Tired of the Player Market System

darvaria · June 19

Traders should have been consolidated years ago. But a few large trade guilds control the prices. Not so much since they nerfed Chromium plating. For a fact, they list and buy between guild members to drive up the average price. I see this could happen with ink.

Now, the real question is what do some players do with all of that gold? I could go through that 3rd party website and id at least 10 players that are using it for RWT. Why? because I've been on some of those discords and heard it.

I would prefer to buy everything from ZOS directly. But fortunately, I rarely have to buy anything now days.

freespirit · June 19

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

Elsonso · June 19

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Having come from WoW, where a single addon can monitor the entire faction AH for the server... the system here is 10x better. People could monopolize the system by just standing in the auction house in Stormwind or Orgimmar and letting the addon run. They never had to leave, and it was better if they didn't. The addon gave them real time market information.

There is no real time market information here. The scope of information available to any one player is smaller. It is much harder to collect and more work to control. Do people do the best they can to monopolize? Of course, but it would be much easier for them if ZOS would simply tell them everything that was for sale in real time so they could buy it A.S.A.P.

oldbobdude · June 19

FelisCatus wrote: »

…They don't even need the money it's just pure greed."

It’s not like it’s real money. Trading and making your stack grow is a game activity. Might as well say “They don’t even need that stylepage” Buying is a pain to be sure, but that’s not the sellers fault.

FlopsyPrince · June 19

freespirit wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

You still haven't proven that, just asserted it.

Monopolies exist now, especially on the PC. When TTC says the "normal" price for a companion item is 1/10th its price in any listings, that illustrates that the current system doesn't prevent the monopolies you note. It ends up making them at least as likely, if not more so, since good information is not possible to find with reasonable effort.

Prices tend to settle more to the norm in a central location, something that never gets addressed.

FlopsyPrince · June 19

Elsonso wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Having come from WoW, where a single addon can monitor the entire faction AH for the server... the system here is 10x better. People could monopolize the system by just standing in the auction house in Stormwind or Orgimmar and letting the addon run. They never had to leave, and it was better if they didn't. The addon gave them real time market information.

There is no real time market information here. The scope of information available to any one player is smaller. It is much harder to collect and more work to control. Do people do the best they can to monopolize? Of course, but it would be much easier for them if ZOS would simply tell them everything that was for sale in real time so they could buy it A.S.A.P.

So? You knew what the "going price" was for something in that case. You also could find it at whatever the normal price was. Now you get to run all over the place to maybe find what you want.

People only flip things that are underpriced. They can't resell something at too high of a price or they will simply lose out.

I recall WoW having listing fees too, making it less profitable to flip unless a serious profit was likely. Just listing things that might not sell for a long time could quickly eat away at any profit.

shadyjane62 · June 19

Ten years and I still miss the Auction House.
I would rather just vendor stuff then deal with the guild trader system.

Hapexamendios · June 19

I'm used to the current system. It works for me. I don't want to change.

LalMirchi · June 19

No to a centralized auction house.

notyuu · June 19

If we get a centralised auction house prices would get considerably worse, why? You may ask, or maybe "how?"

Simple, a central ah would make it laughably easy to automate the buying and listing process, in other words one rich git could roll in, buy up all of a certain item and then relist it at a markup in a matter if mere moments (used to do it in other games, its easier than you'd think)

"But we already have inflation" I hear you cry, and yes, while that is true the inflation we are experiencing is the natural result of a miss match between supply and demand (few weeks after the anniversary event, every single time prices go down due to increased market supply) if we had a central ah the inflation would be caused by artificial scarcity and the prices would be whatever the player with the monopoly on a certain item type would want it to be.

Tl:Dr system we have now, while not perfect is better than total monopoly that central ah would enable

xclassgaming · June 19

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

look at world of warcraft, final fantasy 14, literally ANY other mmo with a centralised market place/board. It happens.

LaintalAy · June 19

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

xilfxlegion · June 19

no thanks on an auction house.

one - it is lore breaking.
two - it would not have the desired effect you believe it would - it would just make it easier for rich folks like myself to actually control the market.
there are hundreds of guild traders - there is no huge corporate conglomerate that decides the market - the BUYER decides the market.
three - every single thing for sale in any guild trader is available for free if you just go get it. - if you dont want to spend the time getting it, then you pay the price for someone else's time. its that simple.
four - i do wish we could have more guild slots or at least be able to list more than 30 items in each one.
five - refer back to two.

ps - zos has stated on multiple occasions that there will never be a central auction house .

freespirit · June 19

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

I used to love Windhelm for a bargain, I too never even visit there anymore, also PC-EU 😕

GooGa592 · June 19

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

Except there is a real in game economy and that economy is seeing a significant degree of inflation on the most commonly used items. A central auction house would make this issue way worse.

