Curse

Konkadonk · Nov 01, 2007, 03:58 PM // 15:58

I've read alot of posts here lately on farming, and Power Merching keeps popping up. I get the idea, which is to buy low and sell high, but I lack details on the intricacies of the technique. How is it that 'merchers' know what items to buy? Is it solely extensive knowledge of the game? And how much would I need to begin (since I only have 22k atm -_-)?

My aim is to start power merching for personal gain, and to help my friends with their cash flow, and farming can only provide me with a reasonable income, leaving my 'noob' friends in the dark.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Saphrium · Nov 01, 2007, 04:13 PM // 16:13

Yes it is all experience based, research the market is a good start.

Don't start power trading until you have 80K+, small pocket not only tie up your cash when making a bad decision, but also leads to more bad decisions due to desperation.

Basically the deeper the pocket, the more market experience you have, the easier it gets.
Be very careful on purchasing and selling when you are low on cash(50K or less).

makosi · Nov 01, 2007, 04:17 PM // 16:17

Merchanting requires a generally developed knowledge of the market: 'fashionable', sought-after skins and their values. The best way to learn is to analyze the high-end portion of the Ventari's Corner section of the forum and take a note of what items sell for but not what people ask for them.

Secondly, merchanting demands a lot of your patience, time and sheer ruthlesness. Drop all of your natural inhibitions and manners in the name of greed. For example, if you see a bargain, do not pass it up nor inform the seller than they could get more for their item. Snatch it and sell it before their eyes despite their how they may feel or react. Adopt an attitude so as it's the other person's fault for being ignorant and for not playing and studying the market for 25 hours per day.

Before you know it, you'll be a black-dyed FoW wammo in Ascalon Internatonal 1 with tormented items just like so many other people.

Konkadonk · Nov 01, 2007, 04:23 PM // 16:23

I'm already a black dyed Ranger in FoW. :P Since Hard Mode though, it seems harder and harder to get money. I farm in Hard Mode near Zos Shivros and make about 2k a run. Problem is each run takes at least 12 mins, and I have to do it around 10 times (probably less due to reasonably frequent gold drops) to make 20k.

I now look upon these replies, and see that Power Merching is probably not for me, but I think this topic should be kept up for others to see what it takes. Thank you.

mage767 · Nov 01, 2007, 04:26 PM // 16:26

It's all experience:

1. Play the game as you normally would.
2. Watch buy & sell prices
3. Start with small purchases like 1k - 10k max
4. Once you have 400k+, go to high-end market, pets etc.
5. Don't forget to analyze fluctuations in rare material prices. I know sapphire and monstrous fangs prices are very volatile.
6. Learn to haggle in but not haggle out.

Jetdoc · Nov 01, 2007, 04:43 PM // 16:43

Seriously, power trading is all but dead in the game today, at least for massive amounts of cash.

Star Gazer · Nov 01, 2007, 05:00 PM // 17:00

holiday events are your friends...i spent about 170K on orr emblems, got that plus 600k+...good times

Konkadonk · Nov 01, 2007, 05:02 PM // 17:02

So, if Power Trading is dead, how is it that casual players are supposed to gain money? Have we hit some kind of economic depression? And what about alchohol from Halloween events? I have a ton of those drinks.

Saphrium · Nov 01, 2007, 05:07 PM // 17:07

No, it means power trading is not encouraged, more items more accessible to everyone, why would anyone need to stack 1000 ectos?

Not economic depression, but a market deflation. Anyone can buy more items with less money basically.

True power trading is when you have 300K+, or where an item's in-market price vary from 300 ectos to 350 ectos.
That 50 ectos (220K) in one trade, is roughly where the "power profit" is coming from.

Kattar · Nov 01, 2007, 05:13 PM // 17:13

Casual players aren't supposed to have that much money. That's just a sad fact. Anet added crazy expensive armors for the hardcore players that spend ridiculous amount of time in game and, therefore, have the money to afford them.

There was a significant decline in item value near the time hard mode came out. I remember it being slightly before HM was released, but I can't remember for sure (anyone verify this). In example, Sephis Axes used to be worth 3000k. Now it's hard to unload one for 10.

-My 2 cents.

HawkofStorms · Nov 01, 2007, 05:14 PM // 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetdoc

Seriously, power trading is all but dead in the game today, at least for massive amounts of cash.

