How are we supposed to use guild traders without 3rd party software?

AlienMagi

I dont like using tamriel trade centre just to know how much my items are worth. Can someone explain to me how i am supposed to trade in this game without having to use 3rd party software like addons or TTC's website?

How do the console players do it?

Is it about time for a central guild trader listing to be added in the game?

Should ZOS put a disclaimer on the game that unlicensed 3rd party software is required to play the game?

Solid_Metal

you have a choice to not use it you know ?, just go to random trader guild, search your item, and just look at the price there, copy it

will it be accurate?, probably not, but definitely doable without addon

TTC also not accurate, IN FACT, theres lot of false item price, item tend to artificially lowered/raised by player/bot, so i also not reccomended if you only rely on TTC, i use TTC as rought guideline, but also use MM as aggregation price from guild

AlienMagi

Solid_Metal wrote: »

you have a choice to not use it you know ?, just go to random trader guild, search your item, and just look at the price there, copy it

will it be accurate?, probably not, but definitely doable without addon

TTC also not accurate, IN FACT, theres lot of false item price, item tend to artificially lowered/raised by player/bot, so i also not reccomended if you only rely on TTC, i use TTC as rought guideline, but also use MM as aggregation price from guild

Thats not the only issue here. When i get a rare purple motif or diagram that normally goes for 100k or 1 million on ttc, how would i know that without using an addon or the website?

Do you expect me to run around the entire world spending countless hours just to maybe find a couple traders with the same item just to find out the item isnt worth more than 100 gold?

Nestor

I know this is another veiled "I want an auction house" thread. However i will try to answer your question.

For 99% of the items in the game, you only need to shop one major trade hub. Once you have an idea of prices, then you can figure out what to list yours for. You don't need to find the exact items, just stuff similar to what you want to sell. As for rare items, if you think you have to search the entire game world to find it, then list it at the top end of the prices in the category. If it does not sell in a couple of weeks, pull it and drop the price. Don't worry about the list fee, that is 1%.

Besides, relying on addons will get you nit get you the price you need to list for, you still need to shop.

TTC is not all that good at showing you the prices in the market.

Shantu

It's not ideal, but ZOS as given zero indication of changing anything, so you kind of have to run with what's available. The TTC addon and website work well, for my needs, and I appreciate the effort to keep them running. As far as it being inaccurate, maybe it's not perfect, but I use it explicitly for pricing and have 80+ million gold sitting in my bank that would suggest it works just fine.

VaranisArano

You do it the way that console players or PC players without addons trade.

I learned to trade without MM or TTC. I prefer MM, but because post-guild-history-changes MM tends to lag my game, I usually trade without it. I only check TTC for truly rare items. Here's my process.

When Buying: go to a hub and search for the items I want. Check a couple of the guild traders so I know what's a reasonable price range. Then I decide what I'm willing to pay for the item(s) and go shopping either in the hub or in farther flung traders.

When Selling: check the prices for my items in my guild (my direct competitors), in nearby trading guilds (my next competitors), and if necessary, the prices in trading hubs (those players will look for bargains if I price mine cheaply.) Then set my prices accordingly. I tend to sell bulk materials and want fast sales, so I will often slightly undercut players in my guild or price lower so that bargain hunters who use TTC will come grab my listing.


Does this take more time than using TTC or MM?
Yes. Those addons provide pricing info at a glance that I gather by actually looking around at my guild and others nearby. The more I trade, the more I have "a feel" for what the prices are based on my sales and so the process goes faster. But if I take a break from trading or if an update increased demand again, then I have to go check prices again.

Do I lose money this way?
Eh, maybe? Maybe not? I set the prices where I'm pretty sure the mats will sell quickly and I'm usually correct. Similarly, I might miss out on some bargains because I'm not using TTC, but as long as I'm in the ballpark with reasonable prices on my purchases, I'm not that much of a penny-pincher.

disintegr8

All you need to do is check what the items are going for in other traders and decide on a price that you are happy to buy/sell it for. If you aren't prepared to do this little bit of work, then don't bother trading.

If you're that worried about selling too high or too low, or paying too much for something, then you are taking the game far too seriously. Chill a little.

