With trading,
Anyone in azeroth can be in a farm-free state
Anyone in azeroth no longer need to grind for consumable, repair bill, enchanting and gemming
Anyone in azeroth can be on baby mammoth (Not recommended however)

Excuses

“I don’t need gold” -
you need, let’s face it. Even you are not into vanity like Me/Gevlon/Seth. You still need to pay your repair bill / consumption/ gear enchants etc. Unless you stop raiding and pvping altogether, you need money. And there are different way to gather the money you need. Why don’t take your time and find a good way for it? (And proven profitable e.g. crafting)

“I don’t have time for this” -
Trading didn’t mean AH-camping, which some of our fellow trader trade in that style, but it’s not necessary. You can still be rich without camping. Yes, you may earn less compared to those camper. (Here’s why). But so are working, you work less, you gain less. I would said the loss is acceptable, Trading still give you much higher gold/hour then other form of grinding.

Take my glyph industry as example, I post twice a day, which takes me 1 hour, which reward around 1-2k gold per day, While the mail getting and posting part is mostly afk.

“It’s too complicate for me” -
if you notice, this is the same line a M&S would said. “I can’t do 1800+ dps” , “I can’t get out of the fire”, “I can’t interrupt/CC/[Insert any task here]“. No, trading is not hard, compare the time you need to grind to the same amount of gold. Some area in the trade is easy to learn, e.g. Cross Faction Pet Selling, Cooking Receipt Gathering.

I know the picture is scary to some of us, but this is not the only way.

“I am not that kinda evil trader, who prey on poor and clueless people” -
These group of people, In Gevlon’s word, Social. Trading is not evil, in terms of economic, a efficient trade will give everyone better off. Econ 101: Alisa want an glyph/[whatever goods], she is willing to pay 20g, Bob want to sell a glyph, he’s willing part with it at 5g. When the transaction happen, we had a 10g net gain. The bargaining only occur between 5-20g range, otherwise, the trade will never occur. The so-called evil-trader can and will do his twit and twist on pushing the price near 20g, but can never exceed it, the trade will always be efficient, as long as the trade is voluntary.

“I may lost money” -
This is the greatest resistance for anyone to get into trading.
Translated in Social’s word, “losing make me feel stupid, and that should be avoid at all cost. Grinding, Farming, Doing Daily is risk-free, I rather spend my time there”.
Everything induce risk, and the price for “risk-free” is so high that you don’t even had to think twice on that. And, the risk factor usually is over estimated by ignorance. Trading is not about luck.

For 100% risk free investment, everybody will be drawn into it, and thus the profit will be lowered. Simple Demand Supply rules.
However, since most of the people drawn to those risk-free option, which left the risk bearing opportunity much more profitable. Identify those risk, and when odds are good, strike. That’s what it takes for a trader.

Conclusion

Did you hear these word from your guild mate? Or did you hear this from your heart?
It’s okay, everyone prefer a comfortable place and afraid of change, but given embracing this can change the very game play of yours (farm-free state, anyone?)

At least give it a try.

I should be happy, since I sold around 800+ glyphs last week, I was making 1-2k per day. Consider the price range is 4-10g each, that’s a lot.
(due to my over-stock setup, the glyph to craft number is larger)

but yet, I had some problem crafting them all….
Aside from a very long craft time, my bag was full, when I try to buy all those parchment (177g+ )
And also bag space when crafting….

I also used up half of my stockpiled ink of the sea.
Time to get more herbs….
(It’s funny that, every time I wonder if I am overstocked, I’ll run into shortage soon)

There are only person who aware of there are needs, is that (Insert your insult here) who are making a fortune with it.

Had you think about it this way, you posses the most valued asset in order to change things around?

This market existed.

You’ll probably not the first one. Others had different responds

Such as:

1. Never notice the price outrage, buy (or not to bother)
2. Notice the price is outrage, but buy it anyway (or not to bother)
3. Notice the price is outrage, wait for a while, failed, buy it anyway (or not to bother)
4. Notice the price is outrage, research the alternative, and finish the need for themselves
5. The last, and I like most, research the alternative, and compete with the seller…

From 1-4, those buyers do nothing to the market accept enforcing the price,

Or even increasing it, since the seller found it profitable.

Passing through 1-3, all you need is knowledge, Not so hard of anyone care enough to installed auctioneer and doing a quick search / google on wowhead or wowwiki.

From 3-5, you need resources/connections, e.g. friend / worker with the associated profession…

But given the profit margin is so high, it shouldn’t be a problem.

The only barrier of being the seller and a grumbling buyer is the inertial…

Why don’t you take a slice of that market?