True. Inscriptions killed the ability to buy an weapon for 80k and resell it for 100k+5 ectos. Now, power trading consists of people buying items at 5k and reselling at 8k. Hardly as profitable. Either that, or people are trading rare novelity collectables (minis) for profit. There really isn't as much of a weapons market anymore. Now everybody just makes money through more creative ways, like farming halloween items and selling booze to drunkards.

Antheus · Nov 01, 2007, 05:18 PM // 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konkadonk

So, if Power Trading is dead, how is it that casual players are supposed to gain money? Have we hit some kind of economic depression? And what about alchohol from Halloween events? I have a ton of those drinks.

Power trading is never the means of making money.

If you never trade to another player, the storyline itself is enough to fund your 15k armor just through quest and mission rewards.

Selling mods and an odd weapon here and there will cover everything else.

Power trading is "My Guild Hall is so full of Gold I cannot fit into it." thing. Needless to say, it applies only to select few.

Also a good advice, if you aren't making money through power trading already, be careful, since ability to make money through resale is not something that can be effectively taught. Some people have a feeling for it, most don't. Especially not in a game where things change so drastically without any baseline, and where a weird patch can make your entire fortune worthless.

Jetdoc · Nov 01, 2007, 05:34 PM // 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konkadonk

So, if Power Trading is dead, how is it that casual players are supposed to gain money? Have we hit some kind of economic depression? And what about alchohol from Halloween events? I have a ton of those drinks.

The two easiest ways to make money are:

1. Doing all quests and missions available in the smallest group size possible. Even with loot scaling, the rewards you get by simply collecting the quest rewards and merching what you find are very substantial (generally 50K+ per character per campaign).

2. Holiday events. Sell all of your alcohol, etal...it's very easy to make 50K+ per event.

bobrath · Nov 01, 2007, 05:40 PM // 17:40

But what if I want to make money to support my drinking habit?!!?

Jetdoc · Nov 01, 2007, 05:52 PM // 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobrath

But what if I want to make money to support my drinking habit?!!?

During the holidays, the collector items needed to buy the alcohol always fetch more than the alcohol itself. For example, Decayed Orr Emblems were selling for 50g - 100g during the event (based on the timing of when you sold them), but the alcohol was a steady 100g-125g.

You can make profit just by knowing what to sell and what to buy...

Chthon · Nov 01, 2007, 05:55 PM // 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konkadonk

I've read alot of posts here lately on farming, and Power Merching keeps popping up. I get the idea, which is to buy low and sell high, but I lack details on the intricacies of the technique.

The "techniques" of power merching revolve around exploiting others' ignorance, omitting important facts to maintain that ignorance, and lying.

It's simple really: Find people who know less about market prices than you do and trade with them. Make sure not to let them learn the information that would allow them to make a more intelligent decision. If they ask you directly about something's value, lie.

I think you can probably tell from my tone what I think about "power merching" and the people who do it...

HayesA · Nov 01, 2007, 06:08 PM // 18:08

Also, even if you choose not to power merch I would recomend saving every max/next to max upgrade you get. After you get about 50 or 60 items, you sell them. Save the gold only if it's a popular skin. And keep an eye on the sell forums to see what skins are popular. What sells, what doesn't. Etc etc etc.

Jetdoc · Nov 01, 2007, 06:17 PM // 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chthon

Find people who know less about market prices than you do and trade with them.

You do realize that there is no such thing as a "market price" in Guild Wars, right (other than what the in-game merchant, rune/material traders, and token redeemers will give you)?

Seef II · Nov 01, 2007, 06:20 PM // 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by HayesA

Also, even if you choose not to power merch I would recomend saving every max/next to max upgrade you get. After you get about 50 or 60 items, you sell them. Save the gold only if it's a popular skin. And keep an eye on the sell forums to see what skins are popular. What sells, what doesn't. Etc etc etc.

Junk golds are a good way to hold upgrades and save a bit of space, but the upgrades are often worth more than the item itself. Also, those junk golds can usually be pawned off for a couple k to noobs - help 'em out!

Jecht Scye · Nov 01, 2007, 09:15 PM // 21:15

A quick way to get you cash to start would be to do the Treasure runs in Elona. Depending on how many characters you have that are at least to the Gate of Pain you could get around 200k pretty easily.