Supertonicbaker

I’m a console player and I’ll let you in on a little secret as to how I find the best price. I approach a trader. I search for I want. Then I approach another trader. Search for what I want and compare. Then approach another trader. Then search for what I want and compare. Then... well, you get the point. I actually visit every trader in the zones until I get a good enough idea and go to the one I’m willing to pay for.

And no, I don’t mind it as I rarely do this. I actually farm for what I need to make what I want. Usually I do it for a motif to make myself look a little more awesome in my own eyes.

SeaGtGruff

Nestor wrote: »

I know this is another veiled "I want an auction house" thread.

Maybe. Maybe not. It's a perfectly valid question, with or without a central auction house. The lack of a central auction house just makes it more tedious to try to figure out what a reasonable asking price is, but the solution is essentially the same either way-- search for the item to see what other players are charging for it.

Nestor wrote: »

For 99% of the items in the game, you only need to shop one major trade hub. Once you have an idea of prices, then you can figure out what to list yours for. You don't need to find the exact items, just stuff similar to what you want to sell. As for rare items, if you think you have to search the entire game world to find it, then list it at the top end of the prices in the category. If it does not sell in a couple of weeks, pull it and drop the price. Don't worry about the list fee, that is 1%.

The only thing I might add to that is to consider checking at least two hubs-- a high-traffic hub and a lower-traffic hub-- as well as a lone trader in an out-of-the-way location. Also, consider checking at different times of the day.

The reason for these two suggestions is that prices can fluctuate throughout the day, and they can also vary depending on how easily a seller thinks an item is going to sell. Apparently a lot of players will just go to the nearest hub to search for what they want, and will not check at more than one or maybe two hubs before getting tired of shopping around for the best price. Sellers know this, so a lot of times the prices at the more popular hubs will be higher than the prices at less-popular traders.

As for price fluctuations throughout the day, I assume the main reason is because players list items at low prices so they'll sell quickly, but as soon as people see those listings they scarf them up, and if they were scarfed up by flippers they'll get relisted at higher prices. Consequently the prices are often lowest in the early hours of whatever the peak time happens to be on a given server, then start to rise as the lower-priced listings are bought up but the number of players posting new listings has decreased for the day. That's the impression I get, anyway; I've probably over-simplified it.

Hapexamendios

It was a hell of a lot harder before we could search guild traders.

AlnilamE

I use MasterMerchant, but I'm only in 2 guilds that are trading guilds, so my prices may be off the average.

Otherwise, I check what stuff is listed at on my traders if I really feel like it.

I don't use TTC at all.

FantasticFreddie

I don't use any addons to trade. My laptop can't handle much abuse beyond base game.
Some strategies:

1) Stop caring if your prices are accurate. Seriously I just pick a number and sell stuff at random prices. I don't care if someone gets a 20k map for 500 gold. I need the inventory space.
2) Check the guild trader listings. For common things like mats, I just check the prices other people on my trader are listing them for. Easy.
3) If it is a rare item, I ask for a price check in guild chat. Just link the item and say "Price check please!". Someone will link some data. Occasionally someone will whisper you directly ask ask to buy it, saving you the listing fee and guild cut.

SirAndy

AlienMagi wrote: »

Can someone explain to me how i am supposed to trade in this game without having to use 3rd party software like addons or TTC's website?

Walk up to a guild trader in-game, interact with their inventory, browse for items of interest and buy them.

RageKing

AlienMagi wrote: »

Solid_Metal wrote: »

you have a choice to not use it you know ?, just go to random trader guild, search your item, and just look at the price there, copy it

will it be accurate?, probably not, but definitely doable without addon

TTC also not accurate, IN FACT, theres lot of false item price, item tend to artificially lowered/raised by player/bot, so i also not reccomended if you only rely on TTC, i use TTC as rought guideline, but also use MM as aggregation price from guild

Thats not the only issue here. When i get a rare purple motif or diagram that normally goes for 100k or 1 million on ttc, how would i know that without using an addon or the website?

Do you expect me to run around the entire world spending countless hours just to maybe find a couple traders with the same item just to find out the item isnt worth more than 100 gold?

