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Big-bank Traders: how do you make the majority of your gold?

Saucy_Jack
Saucy_Jack
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I've made quite a bit of gold selling the Servant pages from the Witches event, but I'm just wondering for like, the BIGTIME people (i.e. people who have more than 25mil in the bank right now), what's your go-to selling strat for making gold? NOTE: only choose flipping if you don't acquire the stuff you sell yourself.
ALL HAIL SNUGGLORR THE MAGNIFICENT, KING OF THE RNG AND NIRN'S ONE TRUE GOD! Also, become a Scrub-scriber! SJ Scrubs: Playing games badly to make you feel better about yourself.

Big-bank Traders: how do you make the majority of your gold? 101 votes

Flipping (if you pick this, is there a certain category you flip the most? Gear? Motifs?)
8%
daryl.rasmusenb14_ESOhans.johansson1958b16_ESOYukon2112CGPsaintaaisoaholemonizzleJN_SlevinSkaraMinocRichestGuyinEso 9 votes
Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
44%
ssewallb14_ESObiminirwb17_ESOBloodyStigmataSilverBrideBergisMacBrideBouldercleaveReverbPersonofsecretssPark101Cadburydisintegr8WolfkeksAthymhormiameekmikorudviltmbrinksMarcoPolo184pelle412NavrasMiguZ 45 votes
Selling self-acquired PVP gear
4%
LaidlawPrax3desOakenaxerbfrgspMidniteOwl1913 5 votes
Selling trial runs/achievements/gear/motifs
1%
Nevidyraboi_anachronism_ 2 votes
Selling dungeon runs/achievments/gear/motifs (includes monster mask/shoulder pages )
1%
eovogtb16_ESOKappachi 2 votes
Selling furniture and/or furniture plans
4%
pikHzLikiLokiwhitecrowMellirusamertuim 5 votes
Selling crowns
0%
xdross 1 vote
Other (explain)
31%
theskymovesThorntongueRedTalonfreespiritKhenarthizariaNettleCarrierNumber_51wolfie1.0.EchoesofThunderjaws343JaraalDemonicGoatFR0STDEEredlink1979spartaxoxorpaGaladiusmarkulrich1966CrashTest 32 votes
  • Kusto
    Kusto
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    Other (explain)
    I simply play the game. I don't specifically farm anything. I mostly do vet dungeons and trials and get tons of motifs/patterns. I also sell mats that pile up. Sold bunch of Kinras dagger runs when people were farming it and etc. Sometimes sold Skyreach and BRP xp grinds.
    If you have played for years and have alot of characters then you're most likely swimming in gold no matter what you do.
  • DemonicGoat
    DemonicGoat
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    Other (explain)
    chinese gold farmers
    Please be sure to share your experiences regarding ESO with all your friends and family during the holidays this year. Word of mouth is one of the strongest,most effective tools we have as consumers.
  • markulrich1966
    markulrich1966
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    Other (explain)
    a mix

    I have days when I sell no furniture at all, but some motif pages or overland gear.
    Another day furniture.
    Then I see items extremely cheap, can't resist to fip those.

    I rarely sell mats, with 72 characters I need all myself.

    In addition to those common, I also do rarer sales now and then, like a timbercrow wanderer costume that requires 50 days to farm.
    Other sources are buying for Alliance points or tel var, selling for gold.
    I think if someone really found a method to make gold ONLY by that, he will not share it here, you never share your best business secrets.
  • Stinkyremy
    Stinkyremy
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    I only have like 3 mil now but at some point I had over 25 mil and my thing was I was a glyph trader, I would sell up to 60 glyphs a day at like 7-9k each, did it for a long time.
    Only thing I ever had to buy was stacks of kuta and repora when stocks got low.