AlnilamE · June 19

GooGa592 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

Except there is a real in game economy and that economy is seeing a significant degree of inflation on the most commonly used items. A central auction house would make this issue way worse.

As someone who has come back after 2 years and is looking around, I have to disagree. Most "commonly used items" are at the same price or close to than when I left. Some have increased a bit, some have decreased a bit.

The outlier are jewelry mats, which are a lot more affordable than they were due to changes in how you get improvers.

Other than that, the meta gear is expensive because people who are farming it want to make money. Rare motifs and furnishing plans are expensive and the common ones are cheap. I can pretty much pick up from where I left off, even if I have quite a few motifs/furnishings to get now.

Meanwhile, in the last 2 years, the economy in BDO, which has a central marketplace and no direct player trading has seen a lot of inflation and someone who came back to the game after 2 years there wouldn't dream of being able to get the latest gear.

FlopsyPrince · June 20

AlnilamE wrote: »

GooGa592 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

Except there is a real in game economy and that economy is seeing a significant degree of inflation on the most commonly used items. A central auction house would make this issue way worse.

As someone who has come back after 2 years and is looking around, I have to disagree. Most "commonly used items" are at the same price or close to than when I left. Some have increased a bit, some have decreased a bit.

The outlier are jewelry mats, which are a lot more affordable than they were due to changes in how you get improvers.

Other than that, the meta gear is expensive because people who are farming it want to make money. Rare motifs and furnishing plans are expensive and the common ones are cheap. I can pretty much pick up from where I left off, even if I have quite a few motifs/furnishings to get now.

Meanwhile, in the last 2 years, the economy in BDO, which has a central marketplace and no direct player trading has seen a lot of inflation and someone who came back to the game after 2 years there wouldn't dream of being able to get the latest gear.

Why should you get the latest gear immediately on returning to any game? That is not a good expectation.

Though I am not sure the exact point being made here.

daim · June 20

It is fine as it is.

It has it's ups and downs but at least its different than many other games have giving it a nice twists to play the "economy game"

I like it that you can get a special item from an auctioneer basically for free if someone doesn't know it's value and get lucky. Also you can get the essentials really fasts and with a reasonable price just as easily as with any other system.

Pelanora · June 21

I am amazed that in pc eu in alinor the same guilds have held the slots for years. How even is that possible.

Pelanora · June 21

xclassgaming wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

look at world of warcraft, final fantasy 14, literally ANY other mmo with a centralised market place/board. It happens.

Amazon ebay any national trading site.

Amottica · June 21

BlueRaven wrote: »

I am not saying the current way is the best, but I extremely dislike centralized AHs like in wow. This feels a bit like going to stores in the real world, where multiple stores may have the same product at wildly different costs. Or I may stumble across an item at a steep discount.

I don’t RP but I like how the current system feels more “real” than a centralized market.

Also as has been said a ton of times, those guild trader bids act as much needed gold sinks.
(And if you don’t like being in 5 guilds no one is forcing you to be in that many.)

I have to agree but also add that there is not a perfect system. I am fine and content with what we have and mostly dislike the centralized trading systems regardless of them being an auction house or a straight-up trading system.

I have trouble finding 5 good guilds, so that is not an issue. I have found a nice trading guild, a casual social one, and a couple of good raiding guilds. Most I have seen are not well managed and seem to think having 500 members is a success even though they do nothing together. I prefer quality over quantity.

Arrodisia · June 23

The trade system shouldn't be drastically changed to AH. I dislike a completely centralised trading system and many players have voiced a similar opinion. Instead, it should be tweaked to remove some flaws, which are causing some occasional inflation of bids and other issues Also, a proper guild system should maybe be added.

Prices are similar as to what they were when I took a break almost 2 years ago except jewelry and some of the alchemy have gone down. If we had problems with price manipulation those prices would've gone up and stayed high.

One of the biggest flaws in the system is there are no activity requirements for guilds within the bidding system. Bids are functioning partially as hollow and flawed gold sinks. This allows trolling inactive ghost guilds to pop up and take vendor spots for astronomical prices, which active guilds could've occupied instead.