There is no ingame feature to search prices for items, if you want to get an idea of what something costs you either go to traders and look up the item your selling and see what others are selling it for.

If you think this is too much work then use addons. If you dont like addons and dont wanna search guild traders for your item to get a decent estimate of value then ask in zone, But most likely people will just post a MM estimate price. Nothing else to do but whine after that

Monte_Cristo

Or you could, you know, sell it for whatever price you want. Or what price you think it's worth. Or what price you personally would pay for it.

Iccotak

I walk around multiple trading hubs and find the item at a cost I find reasonable to pay

colossalvoids

TTC isn't required at all, it's okay to have and to browse from time to time but far from mandatory, didn't used it for years now and have zero regrets. MM/ATT are also not a requirement but a handy tool to not look up what people usually price their goods for in your guilds every listing you do but in a handy menu below the item itself plus statistics and all of that, you still can look up browsing your guild store for a set prices before listing, I do it a lot when have no mm enabled, not a problem at all.

If you want to price more uncommon items it's mostly up to you to decide but you always can browse local stores for prices on them.

And if you're only a buyer you don't need any, just a decent memory.

katanagirl1

Elden Root, Wayrest, and Mournhold are the most desirable trading locations, so I search there. They have the largest selections because the largest guilds get those spots.

It doesn’t take long to get a feel for the range of prices listed and settle on what price I want to list mine.

Ippokrates

Last week I started completely new game on a new server. No money, no supplies, no wayshrines, have nothing.

And omg I have spend few days looking for Lava Soup recipy and dummy in reasonable prices all across Tamriel.

And from the customer pov I can tell you that not only item value plays matter, but also a location of your GT.

When I finally found recipy in price I was willing to pay in the last market on my path, in Reaper's March, I was so happy... More than completing vet dung ^^

Minyassa

You must have lots of extra time, the patience of a saint, a steel-clad indifference to whether or not you lose money, and the energy of an 18-year-old.

I have none of those things and would kiss the creator of TTC if I could. Don't care if it's all that accurate, it gets my stuff sold within a reasonable amount of time, by which I mean before it expires, and it helps me shop in a reasonable amount of time, by which I mean before I get so frustrated looking for something that I flip tables and settle for something else. I am the type of person who yells at web pages to load faster, I would die of high blood pressure if I had to rely on the game's setup all by itself.

Xebov

AlienMagi wrote: »

I dont like using tamriel trade centre just to know how much my items are worth. Can someone explain to me how i am supposed to trade in this game without having to use 3rd party software like addons or TTC's website?

How do the console players do it?

Is it about time for a central guild trader listing to be added in the game?

Should ZOS put a disclaimer on the game that unlicensed 3rd party software is required to play the game?

TTC is not showing you how much your item is worth, it just shows you for what price someone is offering it. Thats a huge difference. Just because someone lists an item for X doesnt mean its also selling or worth that much.

For 99% of all items you can just look into your guild trader and see for how much others put it in and slightly undercut it, thats it.

Iam on PC with all the stuff readily available via Addons and i use TTC once or twice a month.

Goregrinder

Nestor wrote: »

I know this is another veiled "I want an auction house" thread. However i will try to answer your question.

For 99% of the items in the game, you only need to shop one major trade hub. Once you have an idea of prices, then you can figure out what to list yours for. You don't need to find the exact items, just stuff similar to what you want to sell. As for rare items, if you think you have to search the entire game world to find it, then list it at the top end of the prices in the category. If it does not sell in a couple of weeks, pull it and drop the price. Don't worry about the list fee, that is 1%.

Besides, relying on addons will get you nit get you the price you need to list for, you still need to shop.

TTC is not all that good at showing you the prices in the market.

You caught that too then? I thought I'd be the only one able to read between the lines, but I'm glad I'm not the only one!

SilverBride

When I joined a trade guild I first looked at what others in the guild were selling for and used those prices. I figured they were experienced traders and I trusted their judgement. If the item I was selling wasn't listed on the guild trader, then I checked TTC and went with a midrange price. This has worked well for me.

Also, I don't have the TTC addon. I just check the web site.