    Now only thing I really ever spend my money on is motifs.
    I barely ever buy anything, I farm(ed) all mats I will ever need with writs and surveys just constantly making the resources go up, at some point i knew every motif in the game before I stopped playing for years.
    I ended up selling millions for IRL money, bought crowns for crown store stuff and gave millions to guilds (which I regret now as I was kicked after being inactive)

    I now sparingly sell glyphs and at low price, even lower than buying a kuta because I need some sort of passive income and seeing I have such an abundance of ever increasing runes that I will never use I might as well sell them.
  • bmnoble
    bmnoble
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    Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
    Mostly selling gold and purple upgrade mats from daily writs and from refining mats from surveys/hirelings/gathering but I only sell when I need the gold, more often than not now I would rather hoard the mats to use myself.

    I sell gear, motifs, furniture plans, master writs, intricate jewels and other random stuff I loot as well, I don't go out of my way to farm any of it though.

    Rarely if ever bother with flipping if I am browsing a guild trader I am looking for something I intend to buy to use myself, if by chance I see something massively under-priced I will grab it and re list it that is about it.
  • RedTalon
    RedTalon
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    Other (explain)
    Don't really save gold any,more since been around since the start. dont join guilds so o weekly fees and such. At a certain point when you play a mmo so long gold becomes useless espically if you enjoy crafting your own stuff.
    Edited by RedTalon on October 30, 2022 6:29AM
  • Jaraal
    Jaraal
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    Other (explain)
    Acquiring and selling rare items.
    RIP Bosmer Nation. 4/4/14 - 2/25/19.
  • spartaxoxo
    spartaxoxo
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    Well I only have few mil in the bank right now, but I'm on console. So it has a greater purchasing power than on PC. For reference, I could buy any house in the crown store for coin right now (assuming I had a seller) and still have enough money to buy others. I also have purchased crown homes and spent a lot of coin on crates and the like. I spend big and still earn plenty, so I assume that's good enough to offer an opinion.

    I basically just play the game and sell stuff I don't need. When there's an event, I sell the new stuff early and then buy it later for myself when it's cheap. I sell excess gold mats occasionally when I get some from doing writs and Tales of Tribute. I'll flip things when I see a good deal and sell all my duplicates of any all motifs and recipes. I try to always have a decent amount of wares in my traders. When a new zone drops, I sell stuff from it early to people who don't have access for the first couple of days.

    One thing I also try to do is think about how I can double up on things. For example, if the endeavor is to do a group event in any public dungeon, I might head to one where fragments drop and sell off something I get from there rather than just head to Alik'r. Although, frankly I've been lazy about that lately and just do Alik'r lol. Stuff like that.
  • Dr_Con
    Dr_Con
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    all of the above and then some, except for selling achievements/gear. I'm not a scumbag, I'd rather elevate players to the position they can obtain these player achievements on their own. If someone is asking for 1mil for some item that I don't need, then I'll usually give it to them for free with the exception of multiple people are offering me money for something, then i go with the first person who asked even if they engage in a bidding war. But you'll never see me selling achievement runs or 100% chance kinras daggers, that's just flexing or scummy exploiting.

    I'd rather you ask me what I don't do as I try many methods. Particularly, I don't farm enchanting surveys and I don't hold my breath for rare drops like colovian war torte recipe, mourning dew, aetheric cipher, or perfect roe. Anything with a fraction of a percent chance of dropping isn't worth farming. I don't craft/sell items like some do, most of the stuff I find in terms of furnishings, motifs, and blueprints/recipes I wind up trashing or using if they are under 20k value.

    The only time I ever flip is if I see something for sale for ridiculously cheap (like in the 5-20k range) that I've sold for hundreds of thousands. Everything else on your list I typically do.
  • SaffronCitrusflower
    SaffronCitrusflower
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    Other (explain)
    Everything you listed except selling crowns. Crowns cost real money and unless you make 250k plus/year you can't afford to be selling crowns on a regular basis given how much they cost in real money.
  • Khenarthi
    Khenarthi
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    Other (explain)
    I sell intricate gear and purple recipes and motifs that drop from daily crafting writs and questing. Since I play daily and don't buy much from other players (except from the occasional motif page) money eventually accumulates.