There are no controls from the developers side of crown trade and no limits for services trade which tend to inflate gold generally in games

Imho, some form of requirement to deter trolling ghost guilds from bidding might help, as in some form of activity requirements or points system could maybe be added. Empty ghost guilds occupying vendors, which active guilds could have each week shouldn't be a thing. Why not remove them from the equation?

I'm not suggesting anything extreme. I'm suggesting normal requirements that stem from normal gameplay any small, medium or large guild could easily achieve which an inactive, empty guild could not achieve in most cases.

Another point, ESO should have proper in game guild tools, bonuses for joining guilds and participating in guild gameplay activities. These things are completely absent within the system itself.

The Zeal of Zenithar event showed me something positive. Players are still interested in playing together towards common goals when some are set within the game. Why not expand that idea into guilds? So guilds and servers flourish with more activity.

Imho adding a more rewarding guild system and tweaking the guild bidding system could work wonders with population if executed well. Especially, since the end effect would be players actually benefitting from playing in their respective guilds and doing exactly what they enjoy doing. Those not in a guild would lose nothing. They can play the game exactly as they always have.

Have fun in game.

Zodiarkslayer · June 23

Northwold wrote: »

The point on the selling gate is that it pushes players to perform an activity that generates gold from ingame (rather than player) means that they otherwise would not do, thereby driving new gold creation. New gold entering the player economy is inflationary. People don't go round certain dungeons in a loop for literally three hours for fun, for example. That subcategory of player would not play that way at all if they could sell into the player economy other than via guilds -- their money would be coming from other players as money already in the economy.

That argument would be correct, if all players farming for highly priced items would destroy the gold they received while farming.

If not, this is just malarkey. 😂

Arrodisia · June 23

Northwold wrote: »

BlueRaven wrote: »

[cut for space]

The point on the selling gate is that it pushes players to perform an activity that generates gold from ingame (rather than player) means that they otherwise would not do, thereby driving new gold creation. New gold entering the player economy is inflationary. People don't go round certain dungeons in a loop for literally three hours for fun, for example. That subcategory of player would not play that way at all if they could sell into the player economy other than via guilds -- their money would be coming from other players as money already in the economy.

Maybe you meant to write this differently, but as it is right now, this makes little to no sense.
Players can sell with or without guilds and any sale through a guild trader or not generates gold from another player.

The pitance a player may or may not receive killing a mob or circle of mobs repeatedly or not is small potatoes compared to other ways of generating in game currency which could inflate game markets ocassionally (if left unchecked)and have existed in games for many years.

Mournhold doesn't have good prices? um what? materials can sometimes be cheaper there than anywhere else or at least in the lower procentile. All guilds receive newer players, including mournhold, who sometimes tend to under price. Different guilds there run events and discounter sales often enough. While I can go to some out of the way vendor and see items with over 400% markup sitting still and not being sold. I just don't see what you're seeing. I see similar competition plus, high and low prices everywhere.

I agree with a couple other points made but your statements on guild trading in Deshaan and running loops in dungeons as a major cause of inflation is somewhat off the mark. Especially, since rng for gear can sometimes be tough. Plus, some or all of that gold never changes hands. New and existing players spend most of it on in game items, homes, repairs, wayshrines, horse upgrades, furnishing vendors,...... and I must ask. Are you suggesting, with this statement, new players shouldn't get any drops or currencies while playing? I could see that being a hard fail, if so.

AlnilamE · June 23

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

AlnilamE wrote: »

GooGa592 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

Except there is a real in game economy and that economy is seeing a significant degree of inflation on the most commonly used items. A central auction house would make this issue way worse.

As someone who has come back after 2 years and is looking around, I have to disagree. Most "commonly used items" are at the same price or close to than when I left. Some have increased a bit, some have decreased a bit.

The outlier are jewelry mats, which are a lot more affordable than they were due to changes in how you get improvers.

Other than that, the meta gear is expensive because people who are farming it want to make money. Rare motifs and furnishing plans are expensive and the common ones are cheap. I can pretty much pick up from where I left off, even if I have quite a few motifs/furnishings to get now.

Meanwhile, in the last 2 years, the economy in BDO, which has a central marketplace and no direct player trading has seen a lot of inflation and someone who came back to the game after 2 years there wouldn't dream of being able to get the latest gear.

Why should you get the latest gear immediately on returning to any game? That is not a good expectation.

Though I am not sure the exact point being made here.

My point is that my gold is still worth the same as it was two years ago when I last played. There is some minor fluctuation both up and down on commonly traded items, with a few exceptions, like platings being a lot cheaper because of the changes made to jewelry crafting system.