FantasticFreddie

I once posted a motif--I forget what-- in the guild store for 5k, my GM bought it nearly at once and messaged me that it was RARE and worth 75k! She sent it back to me and suggested I try again lol.
On the other side if the equation, when I first went to find gear for my bomber, I found a GOLD, DIVINES jerkin of VD for 50 gold. Not 500. Not 50k. Just.... 50.
I snapped it up, and I bet someone cried real tears when they got that mail and realized what they had done.

Chips_Ahoy

i like the guild store thing, but i think we need a official price tooltip.

The day they ban TTC will be the day I stop playing, in no way am I going to spend hours looking for the "correct" price of the item I want to sell.

that TTC does not give the "real" price and sometimes it is low, well, it is not really gold you know?

Goregrinder

FantasticFreddie wrote: »

I once posted a motif--I forget what-- in the guild store for 5k, my GM bought it nearly at once and messaged me that it was RARE and worth 75k! She sent it back to me and suggested I try again lol.
On the other side if the equation, when I first went to find gear for my bomber, I found a GOLD, DIVINES jerkin of VD for 50 gold. Not 500. Not 50k. Just.... 50.
I snapped it up, and I bet someone cried real tears when they got that mail and realized what they had done.

Yup, it works both ways and that's what makes it awesome!

Dark_Lord_Kuro

AlienMagi wrote: »

How do the console players do it?

I personnally make a name search in my 4 guild and most of the time i foud a few of the item i seach for
I may also check mournhold to be sure

PizzaCat82

Console players:
If you're selling -
1. Search guild store #1 in Eldenroot, Search Guild store #2 in Eldenroot, repeat for all 7 stores (all search settings are saved so its just going up to the store and hitting "store, then search". Find lowest price, if you want to sell fast, or put it on average if you want to sell slow.

If you're buying, do the searches like above, but then repeat for Mournhold and Stormhaven. If those don't work, search Alinor, Vivec, and Rawkhla. If those don't work, beg in the zone chat or guild chat.

SpacemanSpiff1

AlienMagi wrote: »

I dont like using tamriel trade centre just to know how much my items are worth. Can someone explain to me how i am supposed to trade in this game without having to use 3rd party software like addons or TTC's website?

check the other traders in the town that your guild has their trader in. maybe check a couple more cities if you want more info. It doesn't take more than a couple minutes to check all 5-7 traders at each location. the game saves you search history.

How do the console players do it?

Is it about time for a central guild trader listing to be added in the game?

nope

Should ZOS put a disclaimer on the game that unlicensed 3rd party software is required to play the game?

nope

Nestor wrote: »

I know this is another veiled "I want an auction house" thread. However i will try to answer your question.

bingo

redlink1979

AlienMagi wrote: »

(...) Can someone explain to me how i am supposed to trade in this game without having to use 3rd party software like addons or TTC's website?
How do the console players do it? (...)

Check out the guild traders (at least on the major cities), calculate the average and get your item(s) listed.

AlienMagi wrote: »

(...) Is it about time for a central guild trader listing to be added in the game? (...)

No. It will never be the time for that.
And ZOS already stated before that they want the current trading system, not a monopolized one.

AlienMagi wrote: »

(...) Should ZOS put a disclaimer on the game that unlicensed 3rd party software is required to play the game?

No, because you don't need 3rd parties software to play the game, you never did and you never will.
If console players can play the game without any add-ons, surely PC players can also do it if they really want to...

Goregrinder

PizzaCat82 wrote: »

Console players:
If you're selling -
1. Search guild store #1 in Eldenroot, Search Guild store #2 in Eldenroot, repeat for all 7 stores (all search settings are saved so its just going up to the store and hitting "store, then search". Find lowest price, if you want to sell fast, or put it on average if you want to sell slow.

If you're buying, do the searches like above, but then repeat for Mournhold and Stormhaven. If those don't work, search Alinor, Vivec, and Rawkhla. If those don't work, beg in the zone chat or guild chat.

Yep that's pretty much the normal process. It was the same during the first years of SWG too. Just gotta manually go to the popular spots, and clicky clicky a handful of times. Make sure to bring a towel, so you can wipe the sweat from your forehead with all the hard work you did after successfully selling or buying something.