Reverse Auction House

P3ZZL3

Important Note: Please read this before you criticise and/or flame me!

So, I’ve read a LOT of threads over the last 6-8 weeks about the Guild Traders, the markets, the requirement for an Auction House, etc. There are many arguments that have taken place and many frustrations shown.

Now, I do understand the comments being made “for” and certainly understand the comments “against” – as I for one am against it. However, it got me thinking.

There is typically one constant that almost always applies in peoples arguments when it comes to the argument for a Global Auction House: Convenience

As we know, this is something that ZOS are keen to promote, what with the introduction of the Store to allow players “convenience” so they can level up quicker via the use of potions and % XP increases.

So, with the above in mind, I’m thinking a Reverse Auction House.

For those that are not sure exactly what it is, you can see the Wiki definition here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_auction

The process:

• As the “Buyer” of products, you can post the Item you want, the volume you want and the price you will pay, as an absolute MAXIMUM figure.
• This post is then slotted into the “RAH” System and has a time expiry of say 30 minutes.
• Sellers of the item, with the amount required, can then respond with a bid. The items are removed from their inventory and “held” whilst the timer counts down.
• The best priced bid (or lowest) is successful and the trade is automatically done (think the COD system)

example wrote:

So, for example, let’s say you as the buyer posted that you wanted 100 Ladys Smock. The present market rate in Zone Chat is bouncing around 120 per flower. So you might post a “Buy Ticket” in the RAH for: Ladys Smock / 100 / 11,000gold

Now as a seller, I have a couple of stacks of Ladys smock that I want to sell. Sure, I could split the stacks up, sell piecemeal and maximise the revenue. Alternatively, I might want a quick 10k gold. I would respond to the request, put in a bid and log it as 100 Ladys Smock for 10,000g

Then, lets say in the last 5 minutes of the “Buy Ticket”, a large Power Farmer comes along and offers 100 Ladys Smock for 9,000g. I would get my bid items back and can then re-bid at a lower price if I want to or leave it.

Hope that explains it…. And please, this IS just an example. I know the price in open market is higher

So why should it be considered?

Well, it can effectively serve 3 functions at once whilst allowing the present economy to continue to move with supply and demand (and make no mistake, it does ebb and flow like a real market. Look at certain mats for all crafting abilities and the prices fluctuate).

Function 1: Convenience - I cannot, for whatever reason, go and farm/locate the mats I want

Function 2: Range – It would give you a global range across all Alliances so a large potential market

Function 3: Economy – It leaves the present economy intact and unlikely to cause price wars

Side Function: It keeps in line with what ZOS are looking to promote in terms of ease for new/busier players

I’d love to hear your thoughts on it as a general concept? I’m sure there’s a whole host of problems or bugs or knock on effects I’ve not even considered at this stage, but as I’m a player and not one of the developers…. *shrugs*

TL;DR: The cure for the argument of Guild Trades over Global AH (….or is it….lol)

Cheers
Pez

Keepercraft

Why player don't have option to open his own shop and sell specific types of items, like flowers or ores?

TehMagnus

They should add this option to already existing guilds and make it so anyone going to the guild trader can see current requests and answer to them.

MornaBaine

I like it. But I'd want my "ad" to last a lot longer than 30 minutes. A week would be far more workable.

AshySamurai

I think already seen this idea on this forum. I'll try to find it.

P3ZZL3

TehMagnus - fair point. Like it. Would make life a little easier and not require additional key functionality

Morna - No reason why it couldn't be longer, but if you are prepared to wait a week, then surely you should be out checking guild stores. The point really being for a "quick/convenient" solution to someone wanting something...

Ashy - I did mention it back in another thread in January But thought i would flesh it out a little (as I'm sitting here at work reading the forums rather than working )

Gyudan

I love the idea ... except it can't work for valuable crafted items.

For example, if someone requests a legendary staff of the Twice-Born Star with the nirnhoned trait for 50K gold, several players can compete for it. The one with a bidding price of 49,998g will win over the one with 49,999g and that second crafter will have wasted valuable materials for nothing.

TehMagnus

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

TehMagnus - fair point. Like it. Would make life a little easier and not require additional key functionality

It's also the only way you're likely to see this idea implemented. ZOS will not make an Auction House or Reverse Auction House, it defeats the whole point of having multiple guilds and traders and the economy built around it which beats any Auction House in any MMORPG.

