Arelith

Ultimately, what I think all the trade ministers would like to see is for Cordor to be a one-stop shop. Instead of looking around Cordor, finding some of what you're after, and then heading to the Tower, Bendir, Guldorand, etc., to find the rest, they'd like for Cordor to offer all the things people might need, and for good prices.

There was a time when Cordor shops regularly sold wands for much, much higher than the Tower did, and a lot of people would just go to the Tower to buy wands. Since then, Cordor wand prices have gone down, and more people can buy local. One shop has made a killing selling various ingots, since lots of people would rather pay for ingots than go off hunting for materials on their own. Other shops make a lot selling various repair kits, or other things like that.

The Trade Ministry has no issue at all with shops that sell a few items for high prices. Two very long-standing blacksmith shops very much make the bulk of their money selling such goods. But what they really want is for all shops to sell something, even if it's just one thing over and over, that sells regularly and helps bring Cordor closer to being that one-stop shop.

To offer some OOC recommendations, there are still a good few craftable items necessary for other craftable items (flasks of oil, for instance) that I haven't come across in any shop. Stocking various ingredients like that could be very helpful, and the Trade Ministry would be happy to see them stocked somewhere.

At the end of the day, it's really all about how few shops there are. While I personally love the idea of a hidden little curio shop that sells high-ticket items, there just aren't enough shops for it. There are simply too many players who are too eager to own too few shops, and this ends up represented IC in Trade Ministers being asked frequently how someone or other can get a shop, or if any shops are available. Every minister has at least a mental list of people they know want shops, but unfortunately also know they'll never be able to give one to because there are far, far too few shops to go around. This means that the ministers end up as very big believers in useful, well-stocked shops. A shop that isn't selling much, whatever the reason, is a shop that could be partnered up with other people who want shops, or could be selling more things that people want.

I agree, of someone wanted to be a jerk and simply seize a shop with just a little rp, they could of done that before the ledger system. I like it because for the most part it help people aid others with their shops. I see no problem if a shop hasn't sold anything in two RL weeks that a city is going to talk to them. Clearly there is a problem and questions should be asked why do they even have a shop. But in the end if someone wanted to be a jerk and take your shop they could of done that anyway.

Well, this was helpful for my mental health if nothing else. There is probably nothing systematically wrong with the ledger system and most of this boils down to philosophical differences between players.

I do think a smaller number of "aspirational" shops are a good thing even for the larger starter location. Cordor, for example, does far more than equip newbies. If everyone only sold Golfs, what happens when you're ready for an M5? I say you should be able to buy it. Everything else just...

Emotionaloverload wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:13 am

RedGiant wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:44 am If everyone only sold Golfs, what happens when you're ready for an M5? I say you should be able to buy it. Everything else just...

I think there's a miscommunication. The Trade Ministry has absolutely no problem with people selling all the high quality, high value items they want. My own character makes adamantine equipment whenever he has some spare adamantine and it sells quite well in the store, for a lot of money. Other characters' stores also sell similarly high end equipment.

The Trade Ministry loves to see equipment for all level ranges sold, from the lowest level stuff to awesome super rare epic loot and everything in between. What they don't love to see is shops that only sell a few high value items very occasionally, because it means that the shop is only serving the needs of a very few people, when shops are already extremely limited. They'd much prefer the owners of those shops either start stocking higher demand items alongside their high-end, low demand items, or partner up with someone who can provider those higher demand items.

The ministry is very glad to see the high end items, just as long as the shop is making regular sales in addition.

RedGiant wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:44 am Well, this was helpful for my mental health if nothing else. There is probably nothing systematically wrong with the ledger system and most of this boils down to philosophical differences between players.

I do think a smaller number of "aspirational" shops are a good thing even for the larger starter location. Cordor, for example, does far more than equip newbies. If everyone only sold Golfs, what happens when you're ready for an M5? I say you should be able to buy it. Everything else just...

Emotionaloverload wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:13 am

Just divide your shop up in two. 10 items with high grade that sell rarely and 10 items that sell often. i can't see why you have to go all out in one of them, unless it's just stubbornness.

I'm to the point where it seems I agree with one thing you've said. There is clearly some kind of miscommunication. I can tell you exactly how I check things, what all different factors I take into account, and why and when I post on a door or place a sign and even the why's I chose when I do one or the other of each of those if you really wanted. But at this point it doesn't feel like you're interested in that. I apologize that whatever rp you had with us has clearly rubbed you the wrong way. I have no idea who you play but I would ask again that you find us, or Camia, IG so we can work on whichever shop this is together. Past that I don't know really what else to do.

Every action taken has been IC. We are not working OOC against anyone. And I'm fairly certain that we all pretty much want the same things even though we've not ooc talked about it. We want the shops to cater to more than just one person. We want them selling more than once every three IG months. A shop that sells one thing in a RL week comparted to every other shop in the city clearly has low sales for some reason. Hoping to do something that benefits the player base is what we are after.

Sencliff has shops. No tyrant government to hassle you about how awful they are either.

this seems like something that can be handled entirely in game

don't like what the trade ministry is doing? get them fired

You also have to remember a city isn't making money if a shop doesn't sell stuff. So it stands to reason a city would want to encourage shop owners to sell more stuff.

Brahtius wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:02 pm Sencliff has shops. No tyrant government to hassle you about how awful they are either.

which is why all the pirates have to sneak into cordor to shop, because of awful crappy sencliff shops

Sort of on this topic: Can the ability to see the sales log/trade ledger be added to the -factions stuff? So two people/a group of people who share a shop can all see it?

I want this desperately. It's frustrating that only the shop owner can check the logs to see what sold when, and anyone else in the shop's faction has to rely on keeping their knowledge or what's stocked, what's sold, and how much it cost in their own heads.