Whereas in a game with actual inflation, my silver would be worth a lot less if I returned to the game after a similar hiatus.

FlopsyPrince · June 23

AlnilamE wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

AlnilamE wrote: »

GooGa592 wrote: »

LaintalAy wrote: »

There is no inflation. Only what people are willing to pay.

There is nothing for sale at a guild trader, that you can't obtain for free, yourself. Somebody finds them to sell.

Prices are unstable because the old 'powersellers' appear to have left the game and taken their stability with them.

The biggest problem I have is that entire locations are taken over by 'consortiums' I don't shop at Windhelm (EU anymore).

But keep whingeing about it. Facts are horrid things.

Except there is a real in game economy and that economy is seeing a significant degree of inflation on the most commonly used items. A central auction house would make this issue way worse.

As someone who has come back after 2 years and is looking around, I have to disagree. Most "commonly used items" are at the same price or close to than when I left. Some have increased a bit, some have decreased a bit.

The outlier are jewelry mats, which are a lot more affordable than they were due to changes in how you get improvers.

Other than that, the meta gear is expensive because people who are farming it want to make money. Rare motifs and furnishing plans are expensive and the common ones are cheap. I can pretty much pick up from where I left off, even if I have quite a few motifs/furnishings to get now.

Meanwhile, in the last 2 years, the economy in BDO, which has a central marketplace and no direct player trading has seen a lot of inflation and someone who came back to the game after 2 years there wouldn't dream of being able to get the latest gear.

Why should you get the latest gear immediately on returning to any game? That is not a good expectation.

Though I am not sure the exact point being made here.

My point is that my gold is still worth the same as it was two years ago when I last played. There is some minor fluctuation both up and down on commonly traded items, with a few exceptions, like platings being a lot cheaper because of the changes made to jewelry crafting system.

Whereas in a game with actual inflation, my silver would be worth a lot less if I returned to the game after a similar hiatus.

I missed your point then. That is reasonable to say.

kargen27 · June 23

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

freespirit wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

You still haven't proven that, just asserted it.

Monopolies exist now, especially on the PC. When TTC says the "normal" price for a companion item is 1/10th its price in any listings, that illustrates that the current system doesn't prevent the monopolies you note. It ends up making them at least as likely, if not more so, since good information is not possible to find with reasonable effort.

Prices tend to settle more to the norm in a central location, something that never gets addressed.

Monopolies do not exist and can not exist in ESO. Not with over 200 trade locations and no way to coordinate timely and up to date listings. It would take having someone at each location around the clock day in and day out with no sales allowed in chat. If you are willing to spend the time you can find the low priced items. That is what players that flip items do. They spend the time looking for bargains.
Just like people who devote a lot of time to trials can end up on the leader board people that dedicate a lot of time to trading can make a lot of gold. That doesn't stop any other player from doing the same with trials or trading.

FlopsyPrince · June 23

kargen27 wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

freespirit wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

You still haven't proven that, just asserted it.

Monopolies exist now, especially on the PC. When TTC says the "normal" price for a companion item is 1/10th its price in any listings, that illustrates that the current system doesn't prevent the monopolies you note. It ends up making them at least as likely, if not more so, since good information is not possible to find with reasonable effort.

Prices tend to settle more to the norm in a central location, something that never gets addressed.

Monopolies do not exist and can not exist in ESO. Not with over 200 trade locations and no way to coordinate timely and up to date listings. It would take having someone at each location around the clock day in and day out with no sales allowed in chat. If you are willing to spend the time you can find the low priced items. That is what players that flip items do. They spend the time looking for bargains.
Just like people who devote a lot of time to trials can end up on the leader board people that dedicate a lot of time to trading can make a lot of gold. That doesn't stop any other player from doing the same with trials or trading.

You have not searched for many things apparently. Yes, monopolies are not totally hole free, but they exist and some play the game just to push up the price of key rarer items.

Sorry, but my own experience looking for things proves you wrong.

And no, I don't want to spend 10 hours to MAYBE find what I am looking for at a "normal" price.

Arrodisia · June 23

kargen27 wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

freespirit wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

You still haven't proven that, just asserted it.

Monopolies exist now, especially on the PC. When TTC says the "normal" price for a companion item is 1/10th its price in any listings, that illustrates that the current system doesn't prevent the monopolies you note. It ends up making them at least as likely, if not more so, since good information is not possible to find with reasonable effort.

Prices tend to settle more to the norm in a central location, something that never gets addressed.