P3ZZL3

Gyudan - Agreed. This is 99% there for materials. IF someone is after a set like that, it's very unlikely it's because they can only spend an hour a day online in game and want it for a "bit of fun".

Roechacca

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

P3ZZL3

roechacca wrote: »

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

But it doesn't. That's the thing you seem to miss in all of your comments and posts about AH's. All it does is create a "flat market" where everything is the same price from the same vendor.

Now, I DO understand you are looking at it from the "Buyer" perspective (I assume you are....as that's the only logical reason you would push so hard for it) but for me, this effectively gives both players the opportunity to do both.

Actually, if one was a pessimist and looked into your words and comments and twisted them in a perverse way, one might even come up with the theory that even here, with a solution to give BOTH to each type of person, you write it off as "a waste of time and just give me what I want"

Roechacca

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

But it doesn't. That's the thing you seem to miss in all of your comments and posts about AH's. All it does is create a "flat market" where everything is the same price from the same vendor.

Now, I DO understand you are looking at it from the "Buyer" perspective (I assume you are....as that's the only logical reason you would push so hard for it) but for me, this effectively gives both players the opportunity to do both.

Actually, if one was a pessimist and looked into your words and comments and twisted them in a perverse way, one might even come up with the theory that even here, with a solution to give BOTH to each type of person, you write it off as "a waste of time and just give me what I want"

What's a "Flat Market" ? A market is created by supply and demand . This attemp to limit supply in order to raise the price on demand is exactly what I stated . It only makes things hard to find falsely more valuable .

leandro.800ub17_ESO

The idea is good but applied as a new feature to the current Guild Stores not a global thing

TehMagnus

roechacca wrote: »

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

Am, no. Centralized market makes it so people with money&time can control the market and it's prices by setting up buy/sell systems that ensure they are the only ones selling a particular ware at a given price thus getting richer and richer while the people who BUY stuff are forced to buy at higher prices.

Current market is the best because players with lots of money & time can't find niches and exploit them since there is always other guilds to go to that you can't control.

Takhistis

The reason I don't like Guild Auction Houses is cause they're so spread out. I'd have to travel to any single hub with a guild trader to find my wanted item

P3ZZL3

roechacca wrote: »

What's a "Flat Market" ? A market is created by supply and demand . This attemp to limit supply in order to raise the price on demand is exactly what I stated . It only makes things hard to find falsely more valuable .

A flat market is effectively what is happening in many towns around the UK right now with the growth of "Pound Stores". You can get all kinds of things in these stores. From detergent to washing up soap to chocolate. And yes, everything is a Pound (£1.00)

However, you can also go to Netto/Aldi's/Lidl where things are a little more expensive, but slightly better brands or quality. Then you have Asda/Tesco/Morrisons who sell main line brands for more than the other's. Etc. Etc. Etc.

As you rightly mentioned, a market is defined simply by supply and demand, but that doesn't mean there are not multiple tiers to each market. IF it was a simple as "buy of the cheapest" then all the other stores, going up to the likes of Harrods would close down.

You mentions "Hard to find things more valuable". That's IS the crux of ALL business. The time invested in bringing something to market directly effects the cost of the item being sold. You can go and buy a Ford, off a production line for £10,000 new or less. But it's made by machines with standard materials. IF you want a Ferrari or a Bentley, you have to pay 10 times that amount, due to the time/tools/items/mats used.

Roechacca

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

Am, no. Centralized market makes it so people with money&time can control the market and it's prices by setting up buy/sell systems that ensure they are the only ones selling a particular ware at a given price thus getting richer and richer while the people who BUY stuff are forced to buy at higher prices.

Current market is the best because players with lots of money & time can't find niches and exploit them since there is always other guilds to go to that you can't control.

So you are saying that people that put in more time and money will control the market . That's the rewards of working harder then others . How you came to the logic this will increase prices is way beyond me .

Faugaun

OK so the big glaring issue that I see with this is that often as a buyer in a mmo, I want the item now not in x amount of time. Though it is likely that the longer I am willing to wait the better the price I will get.

