...

 

[Anderithe]

It's actually the best way to make gil. Outside items that are crafted a good deal or appear in the AH frequently you face little danger.

Who will undercut you when selling in this game? On an item like say... scorpion harness?

NO ONE! They will want to make more money as well. This is documented every day. Try to get shie under the highest price posted. You won't get it 9/10 times. That's SHIE, that's one of the most used items in the game.

Yeah, it varries, but really high demand will generate really high prices. Need to xp? Expect to pay.

Who will go out and get an item of their own? People who need it and won't be selling it. Not the people you compete with.

Who will just say screw it? Not the gilbuyers, not the people who really want their item, and not the higher levels twinking their next job.

In short, best and most assinine way to make money. I'd suggest getting a mule and doing it. Then give good people the money they need for things. I don't do it, and frankly... I never would. However, I've seen it done, and man does it work.

 

[Blackchaoshero]

i voted yes but i'm sickeningly guilty of it. when i got my first few K i bought out all the low entered backplates and jacked the price up by about 500G a backplate, holding a monopoly on stock for the most part i managed the effectively keep the price up. also, when my friend tried to start goldsmithing he told me to use my market controlling powers for good and lower the prices of zinc ore... noting the impossibility of lowering the price i instead took advantage of a market where there was (at that point) low stock and people who could afford to pay exuberant amounts of gil... zinc ore went from 100 to 500+ >.>

 

[Mishaela]

Pricegouged +1.
Monopolo..li..zed...+1.
I think it's horrible that people screw prices like that, but there's nothingg anyone can do unless either EVERYONE refuses to pay the price or someone else gains a good flow of the item and just simply undercuts, but that's a technical loss on their behalf which not many people will do.

 

[Ryme]

Hi Lavi

I see no problem with it at all personally. Nobodys forcing you to buy anything, if you dont wanna pay then dont. Some people have more money and have the option to do those sorts of gambles. Player driven economy will always be like that, its just the way the cookie crumbles :wink:

 

[Rones]

If their was a static supply of the product, as in no more ever created or entering the market, then yes it would be wrong because it is a monopoly. However, that doesn't exist for any item in the game. Buying up all the items is only putting a temporary crunch on supply to raise the price. It's basic business and part of every capitalistic society.

Not only does the buyer run a large risk doing this, but others may take advantage of it. Since he is forced to buy all new supply entering the market they can take advantage of his rising price and instant purchases while still undercutting him. If that continues long enough the buyer will have to concede and sell back all his product for what the price was before if not lower because of the sudden surplus in supply to attempt to salvage his finances. Otherwise this might simply be setting a new lvl for the supply/demand of a product. This act occurs most often on high demand products that have dipped well below their actual value, yet do not have large supplies. It could almost be seen as an economic fix.

 

[Marajade]

zinc ore went from 100 to 500+ >.>

he did this just to spite me actualy.

 

[Skaw]

It's not wrong, as its been mentioned, it can backfire rather easily.

I add virtually nothing.

 

[Demonknightx]

this reminds me of saving up for my Grace Rings.. u knw the +4dex HQ ring at lvl 54. When i hit lvl 50 and saw em on the AH, i thought i'd save the 500k each for em, 1mil right? Well after about 2 weeks of farming, camping, and a Garrison run or 2, i manage to get the 1 mil gil. And like a lil kid on his way to the candy store with his allowance, i skip my way to the AH, lo and behold, not only are there no rings available, its gone up 100k in ONE sale about a day before.

So, i do only what i can do, go farm some more so i can get my 2nd ring while waiting for more to list. A day later, off i go to the AH again, only to see the price raise ANOTHER 100k, making the rings 700k each. Well, i bought the only one available and try to go farm some more, since i only had 500k. 200k raised and 2 days later, i find myself at the AH seeing another 100k price spike in my ring, and getting extremely pissed off i just borrow 100k from a friend and get it, leaving me broke and in debt T_T>>

i guess my main point is like what was said before, people who really want an item will pay whats necessary to get it, but i mean come on, 300k price spike on whats visible in the Price History? i can see a raise in price over a period... maybe it was just a stroke of my luck or whatever. although i do understand its a HQ synth from a fairly high lvl of Goldsmithing. aw well, im done venting ^_^;; i'm loving the +8 dex from my rings

 

[cocyte]

Monopoly dont do any good to any community, I think it has already been proved.

But, buying all the stock of an item to set the price higher is not a monopoly, it's what we call in french "une fuite en avant" if you dont control the supply. You will do this one time and set a new price higher, every person wanting to sell it will sell it at the new price. You'll buy at the new price and sell it higher ... and again and again ... until nobody buy the item.

So nothing really wrong in that imo.

 

[Darkdante]

Is this wrong?

Why do you think you have a right to judge what someone does with an item they farmed?

What if someone came along and said, why are you selling that for so low? Because your selling it so low your cutting my profits.
Does he have a right to tell you so?

If not, why not? In his mind you are costing him gil, you are doing him wrong, just as in your mind you think the person jacking up the price is doing you a wrong.

But does it really matter what you think when it isn't even your item?
Should other people have a say in what you do with your very own items?

 

[Darkdante]

people that deserve it more.

Why do these people deserve it more?

 

[Rones]

Strange, the poll is really close, yet there haven't been any explanations for those who voted 'yes, it is wrong'. Anyone care to supply reasons for why you see it as wrong?