    This does not make me a big trader as I'm not even on those known-name trading guilds, and I don't buy or save stuff to sell later, but I've got over 25kk in the bank so I guess my answer still qualifies.
    PC-EU
  • BloodyStigmata
    BloodyStigmata
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    Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
    Do writs. Collect surveys. Sell gold tempers.

    This is the way.
    Owner and proprietor of the Northern Elsweyr Guar Reserve and The Hunting Grounds Guar Reserve, Tamriel's home to all things guar.
    See the embedded brochures for all information regarding our reserves, as well as our collection status!
  • DreamyLu
    DreamyLu
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    Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
    I use ESO as a place to rest, chilling solo in PvE explorable. I'm mostly just wandering around based on my mood, harvesting all resources in sight, and use those for trading, that is the other activity I enjoy in this game. It makes me earn by far more gold than what I need, so I give most of it to support my guild.
    I'm out of my mind, feel free to leave a message... PC/NA
  • zaria
    zaria
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    Other (explain)
    Mostly from selling master writs from crafting writs.
    Rarely sell mats, sell stuff i don't need myself like stylepages and blupring worth money and crafter know
    Grinding just make you go in circles.
    Asking ZoS for nerfs is as stupid as asking for close air support from the death star.
  • Baconlad
    Baconlad
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    How much are intricate items selling for?
  • wolfie1.0.
    wolfie1.0.
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    Other (explain)
    if your goal is to make tons of gold then i have one word of advice: Sell Everything.

    the real trick is to learn which activities will make you the most gold/time invested
  • oldbobdude
    oldbobdude
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    Other (explain)
    I doubt anybody makes their gold with just one activity. Should be able to select multiple choices.
  • Nestor
    Nestor
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    I have 42 Million in the bank. I got there simply by shedding excess inventory in the guild store.

    Sometimes I flip something, but I rarely just browse, I only shop for specific things. So I miss a ton of bargains. Besides, with addons, flip opportunities are rare.

    The Recipe and Motif markets are not what they used to be. What was once 4 to 6 figures is now 3 to 4 figures except for a few things I don't farm.

    Even then, i have earned about 8 Million so far this year.
    Enjoy the game, life is what you really want to be worried about.

    PakKat "Everything was going well, until I died"
    Gary Gravestink "I am glad you died, I needed the help"

  • zaria
    zaria
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    wolfie1.0. wrote: »
    if your goal is to make tons of gold then i have one word of advice: Sell Everything.

    the real trick is to learn which activities will make you the most gold/time invested
    Well this one has way more value in her crafting bag than in her bank.
    Kind of wild that Dreugh Wax sells for 18 K, has over 1000 of them, did not think about price once I saw that the pvp build worked.
    Grinding just make you go in circles.
    Asking ZoS for nerfs is as stupid as asking for close air support from the death star.
  • Gaebriel0410
    Gaebriel0410
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    I make all my gold by just playing. I don't have the need for millions of gold, I think most of the "value" I have is in my collections, whenever I have a lot of gold I just spend it.

    I keep "only" about 2-4 million in the bank, and that is a very generous "emergency" amount. The potential emergency being of course the release of a motif style I really like, while not having the patience to farm all of it myself. :D

    The only farming thing I ever do is the Anniversary event, as doing crafting writs on all my chars for two weeks straight makes me rich every year.
    Though it also reminds me that I would never ever do that otherwise, but with the boxes the grind is worth it for me as the gold I earn from two weeks of effort (for my doing) lasts me the rest of the year.

    And that's just by selling rare mats alone, as I played ESO since it came out, so I know almost every motif in the game. So I'll just give away all the hundreds of duplicate motifs to friends, as fashion should be shared with everyone.
  • MasterSpatula
    MasterSpatula
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    I can assure you, "Big Time Traders" left 25 million behind a long time ago.
    "A probable impossibility is preferable to an improbable possibility." - Aristotle
  • disintegr8
    disintegr8
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    Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
    I don't currently have 25 million in the bank but have bought every house that you can buy with gold, which means that I've earned and spent way more than 25 million.

    For a long time I did writs every day on 8 characters, which brought in about a million a month and loads of mats. Joining a trading guild then allowed me to sell a lot of the excess mats.