If this were done through guild traders where the buyer could put a downpayment equal to the highest amount they would be willing to pay and sellers have to place a matching item in reserve (in case they win)...it seems like it would bottleneck as multiple sellers with the same good could try for it...this might create inventory manage!ent problems for sellers....conversely buyers would likely always receive the item they seek (provided they didn't way underprice the market). Sellers could also have to opportunity (on longer timed auctions) to actually go out and farm the request. This is similar to what we already do in RP where an order is negotiated then after a sell price is negotiated the appropriate materials are farmed.

I dunno I kinda like it but can see many potential drawbacks...over all its 6 one way half a dozen the other to me.

AshySamurai

Found ^^

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Ashy - I did mention it back in another thread in January But thought i would flesh it out a little (as I'm sitting here at work reading the forums rather than working )

Maybe. Or... maybe not. Well, you maybe said it in January but I mean another answer. If you search more carefully you can find out that there was pretty nice ideas how to improve current market such as NPC guild with trader

First steps in this direction was in September. Improving ESO's trading system

GnatB wrote: »

Add an NPC crafting guild. Add a new passive in each profession that allows you to join the guild (at a certain skill level)

The crafting guild would have an NPC where any player can walk up to and place a "buy order" for a crafted item, specifying motif, level, trait, set, upgrade level, quantity (for food/potions) etc. and price being offered. Price is immediately deducted from account.

Non-members of the guild would be able to view completed sales (in order to get an idea on pricing) Members of the guild would be able to accept orders. (possibly a limit on how many at a time?) Once accepted, an order is removed from display. (or perhaps just marked "in progress?") If the crafter fails to fulfill the order in an hour, he loses the opportunity to complete it, and it goes back on display. At any crafting station, a crafter can view his orders pending fulfillment and, if he has the correct item, mail it to receive the money. However a crafter has to actually be in town/at the guild to view available orders. So for set orders, the crafter has an hour to make it to the set station and craft the item. He doesn't have to try to get back to town in time)

Buyers, as long as a crafter hasn't yet claimed an order, can cancel their orders at any time, receiving their money back.

AFAIK it was the first spet in current direction. Yep, no word about non-crafted items. I know it. This is why I called it only the first step.

Also I found dated suggestion which very similar to yours.
Tweak to the Guild Trader System: Regional Markets
It's pretty interesting idea by @Rodario but I'm want you to notice small addition in the end of OP.

- [EDIT 05.09.2014 Idea by @Nazon_Katts] Introduce buy orders. Interested buyers who feel the prices for their desired item are too high would be able to place a buy order in the market of their choice. Sellers may be enticed by the idea of an immediate sale and fulfill such an order. {Note: This system exists in at least one game I know of and seems to work very well there.}

This idea dated September, 5.

Thelon

What role would the current Trade Guilds play under this new system? Or do you think ZOS would just tell GMs to pack up and close shop?

Roechacca

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

What's a "Flat Market" ? A market is created by supply and demand . This attemp to limit supply in order to raise the price on demand is exactly what I stated . It only makes things hard to find falsely more valuable .

A flat market is effectively what is happening in many towns around the UK right now with the growth of "Pound Stores". You can get all kinds of things in these stores. From detergent to washing up soap to chocolate. And yes, everything is a Pound (£1.00)

However, you can also go to Netto/Aldi's/Lidl where things are a little more expensive, but slightly better brands or quality. Then you have Asda/Tesco/Morrisons who sell main line brands for more than the other's. Etc. Etc. Etc.

As you rightly mentioned, a market is defined simply by supply and demand, but that doesn't mean there are not multiple tiers to each market. IF it was a simple as "buy of the cheapest" then all the other stores, going up to the likes of Harrods would close down.

You mentions "Hard to find things more valuable". That's IS the crux of ALL business. The time invested in bringing something to market directly effects the cost of the item being sold. You can go and buy a Ford, off a production line for £10,000 new or less. But it's made by machines with standard materials. IF you want a Ferrari or a Bentley, you have to pay 10 times that amount, due to the time/tools/items/mats used.