Where to go

Last Saturday, I bought 20 stacks [item]Saronite Bar[/item] for 40g each stack, while the market price was 60g. The price lowered to 42g on Sunday and remained there since then.
While the market reports from US that indicate prices of goods on Northern will drop soon (Since the people will come back and farming for gold), I had a hard time to get rid of them.

I had to consider

1. Accept my lose, to sell the bars at 35-38g
2. or, get hold of the bars to wait for a “possible” raise of them in the future.

I was thinking of 1. for the last minutes before the patch 3.1 .

But then, Comes my Savior

My Companion Saronite Arrow Maker

One of my guild mate ask me for the [item]Saronite Razorheads[/item]. I peek on the auction hall and thought there were no profits at all. 6g for 200 arrows. 6gx5=30g.
I was mumbling that until I crafted the [item]Saronite Arrow Maker[/item] and when I was able to mail him, I notice the line (10 uses) for the first time.
It was 5 uses for [item]Adamantite Arrow Maker[/item] before, so I assume it remains.

Now that’s 50% profit margin, while I had lots of [item]Saronite Bar[/item] stockpiled! I’ll just convert them to arrow maker each day and sold them by 200 a time. I even post a maker for 36g, just to test out the market (Which of course in a much lower profit margin of 20g vs 6g).

And it turn out, no one was buying the makers, but all my arrows sold out. On the day follow, I noticed someone was flooding those arrow maker as well, e.g. 10-15 @ price 35g. However while he wants to undercut me on the maker, he didn’t list an single arrow. And… my arrows are all sold again.

I guess 3.1′s come in bring back a lot of rusher, and that’s why my arrow sold like candy in skrooge’s word (not just common candy, addictive candy). Every arrow maker’s arrow sold will save me another half stack of [item]Saronite Bar[/item] losing. Thanks for supporting the “Saronite Bar Post 3.1 Recovery Fund”.

While a lot of people talks about the [item]Mammoth Cutters[/item] and [item]Saronite Razorheads[/item] (JMTC, Gevlon, Skrooge). I never witness such a ___ thing before(Stupid/Weired/Strange I can’t find the right word).

Thanks for escape route for me

Side Note:
I was lucky this time, but I wonder how I’ll deal with another cut-loss situation next time though

How would you deal with it, when you feel yourself got into trouble?

I Can Haz Dual Spec, Already ?

Everyone got their Dual Spec now, right?

No, I didn’t.

All my toons are still in the old, cold, monotone single spec world.
For some reason, I didn’t go for instance and raid for nearly two weeks now. And I consider it’s time to buy more and earn more, instead of spending on the static priced dual spec system. (I did the price of waiting though…)

This is Madness! no, This is the Patch!
(Okay, I admit it isn’t fit very well here)

[item]Titansteel bar[/item] Hits 50% marks of pre-3.1, [item]Saronite Ore[/item] and [item]Saronite Bar[/item] still at their 60%.
But I didn’t start buying,…. yet. I expect it’ll drop more later.

I do get a lot of profits from the [item]Mammoth Cutters[/item] and [item]Saronite Razorheads[/item] from those rushing hunter, and reinvest them into the [item]eternal life[/item] as suggested by WoWenomics

And I do take my time on making the [item]Nesingwary 4000[/item] for my hunter who just ding 80. With merely 200-300g cost. Someone sell the [item]Sun Scope[/item] in 10% price on the very day of the 3.1 patch. (For reference, someone had sold lots of epic that day with 888g for the [item]Nesingwary 4000[/item], but the price raise back to 1000g on the following day)

I keep selling my stockpiled of pre-wrath’s material, and make a nifty profit on it. Especially on the Primals. The increased traffic more “price-insensitive” seller and buyer had entered the market, I got lots of sweet deals to pickup. With the 10kg asset base, and 2kg cash. I do gain 2kg this week, not as good as the inscription industry, but still, looks nice for me.

I may find a tailor for the [item]Netherweave Bag[/item], as the market had no idea of the material cut yet. (I found more people step into the trade already though…)

On a side note about the white kitties though, there were 6 kitty show up on the market recently, on price 120-140g. I do pick them up with bid, and tends to dry up the market.

Change of name

No, Your link is not hijacked
I had change my blog name! previous known as Zekta’s Stuff!

[Start - boring background, skippable]
I was write a main blog, and here was some random thoughts dump..
But recently I found that I have more and more to say about WoW’s Trading here and many support from others.

The Name was Zekta’s Stuff, but it seems too generic and personal. So, I keep thinking about a new name for it.
[End - boring background]

So, I decided to hunt for a new name. While I am doing this, I find a new nice blog over

http://ahtrader.blogspot.com/2009/04/new-direction.html

by Marvco’s Suggestion. After reading his post, I got a sense “That’s also what I need to do too: Focus!”