    I haven't done this for a while and standard play keeps my bank balance steady, but if I ever run low on gold, say below 4 or 5 million, I'd simply repeat the above process.
    Australian on PS4 NA server.
    Everyone's entitled to an opinion.
  • Nestor
    Nestor
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    I can assure you, "Big Time Traders" left 25 million behind a long time ago.

    Agreed. 9 Figures is the entry now for Big Time Traders. Wonder if anyone has a Billion or more?
    Enjoy the game, life is what you really want to be worried about.

    PakKat "Everything was going well, until I died"
    Gary Gravestink "I am glad you died, I needed the help"

  • Jaraal
    Jaraal
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    Nestor wrote: »
    I can assure you, "Big Time Traders" left 25 million behind a long time ago.

    Agreed. 9 Figures is the entry now for Big Time Traders. Wonder if anyone has a Billion or more?

    Many people do.
    RIP Bosmer Nation. 4/4/14 - 2/25/19.
  • EnerG
    EnerG
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    The way I make money is alot of setup, but good "passive" income, I have max crafting on every alt, skill pts in the relevant skills for max writs/materials chance and then hireling. So just by doing writs on all my alts I make like a handful of tempers and a chromium plate a week, abt 500k a week if I sell all that I get from writs/materials stuff, and this is on top of any other gathered and refined materials, Motif drops etc.

    Lots of work to setup but well worth it ateast on a few alts.
  • disintegr8
    disintegr8
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    Selling self-acquired mats - either from farming mats in the wild or farming mats from crafting writs
    Jaraal wrote: »
    Nestor wrote: »
    I can assure you, "Big Time Traders" left 25 million behind a long time ago.

    Agreed. 9 Figures is the entry now for Big Time Traders. Wonder if anyone has a Billion or more?

    Many people do.

    I'd ask why anyone would need to make that much gold but suspect the answer would be "because they can".

    I only need gold now for the Golden Vendor when any items I'm missing come out and occasionally I'll have a motif buying spree. Just playing the game gets me enough to do this.
    Australian on PS4 NA server.
    Everyone's entitled to an opinion.
  • rpa
    rpa
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    I did get my casual millions from mats in past. Currently I get my casual hundred thousands just playing the gaem and occasionally cleaning up my inventory. Edit: I think I have only about 13 M currently in bank so feel free to disregard.
    Edited by rpa on October 31, 2022 7:01AM
  • Veinblood1965
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    chinese gold farmers

    This cracked me up, at the same time being a true statement.

    I'll add my own quip! I manage a the hord of bots that hang out on the north western shore of Alik'r that constantly kill mudcrabs.

    Edited by Veinblood1965 on October 31, 2022 12:55PM
  • Veinblood1965
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    I used to focus on buying low and selling high a few years ago. Whenever I was near a vendor I'd watch for items that people had sold too low and then I'd resell. I can't remember the motif name but there was one set where everything sold for like 5 to 10k except the shoulder motif which for some reason was just impossible to find(not sure why, low drop rate perhaps?). People sold those for 5 or 10 k gold and I'd resell for 60 to 80 each time. Just stuff like that.

    This event I found a servant page for 10k at a vendor while looking to complete my set, It was one I already had but I bought it and resold it for 35K.

    I no longer mess with that stuff but still make plenty selling items and such from just normal playing.

    Edited by Veinblood1965 on October 31, 2022 1:00PM
  • Tenthirty2
    Tenthirty2
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    I don't consider myself a big-time trader as you say, but in bank I'm over double what you listed for your in-bank amount.