Ok quality of items would make sense in the real world . However in this mmo no ones selling generic brands of anything . Even the logic of a store further away in the real world having increased prices due to shipping / taxes increases would make sense but not here . Here , while adventuring you bid on a kiosk in the middle of no where and win it . Do you charge more money for your items because it's hard to get there with your stuff to restock ? No . Do you have shipping fees ? No . You can restock at any in game guild bank / store and it goes there the same . So you sell those potions in the boonies for more because you want more , not because of any other reason other then you know the adventurer out there can't find another kiosk unless he leaves and goes back to a place he wasn't playing . Hence falsely raising the price by limiting where supplies are . It's a ruse man . If you want it to be this way that's fine but don't try to convince everyone there's some greater good going on because there's not .

P3ZZL3

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

TehMagnus

roechacca wrote: »

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

Sounds like more hassle then it's worth . I'd rather just have a AH an be done with it . The current system just encourages price gouging and highway robbery . A centralized market brings competitive prices which is the real reason most crafters don't want to deal with it .

Am, no. Centralized market makes it so people with money&time can control the market and it's prices by setting up buy/sell systems that ensure they are the only ones selling a particular ware at a given price thus getting richer and richer while the people who BUY stuff are forced to buy at higher prices.

Current market is the best because players with lots of money & time can't find niches and exploit them since there is always other guilds to go to that you can't control.

So you are saying that people that put in more time and money will control the market . That's the rewards of working harder then others . How you came to the logic this will increase prices is way beyond me .

It's called 15 years of MMORPG experience where 99% have auction houses and I've exploited the market in almost all of them to get rich. When you're systematically buying of people who sell cheaper than you to sell at your price, and people are forced to buy your price because you've bought all the cheaper wares, it increases the price for them.

Nazon_Katts

I'd rather just see a buy tab added to existing guild stores, where members can set buy orders by setting gold per unit, requested amount and then just deposit the needed gold with the order. So anyone visiting the kiosk can just sell items to it and won't be restricted to buying only.

This would open up the market considerably, since not guilded players can buy and sell, all the while the guilds still would have the advantage to more actively shape the market and continue to be the very backbone of this game's economy.

Roechacca

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

TehMagnus

roechacca wrote: »

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

Lol, there are three hubs where the most popular guilds are located and they are all close to wayshrines (which is why they are popular) and it usually takes a small amount of time to check them all and wayshrine to wayshrine travel is free.

For stuff you don't find in those three hubs, it's easier to look in /z than to keep checking half empty guild stores.

If you waste time checking every single hub, you can only blame yourself for your poor optimization of your time.

Roechacca

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

Lol, there are three hubs where the most popular guilds are located and they are all close to wayshrines (which is why they are popular) and it usually takes a small amount of time to check them all and wayshrine to wayshrine travel is free.

For stuff you don't find in those three hubs, it's easier to look in /z than to keep checking half empty guild stores.

If you waste time checking every single hub, you can only blame yourself for your poor optimization of your time.

I don't waist time any more buying . I just make my own gear or have one of my friends make it . I don't participate in this broken game play . Between the four of us that play together we leveled everything and hordes everything since pre launch so we didn't have to get price gouged on items . There are many groups that have done the same . So because we didn't join a big trade guild we don't sell our stuff and don't participate in the economy . Some of us would like too but the current system doesn't allow small guilds to have stores . Which is bs also . Rather have a AH where everyone's included then the current system .

SFBryan18

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

Lol, there are three hubs where the most popular guilds are located and they are all close to wayshrines (which is why they are popular) and it usually takes a small amount of time to check them all and wayshrine to wayshrine travel is free.

For stuff you don't find in those three hubs, it's easier to look in /z than to keep checking half empty guild stores.

If you waste time checking every single hub, you can only blame yourself for your poor optimization of your time.

I find some great deals when I go from town to town checking. I love the feeling when you grab an item knowing that you would never had gotten it for that cheap if everyone knew it was there.

Kaizxen

IMO, a reverse auction house wouldn't be even close to the convenience of a regular auction house. As has been noted above, the simplest difference is that the buyer has to wait for someone to fill his/her order, as opposed to simply buying it outright.

Also, with your suggestion of 30-minute timeframes, the RAH would require frequent attention in order for a buyer or seller to be an effective trader. That's the opposite of convenient for either party.

