Best way for me to get $$$

[wwoneo]

Originally Posted by fadetree [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Early on, I flipped items for about 5 months, made a ton. The people I bought from were happy. The people I sold to were happy. I was happy. Whats the problem?

That's a misconception due to lack of specificity. You were all happy/relieved because you got the item/plat you wanted because of the fluidity state of the market, but as I mentioned in an earlier post the fluidity can be changed in other non-harmful ways.

Are you trying to say those people wouldn't have been happier if they received the items for even less plat?

You're trying to simplify the argument by eliminating premises that are actually there.

[Enderenter]

Nothing wrong with buying and selling. People like Bob provide a much needed service. Some people want to sit in EC and trade, some people don't.

[maskedmelon]

I think it is woefully misguided to simply presume that "resellers" exert a net positive effect on price because there is at least one critical influence on price through which resellers apply downward pressure: scarcity.

Without resellers, there would be fewer items available for sell at any given time because those who sell to the reseller do not wish to spend their time in EC. This means that it is entirely possible that suppliers could walk into EC and sell more quickly and for more money in the absence of resellers.

Of course the shift in demand caused by resellers exerts upward pressure, but the question is whether or not that overcompensates for the corresponding shift in supply.

Anecdotally if we maximize availability via a broker sales system we see prices plummet. Conversely, if eliminate distributors (resellers) entirely, we would see much more variability in pricing and I would contend a net increase in average prices as we'll due to decreased availability.

Without question, resellers provide stability and liquidity.

[wwoneo]

Originally Posted by maskedmelon [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I think it is woefully misguided to simply presume that "resellers" exert a net positive effect on price because there is at least one critical influence on price through which resellers apply downward pressure: scarcity.

Without resellers, there would be fewer items available for sell at any given time because those who sell to the reseller do not wish to spend their time in EC. This means that it is entirely possible that suppliers could walk into EC and sell more quickly and for more money in the absence of resellers.

Of course the shift in demand caused by resellers exerts upward pressure, but the question is whether or not that overcompensates for the corresponding shift in supply.

Anecdotally if we maximize availability via a broker sales system we see prices plummet. Conversely, if eliminate distributors (resellers) entirely, we would see much more variability in pricing and I would contend a net increase in average prices as we'll due to decreased availability.

Without question, resellers provide stability and liquidity.

I'm sorry to sound like a broken record, but I've already written this 2 or 3 times already...

YOU DONT NEED RESELLERS TO PROVIDE STABILITY AND LIQUIDITY!
There are other ways to provide liquidity without causing 'reseller' inflated prices.

Read my previous posts if you don't understand why.

[skipdog]

I think all of you people who subscribe to the 'resellers are unethical' line of thinking are simple-minded idiots.

[Celatus]

Originally Posted by skipdog [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I think all of you people who subscribe to the 'resellers are unethical' line of thinking simple-minded idiots.

Its bad for the overall economy and health of the game. Ethics has little or nothing to do with it.

[wwoneo]

Originally Posted by fadetree [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They wouldn't do that, because its retarded. Selling LOTS of stuff cheap makes you far more money than selling a few items really expensively.

This is already incorrect. More expensive items have the largest resale disparity. Therefore leading to the largest and quickest gains. Any reseller will tell you this.

Originally Posted by fadetree [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Plus the 'rich people' have to police each other to keep person a from secretly undercutting person b, and it would get nasty fast. See OPEC for more info.

You're obviously not understanding the point of the analogy. In order to clarify let's say the richest person in the world (1 person, not many). Maybe that will help you get the point.

Originally Posted by fadetree [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Besides that, you can't actually buy all the water in the world ( or any other commodity ) all at once, you have have to deal with production issues.

You don't have to buy ALL of the water in the world just a huge majority. Read up on the diamond market to better understand the economical situation. The idea is just horading supply to artificially increase price. It happens all the time within many different economies.

Originally Posted by fadetree [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Besides all that, when the thousands of thirsting poor people come kick your ass, you won't be making ANY money. Any evil 'rich person' would have the brains to avoid all that, and invest in politicians instead. Which is what they do. It's a ridiculous example. 'Rich people' don't sit around on piles of gold chortling evilly, they *INVEST* that shit. Gold is fucking useless anyways. So are most politicians, but yeah.

I'm not even going to give a serious response to this.

[maskedmelon]

Originally Posted by wwoneo [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

That's a misconception due to lack of specificity. You were all happy/relieved because you got the item/plat you wanted because of the fluidity state of the market, but as I mentioned in an earlier post the fluidity can be changed in other non-harmful ways.

Are you trying to say those people wouldn't have been happier if they received the items for less even less plat?

You're trying to simplify the argument by eliminating premises that are actually there.

So we could make buyers more happy by lowering prices, but how would that affect the happiness of sellers?

Might we increase the happiness of sellers by increasing the price? What effect would that have on buyers.

If we remove the reseller who brings the buyer and seller together and the transaction does not occur, who is happy?


Lastly, I've yet to read your other post, but is price depression what you are looking for? If we implemented a server wide auction channel that'd be ideal for increasing market efficiency, improving stability and decimating prices, but it would destroy an engaging meta-game in which nature has already optimized market efficiency given the parameters of the world at hand. I would not be for a change to the system unless players could fill any new rolls created.

[Yumyums Inmahtumtums]

Iron rations at 3pp/stack is unethical

[wwoneo]

Originally Posted by Celatus [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Its bad for the overall economy and health of the game. Ethics has little or nothing to do with it.

The fact that it's bad for the economy and health of the game makes it an ethical issue by taking part in the resale of items.