    My advice if anything, is just consistency.
    I'm only in 3 guilds that regularly get a trader and they're not any of the well-known power trader guilds. I don't do guilds with dues or minimums.
    Since I started playing about 2.5 years ago I've made over 60 million, mostly just consistent sales, no huge paydays, well I did have one. Within the first months of when Companions were first introduced. IIRC it was a purple Companion's Bolstered Shield that netted me around 1.2Mil. But most week to week sales are around 20k - 150k, closer to the high side of that average.
    Few things:
    • I make sure I have all my sell slots FILLED regularly. Also make sure to scan and upload to TTC once all listings are posted.
    • Watch the market pricing, my go-to is TTC.com, see what's selling well. There are a couple trade tool add-ons that simplify things too, the TTC add-on, Awesome Guild Store and Master Merchant.
    • Everything I sell is just stuff I've picked-up while playing. I don't specifically farm anything to sell, I also don't flip; both of those seem waaay too much like a job.
    • Price sensibly. This is where TTC and MM help a lot, especially the website. See what prices others are selling your item for.
      You do NOT what to be the highest on the listing, also don't low-ball a popular item unless you are ok with a flipper snapping it up and relisting for double the price. Try to stay under the top 3-4 highest listed prices.
      So for example, if I search for my item on TTC and page one of the results show it going for 30k - 50k I will try to list mine around 35k-41k.
    • Adding to the above, check on TTC.com or the add-on tooltip in game for how MANY of your item are listed.
      During the witches festival there are thousands of listings on TTC alone for the festival themed motifs and style pages. I'm not even going to bother. Best thing for festival themed items is sit on them.
      Like, the Nordic Bathers Towel prices right now are good, I'd list mine for around 20k. But once New Life starts if it's a regular drop again? forget it. By the second or third day of the event the number of them listed will be into the thousands and you'll be lucky to sell one for 4k - 5k, if that.
    • Your selling slots have VALUE, sometimes more than the item you may list.
      Don't list just the junk you don't want. Like, I have a ridiculous number of Dremora motif pages right now and right now IMO they are also near-worthless. They are still an active drop during the festival yet there are thousands listed for 20k and up. Sounds good right? I would say no, too many saturating the traders. So a better use of my trade slots would be listing something like Dragon Rheum or Dreugh Wax, Crafty Alfiq's with Impen trait, epic jewelry, Antiquity-only motif pages, heck anything lol.
    • Stacks. Sell best in small amounts unless it's a cheaper per-unit price. What you are concerned with is what the total sale price looks like, it's partly psychological. Sure for some of the cheaper crafting mats you could sell a stack of 100 if the total sale will be around 5k - 10k. But if you are selling something like Dragon Rheum, no. Sure listing 100 at the going price looks great to you, but not to a buyer. There is a listing rn for 100 of them for 13k EACH so the sale would be 1.3Mil. But 13k each is already too high and in a 100-stack, that listing will sit there.
      I'd list mine for 8,500 - 9k and no more than 10 in a stack, better yet 8.
    • Patience. Unless you list your pricing stupid-low for quick cash, expect your items will sit there if you followed my above logic.
      You may go days without a sale, just play the game and don't stress. They can sit in a guild listing for 30 days before it expires, then you can adjust pricing if needed and relist it. Some ppl regularly check the pricing and pull\relist their items accordingly. Most of the time I don't bother. Prices go up and down constantly as bigger guilds and market demand change item values. At worse I've gone 1-2 weeks with no sales, then suddenly I'll get slammed with sales every day. Right before the Witches Festival I nearly ran out of decent stock to sell. But on average I'll get 5-7 sales per week.
    • Regularly uploading to TTC. Some ppl stop by their bank often even if they've had no sales and upload. Personally I don't do this, only when I stop by to list items. I'm not convinced it would make any worthwhile difference for me. Now that said, in a 30-month period I still likely re-upload existing items when I stop in to fill a couple empty slots, hit upload. But every day? nah.

    If I think of anything else I'll edit, but those are the things I've been doing to keep a nice steady gold supply coming in.

    Good luck and have fun!
    Edited by Tenthirty2 on October 31, 2022 5:05PM
    • "Some enjoy bringing grief to others. They remind M'aiq of mudcrabs - horrible creatures, with no redeeming qualities."
    • "When my time comes, I will smile. And that will be all." -Sir Nathain Galien
    • IGN: TenThirty2 (PC/PS: NA, PC/PS: EU)
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