Personally I feel that part of the problem is the UO community is slowly shrinking and we aren't getting a steady influx of players who are interested in becoming rares collectors. We may get a couple here and there, but not enough truly interested. Same names, same faces. The new generation mostly seems interested in items with the most flash for their buck. They don't seem to develop themes or be interested in items that could be mistaken for something that might be mundane. Many of those who have been around for a long time, myself included, aren't interested in collecting every single thing that comes out. We upgrade/buy when there is an item we really want or it is an item that will upgrade out collection such as something super flashy, completes a set, etc. The more standard stuff just doesn't have as many interested from either the new generation or the old blue bloods.
How can we fix this? I'd suggest community outreach, but getting enough folks to be dedicated to that would be the problem. It means setting up rares nights (much like the antique roadshow) that rotate around the shards with no profit in mind, but simply to answer the questions of folks who bring their items to us for information, pricing, etc. You need to have folks with integrity who won't buy those items behind the scenes for low prices and this forum should be promoted as the place to go. You need to pick a location that exists on each shard so that it is 'the' place where they take place... a public building is fine. You need volunteers to gate, advertise and be willing to answer questions even about items that aren't "rare" in regards to the standards of this forum. Those items that still spawn... the stealables, peerless, prim lich, etc are the gateways to the higher end stuff. Also lectures should be offered on a rotation where things like... common items that aren't rares, protecting themselves, talking about different themes that can be collected, ways to get a collection started, ways to get gold, etc.
Anyways, for those who know me and my involvement with PTC, I marketed like a mad woman. PTC had several community projects and events that weren't for profit and were to help promote community. That community support came back to the shop in turn. Take or leave my advice, but if the community wants to have things get better it needs to not always be about profit. Folks need to be willing to give time selflessly and encourage others to get involved. You have to have new blood regularly and be encouraged and supported. The old blue bloods can be intimidating to a new collection. When you are talking collections which are in the billions, it can be hard for a new collector to feel pride when their collection doesn't measure up in the financial dept. Collections should be about passion instead of just worth. That's my two cents.