Going by the original suggestion, sellers also effectively lose their item for those time intervals. So, making the time interval longer to benefit the buyer (more time to attract potential sellers) would negatively impact the seller (by making their items unavailable for longer), and vice versa.

Not a fan of this idea so far.

AshySamurai

roechacca wrote: »

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

Lol, there are three hubs where the most popular guilds are located and they are all close to wayshrines (which is why they are popular) and it usually takes a small amount of time to check them all and wayshrine to wayshrine travel is free.

For stuff you don't find in those three hubs, it's easier to look in /z than to keep checking half empty guild stores.

If you waste time checking every single hub, you can only blame yourself for your poor optimization of your time.

I don't waist time any more buying . I just make my own gear or have one of my friends make it . I don't participate in this broken game play . Between the four of us that play together we leveled everything and hordes everything since pre launch so we didn't have to get price gouged on items . There are many groups that have done the same . So because we didn't join a big trade guild we don't sell our stuff and don't participate in the economy . Some of us would like too but the current system doesn't allow small guilds to have stores . Which is bs also . Rather have a AH where everyone's included then the current system .

Actually, AH exclude people even more. Good items become even more expensive, trash items become even more cheaper. Now I sometime can see Undaunted Sets sells far too expensive. I'm ok with it, but I know actual price and I won't buying overpriced items. But! Month ago I found 3 Potent Nirncrux for 15k each. It was not a bad deal. Why it wsa possible? Did seller wanted to sell his/her goods faster or did he/she didn't know the actual price? I don't know. I doubt that it's possible with AH (actually no, it's impossible with AH). With AH you can forget about normal prices. You can't buy for lower price and also you can't sell for higher price. Only fixed prices. Want few more coins for that item? Too bad to you. You can only drop price.

Roechacca

AshySamurai wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

TehMagnus wrote: »

roechacca wrote: »

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

Hey, I've never used the "greater good" argument I'm a Trader and I like to Trade.

Ironically, using your example, actually the price is increased due to Convenience. You don't HAVE to travel back to a main city and purchase there, or find a bank and get your own supply, as you're in the middle of where-ever. Thus you DO pay for convenience.

What we are ACTUALLY talking about is people pricing what they feel is a fair price for the item, under THEIR circumstances.
If anything, you are taking advantage of someone not running any add-on where they have a rough idea what the market rates are and can price accordingly.

The fact is the current system makes finding things so difficult with travel prices and time waisted to locate the vendor that has what you're looking for that it stunts game play . I get that some people find shopping immersive , I don't . A little shopping in one town with dozens of kiosks there I can handle but not making an entire travel quest to find one missing piece of gear or a decent deal on pots .

Lol, there are three hubs where the most popular guilds are located and they are all close to wayshrines (which is why they are popular) and it usually takes a small amount of time to check them all and wayshrine to wayshrine travel is free.

For stuff you don't find in those three hubs, it's easier to look in /z than to keep checking half empty guild stores.

If you waste time checking every single hub, you can only blame yourself for your poor optimization of your time.

I don't waist time any more buying . I just make my own gear or have one of my friends make it . I don't participate in this broken game play . Between the four of us that play together we leveled everything and hordes everything since pre launch so we didn't have to get price gouged on items . There are many groups that have done the same . So because we didn't join a big trade guild we don't sell our stuff and don't participate in the economy . Some of us would like too but the current system doesn't allow small guilds to have stores . Which is bs also . Rather have a AH where everyone's included then the current system .

Actually, AH exclude people even more. Good items become even more expensive, trash items become even more cheaper. Now I sometime can see Undaunted Sets sells far too expensive. I'm ok with it, but I know actual price and I won't buying overpriced items. But! Month ago I found 3 Fortified Nirncrux for 15k each. It was not a bad deal. Why it wsa possible? Did seller wanted to sell his/her goods faster or did he/she didn't know the actual price? I don't know. I doubt that it's possible with AH (actually no, it's impossible with AH). With AH you can forget about normal prices. You can't buy for lower price and also you can't sell for higher price. Only fixed prices. Want few more coins for that item? Too bad to you. You can only drop price.

In a central market all prices level to supply and demand in consideration to inflation . That's just fear tactics stating things get more expensive . No they don't , the prices stabilize and the rare items go for the price they should based on availability .