Monopolies do not exist and can not exist in ESO. Not with over 200 trade locations and no way to coordinate timely and up to date listings. It would take having someone at each location around the clock day in and day out with no sales allowed in chat. If you are willing to spend the time you can find the low priced items. That is what players that flip items do. They spend the time looking for bargains.
Just like people who devote a lot of time to trials can end up on the leader board people that dedicate a lot of time to trading can make a lot of gold. That doesn't stop any other player from doing the same with trials or trading.

exactly this.They don't exist.

and players flocklng to well set up areas isn't a monoploy or market manipulation. It's time saving, common sense to craft, buy/sell, bank, grab quests,... in one area.

kargen27 · June 23

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

freespirit wrote: »

FlopsyPrince wrote: »

CrashTest wrote: »

No to a centralized auction house because it just makes it easier for the rich players to monopolize the market.

A better option would be to add the functionality of Tamriel Trade Centre to the game, so we don't have to use third party sites to find things for sale. We can just search from within the game and be done with it. This also helps console players who can't use addons.

I will ask again, can you provide some "proof" of the monopolization argument and way that does not happen now?

Attempts at monopolization certainly happen now BUT they are difficult to maintain for any length of time or require a group of players to work together to constantly buy any new listings at the "undesirable" lower price, as these listings are spread across the map.

If there was one centralised Auction House the ease of creating monopolies would soon become apparent, no travel needed, stand in one spot and buy all of whatever item you wish to hike in price!!

You still haven't proven that, just asserted it.

Monopolies exist now, especially on the PC. When TTC says the "normal" price for a companion item is 1/10th its price in any listings, that illustrates that the current system doesn't prevent the monopolies you note. It ends up making them at least as likely, if not more so, since good information is not possible to find with reasonable effort.

Prices tend to settle more to the norm in a central location, something that never gets addressed.

Monopolies do not exist and can not exist in ESO. Not with over 200 trade locations and no way to coordinate timely and up to date listings. It would take having someone at each location around the clock day in and day out with no sales allowed in chat. If you are willing to spend the time you can find the low priced items. That is what players that flip items do. They spend the time looking for bargains.
Just like people who devote a lot of time to trials can end up on the leader board people that dedicate a lot of time to trading can make a lot of gold. That doesn't stop any other player from doing the same with trials or trading.

You have not searched for many things apparently. Yes, monopolies are not totally hole free, but they exist and some play the game just to push up the price of key rarer items.

Sorry, but my own experience looking for things proves you wrong.

And no, I don't want to spend 10 hours to MAYBE find what I am looking for at a "normal" price.

They can not exist. You get 600 players (and you would need at least that) watching the traders 24/7 to purchase all the Perfect Roe there would still be players listing them in guilds without traders or posting them for sale in zone chat. Can players sometimes manipulate prices, sure. Can they do it for more than a day or two, no. And I do search for things. I am trying to get every motif in the game. A friend is chasing every furniture pattern and I keep an eye out for patterns he needs. You are trying to grade the entire economy on rare items. That isn't a fair indication of the economy. With the economy as it is now every player, even new ones, can get everything they need and a good chunk of what they want at prices they can afford. Some will not be able to get everything they want but that is just another sign the economy is working.
Rare items have always been hit and miss when trying to buy and that isn't because of monopolies. That is because the items are rare. Demand will always be greater than supply and that tends to make prices continue to creep higher. What TTC is good for is seeing the number of items that have been posted. If you get a rare motif and see TTC only knows of six times that motif has been posted you can crank the price up a ton. If you see there are 1387 of those motifs seen then you will want to look at a few traders to find what they are priced at (I don't trust TTC for pricing) and come under.
Items new to the game are always going to be outrageous in price for a week or two then prices will usually plummet. After the content is no longer new so players aren't participating as much the prices will increase a bit as supply drops. That is how a healthy economy works.
I don't want to spend ten hours looking for an item either and I don't. That doesn't mean that the item isn't out there and available for a good price. It just means I would rather do other things. The people that do spend ten hours to find bargains to flip shouldn't be punished because we don't want to put time into trading.
I don't want to go through the grind of becoming emperor either and am okay with not ever being emperor. I have helped others that were willing to put in the time become emperor though. I wouldn't begrudge them the opportunity just because I don't want to go through the grind myself.

If monopolies are what you want to get away from a central market location would be the absolute last thing you should want now in ESO. Had the game started with an auction house it might have worked. It would be boring but it might have worked. At this point in the game an auction house would be a disaster. It would be much easier to manipulate the market and there are players that have the gold to do so.