Keep Focus!

Now, what I am going to do, Gevlon is really cool on the philosophy thinking on raid and market, Skrooge is good at all the fun stuff and encouraging discussion, and I won’t talk about Addon for sure.

What I excited me and get me interested, is the big question, Why?
There are reasons behind everything (Most of the time), and I am eager to find them out. It won’t be 100% of post here, since these topic is somewhat dull and hard to find(But I like it anyway).
I’ll try to pick once a week.

The Name, The Name

Here comes the hard part,

Most the great name had been taken, for instance (Goblin and Gnomish). I decided to use a catch phase of South park.
Phase 3, Profits

What Phase are we now?

What target of mine is to feel the gap on the big question mark, (of course it didn’t start at collect underpants)
Where is phase 1 and phase 2?
Where is Profits?
Why there are Profits?

that’s what I want to answer here.

My Precious

There are may items in wow have Social value
e.g. [item]Mekgineer’s Chopper[/item], [item]Reins of the Traveler’s Tundra Mammoth[/item] and Raid Gears.
Some of them are tradable, and then money follows.

There are three types of buyers with a different price range.
Prices vary as time passes.
I’ll list them by the order of the markets.

I buy, because no one owns one.

- The Fashion Leaders

They are focused in competition, and always want to be unique.
They pay steep for the premium to others.

What’s the price of the first Chopper on the server?
How much will one pay (time, effort and gold) to be the <a href=’http://www.wowhead.com/?search=Realm+First!’> Realm First!</a>

That’s the type of player.
When they knew the [item]Darkmoon Card: Greatness[/item] will buff, they’ll get their hand on it at once.
These type of buyers always want to be focus of others,
They Strive to be the top in their “specific area”

e.g.
Top Dpser dealer in raid,
The person with all the mini-pets
The guy with most Achievement points
The list goes on…

You’ll probably have one or two in your guild
and they enjoy anyone ask them about it.
As a matter of fact, they love the difficulties of getting there
as that’ll cut off the followers. (E.g. high price of getting them)

To Profits:

These markets are most profitable,
but shrink very quickly.

You had to be very sensitive to news;
News from PTR on wowhead and wowinsider is a good place monitor.
New Epics, receipts, pets sell great to these player
but the price will drop very soon,
as the rarity of the items decrease very fast.

I buy, because someone owns one.
- The Followers

They are followers of the Leaders,
while they pay second to the leaders,
they are not striving being the top.

They’ll wait when the price stabilize.
What they really want is to keep inline with the leaders.
They want their name mentioned next to the leader on the guild channel.
Here is what they like to hear
” Mr.MaxDPS got the Greatness, wow that’s very dedicate
Oh, Mr.Followers had one too, no doubt they’ll had the top Dps in raid”

To Profits:
While they won’t buy the 1^st -10^th item from you,
they’ll buy from 11^th to 100^th
As their number is large.
They won’t pay for receipts either.
They’ll be the profitable on the long tail with decreasing prices.

I buy, because many own one.
- The Group members

These are people struggle to avoid being out of the group.

If every hunter in your raid is using [item]Nesingwary 4000[/item],
Will you buy one if your others gear already get you to the middle among them?
(One may get a full set of T7 without a decent gun dropping)

Will you buy the red dragon if everyone else is riding one when you raid The Obsidian Sanctum?

They pay much lesser for the goods,
since there is much lesser value except the feeling of being a member in-group.
They won’t brag about having the mount or gear,
but they’ll feel safe when people target them and possibly click the

To Profits:

They are good buyers of left over.
It’s better than a stockpile item when you missed the previous group.
They come in a group too,
since the Leader and followers influence them.
So expect they’ll buy when you lower the price

I buy, because everyone else owns one.
- The Leftovers

They are buying out of fear of alienation.
5000g on epic flying to avoid hearing
“lol, you fly so slow, you noob”
on a naxx wipe run

They are like the group member, but they are out of fear instead of trying to be in group.
They’ll buy when those “mean” people bugged them.

To Profits:
They aren’t willing to buy one unless they “necessarily needs” one

(In fact, they don’t have to, since the goods is by no mean necessary by definition)
They pay the lowest price.
The profit margin is low,
but they’ll keep coming. Slowly.
And most of the market seller will left the market by the time,
since the deal is not heat anymore.

