Vendor Fees and 499 gold

[TullyMars]

With Publish 80 comes a change to vendor fees.

You can no longer charge just 499 gold for an item and not incur any additional vendor fees.
The pro-rate change closes that loophole.

Some may say it is for the better...others for the worse...I myself have mixed feelings.

I had many items that were well over the value of 499 gold that I would sell on my vendors for 499 gold just because if it sat I would not incur any vendor fees. Of course those bargains usually never sat long.

This is just an FYI.

 

[Olahorand]

I think there should be a cap, how much a vendor claims in fees for a certain item. If the item has reached either the minimum fee amount (which might be 10k) for unsold items or a percentage of the priced value like for the pets, if the amount would be higher, the vendor should stop claiming fees for it.
Currently it is hard to have an expensive item sitting on a remote vendor at competitive prices for a longer time, since it drowns out his stock.

 

[old gypsy]

Is it possible that the vendor changes will make Magincia more attractive for those selling commodities? Just curious.

 

[TullyMars]

Is it possible that the vendor changes will make Magincia more attractive for those selling commodities? Just curious.

Possible...but unlikely.
Most people don't understand how to run the commodity vendors and many that try end up losing money and blame the system.
Plus you have to have the right expansion pack etc etc and then there are the commission fees on top of the vendor fees.
I personally think they are great and love running them, but you have to be smart and have to deal with a bunch of bugs.

The change in the vendor fees is making both systems equal in that regards, they now both pro-rate the fee.
It stops people from avoiding vendor fees altogether by buying their items with another account before the fee is charged.
But they commodity vendors and the regular player vendors won't be on the same footing until the commissions are addressed.

 

[Lord Nabin]

I like the update. The vendor penalty on items taken of was annoying.

Lets get selling!

 

[Barry Gibb]

I too like the update. At the fee rate of 0.6%, an item has to sit on your vendor for over 160 days, before you will not profit from its sale. The rate has not changed, they just shored up the system, to make it simpler and fair.

Stayin Alive,

BG

 

[Eärendil]

Aye, good thing!

 

[Olahorand]

I too like the update. At the fee rate of 0.6%, an item has to sit on your vendor for over 160 days, before you will not profit from its sale. The rate has not changed, they just shored up the system, to make it simpler and fair.

This seems to be under the assumption, that you had no costs or efforts to accquire the item and the item had no value in the beginning. What good is selling an item, if you cannot make somewhat appropriate profit?
(And no, 6000 GP from a random filled spellbook sales is no adequate profit compared to slaying and looting 3 swoops.)

 

[Barry Gibb]

The actual number of days it can sit on your vendor is 166 2/3. All you have to do is factor in the estimate of costs of you expenses to acquire the item and subtract those accordingly. The more experienced players will have lower expenses to acquire the item, because of their knowledge and connections with others. Most of your expenses (bandages and insurance) can easily be offset by slaying a couple of Swoops, so that cost/effort arguement is moot. If it costs alot of expenses to obtain, there is probably a better way of obtaining the item.

The rarity of an item is directly reflected in the price. When pricing items on vendors, you must ask yourself what you would be satisfied in getting for the item (aka what is the minimum you would want for it). Of course more is always better, but if you price the item too high it will sit, no one will buy it, players will learn to ignore your vendor, and ultimately cost you more than just the vendor fees for that one item.

There can be alot of trial and error when pricing items to sell on a vendor. The best price (makes you the most gold versus the sit time on the vendor) is learned. Some players just have a knack for it. One of the tricks I use is to use Luna as a yard stick. See the ridiculous high price and work down from there.

Stayin Alive,

BG

 

[Lady CaT]

Yeah I'm closing the vendors offering any crafted items anymore. Its just not worth the time to make the stuff anymore.

 

[Barry Gibb]

Yeah I'm closing the vendors offering any crafted items anymore. Its just not worth the time to make the stuff anymore.

The only crafted item vendor I run is for exceptional instruments and snake charming flutes.

Most of the other craftable items just don't really have a market and are easier to "make to order". Furniture, forges, and other add-ons don't sell often. There are so many options to customize armor and weapons, that there is no common demand. They can last a very long time if repaired properly. Craftable artifacts have (with a few exceptions) been obsolete/useless from their introduction. With seven character slots and soulstones it is unheard of to not have your own crafter(s). Near limitless item insurace keeps you from losing most of your items.

I will make to order just about anything that other players request. It is cheaper for me and for them.

Stayin Alive,

BG

 

[Olahorand]

So you say its ok, to sell something below value because it has to sit a while on the vendor otherwise until finding it's buyer?
I.e. selling currently a few historical xmas gifts between 99 and 375k each (which is below the lowest price for such items I found on the shard) takes daily 15k from the vendor. So after 1 month (if the vendor lasts that long, since on that shard I don't have multiple millions available to feed the vendors) the vendor costs take out the estimated total value of one of these items.
On the other hand if I wanted to hand the items out as gifts, I wouldn't really need vendors. So I try to balance offering a service in a way, that interested people can buy for a fair price without feeding the crows picking cheaper items to sell them high in their top positioned and promoted Luna shops only to get bled out by vendor fees, if there is no instant selling.
(And instant selling = empty vendors, also not very wanted.)

 

[Barry Gibb]

It is ok to sell an item for "what ever you think you can get for it".

Value, for most items in UO, is assessed by the owner of the item. There are some which are available form NPCs at semi-fixed prices, which would push the PC seller to compete with those prices. Rare items (such as the ones you mentioned) have a niche market. They are desireable to collectors, but usually not that useful. There are other avenues to advertise your rare wares on your vendor, which would cut costs. You can also use chat and these forums to determine if there is a market for those items and locate potential buyers. You can also sell them in smaller quantities instead of putting them all on vendor at once. This will drastically reduce your daily fees. Small market, slow moving items are not conducive to sell on a vendor. Unless you advertise well and get lucky with a buyer, you will accrue vendor fees. After 30 days, your profits will be reduced by ~18%, compared to a day one sale from the vendor (regardless of the item).

Personally, I would not try to sell those type of items on my vendors. I have observed that those type of items do not move fast enough (for my liking). Best of luck to your sales.

Stayin Alive,

BG