However, if you are okay with the little profits,
you can dominate the market.
If the market do not replace by other goods it’s a good place to stay.
(Greatness will be replaced when a better new moon card is out,
However, White kitties, proto whelp will never be)

Remarks:
Please leave a message if you got any thoughts on that.
I would like to hear more from you guys.
Any suggestions on writing style or topic are appreciated.
Even a drop by of “I like it” is fine
since I had no idea what people will like yet.
Thank you in advance.

I took the advice from Markco as well
(but you can see, I am far from “simple”)
Thanks for that mate

I’ll schedule post on a 2 days cycle now,
you may expect posts  on
Monday, Wednesdy, Friday – Sunday as well
(I’ll add more if I see fit though…)

Thanks for watching

Citation:
The Idea of the type of buyer is from Seth Godin‘s Idea Virus
(I put it into the social value of goods, and how to deal with them though)

[Role Playing Session Start]
Saturday,
when My project main lead Sephros was busying through the Street of Storm Wind
Muttering to herself that
I should grant her more research funding

She spotted a crowd formed in the corner
in the middle four persons was holding a wooden box arguing to each other

“Everyone listen to me, I’ll sell this kitten at 120g,
anyone interested should contact me instead of them”

“Your Price is too high for those kitty, that’s a scam
I’ll sell them at 115g!”

… and so on

Everyone is watching them yelling on each other,
just want to know how their pricing war will end…

Sephros heard those kitties crying,
Since it’s the middle of the day, while the box is somewhat air tight.
As a cat owner herself, She just can’t stand the cruelty to these cute kitties.

I forget the exact wording she used, but it was like this

“Those are the kitty from Lil Timmy right?
Why do you think,
he’ll sell you an kitten at 60s where he can sell it at 100g here?
He knew it, but he wants to find a good home for those kitties.
He’s not just a mindless kid keep wandering around the city to sell pets.
Look at you, did you ever care for them?

Now be gone, I’ll take them all, for the sake of Lil Timmy.
I don’t want to see your faces again
”

So, while she keep complaining the funding is not enough (I didn’t tell her this though…)
she withdraw 440g from there to buy those cat,
and left me a task.
To finish the mission Lil Timmy left over,
Find a better home for the kitties, may be under another sky,
some more passionate cat lover awaits…

[Role Playing Session End]

Once in a while there will be a very Spicy deal that fuel us from the boring day-by-day trading

There’s the slow and steady cash flow – 5g here, 7 g there – and then suddenly, you crit the Auction House for 800g on a single deal!

from Skrooge

I got mine yesterday!
There were four different sellers of [item]Cat Carrier (White Kitten)[/item] on Saturday.
They are undercutting each others and  get the price lowered to 110g BO.
The average price is at 250gbid 350g BO on my server.

I talk about that in my guild, and find out that many people notice that too.

But hey, there had to be someone to come out from the crowd
and say

Enough, stop these non-sense, I’ll them all

And that’s what I did on the Saturday night
(To be honest, I am sweating when I click those Buy Out Buttons.
Since I am not a big buyer yet)

My plan is to have them smuggle to the Horde AH.
So that some poor Hordies can out their hand on these beautiful creature.

More assuring, the price of the Alliance AH had come back to the normal level again on Sunday.
I can still sell back for 150% profits.

Although not as Bang as Skrooge’s Deal

I shall get a nice profit from that,
and I’ll dream of Four Lovely Kitten will take their adventure
with their new Horde Master.

Until Next time

Welcome Friend!

At the front-door:

Welcome, Please have a look
We had presenting you these special priced product
Specially for you Mr. Busyofficeman and Ms. OfficeLady in these week end.
With abundane storage, and at a Special Price.
At only180% Market Price.

Isn’t them lovely?

At the backdoor:

You are already the 30 amateur miner.
Unless you undercut those people by 50%,
we are not going to take these [item]copper bar[/item].

We’ll only buy it at that price
Take the money or that twenty cart of junk with you,
close the door when you are leaving.

Thanks for asking anyway.

At every weekend,
price war start.
Some market goes rocket, since demand increased.
Some market goes down, since people keep throwing them out.
We’ll have little clue what’s going to sell, what’s not.

But here is some…
[item]Copper Ore[/item] will always sell better than [item]Copper Bar[/item]
(That not just explain the prices but also the demands)
Since people gain skill by melting them.
And [item]Copper Bar[/item] Supply is from [item]Copper Ore[/item]
The [item]Copper Bar[/item] increased at week end as well.

Leveling Gaining product will be flooded,
but those aren’t will raise.
There are always more people who’s crafting product for skill gain
than making them for profits

And most of them is BUSY.
Raid, Quest, XP, Skill gain – Too many  to do, too little time.
And We traders always had stocks, bank space and money
to “Buffer” those unstable price.

Time to work
And bear in mind that
Only those have patient can score big on weekends.