Endless Cat Merchants

Blakiepoo - Sanctuary
Blakiepoo - Sanctuary Posts: 44 Arc User
edited November 2008 in General Discussion
Archosaur's trading district seemed ridiculous today. Maybe it was just me, but it was nearly impossible to sell anything today. The sellers fill the minimap with solid green, yet there are only a handful of buyers and most of them are running through to get to the bank.

Other places had no one buying either. Everyone ran past all merchants. One guy was declaring lv2 herbs for 50 and no one was taking them for like 10 mins.

Is this normal or is there some kind of event going on that I don't know about?

edit: after hours, I finally got my first sale. 2 sandstone....
Post edited by Blakiepoo - Sanctuary on
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Comments

  • Wrathx - Heavens Tear
    Wrathx - Heavens Tear Posts: 187 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Archosaur's west district is always overrun with the catshops. Alot of the time it is people that have gone afk for a while and just throw up a shop to see if they can sell anything while they are gone. Having personal shops like the catshops in any of these F2P MMO's is one of the most annoying things these games have. They cause lots of lag all the time in cities in most games.
  • LordBiorn - Heavens Tear
    LordBiorn - Heavens Tear Posts: 28 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Etherblade is a great place for Catshops. There are so damn many of them at the south entrance, it's virtually impossible to go through without clickong in one. So annoying. :(

    Another problem i've found in these games, people have a bad habit of standing righ up on the NPC making it almost impossible to get to them.
  • Zress - Lost City
    Zress - Lost City Posts: 110 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Etherblade is a great place for Catshops. There are so damn many of them at the south entrance, it's virtually impossible to go through without clickong in one. So annoying. :(

    Another problem i've found in these games, people have a bad habit of standing righ up on the NPC making it almost impossible to get to them.

    remember, use the SHIFT key to get past the players and to the NPC.
  • ina1166
    ina1166 Posts: 297 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    You should see fatty shops in the malaysian version. xD
    They're lined up nicely, but there are twice as many.
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  • deshin
    deshin Posts: 123 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    remember, use the SHIFT key to get past the players and to the NPC.]

    With the catshop issue as large as it is they should change the default so you have to shift click to click a catshop and NPC would always be preferred.

    The jerks who stand on top of the NPC hoping for a person to misclick are as stupid as people who send spam mail. Sure you may get one fool but you will irritate a lot more people like me that will never even check one of these shops. We can just wish the telemarketer find their cell number.

    Lately I don't even bother with the shops at all. It is way too much effort to wade though all the people attempting to sell **** that should go to NPC or over pricing stuff waiting for a noob Grinding mobs seem exciting to clicking on cat after cat.

    I only use the auction house or the cash shop now I'm sure PWI likes my real money for materials but it sure hurts free players tring to sell for a valid price.

    To many little boys in this game that are too stupid to know that the cash shop/gold exchange rate puts a cap on their prices.

    I would go for a option that lets me make all shops invisible. All the stupid little boys can go try to out merch each other trading overpriced materials and not bother me. These are the same guys that will grown up to play flip this house and scream for a bailout.
  • Blancheneige - Heavens Tear
    Blancheneige - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,494 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Most of the time I avoid cat shop, simply because it's too time consuming to fing anything in there.

    Hint for the cat shop sellers : stop putting stupid names on your shop like "cheap stuff" and other generic titles. When I look for mats for exemple, I go see the shop with a "mats" text on them. When I look for herbs, I go to the "Herbs" identified shops. Few players will loose time to wade throught a few hundred undescriptive titled cat shops...
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  • ina1166
    ina1166 Posts: 297 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    I've memorized which permanent shop sells what, and where in west arch...xD
    HH stuff is near the teleporter, mats and fashion near the wine guy and blacksmith, random vendor trash near the gate, gear and DQ near the banker.*cough*
    In Lost City anyway..
    I thought I would just say that..
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  • Ajriaz_skaya - Heavens Tear
    Ajriaz_skaya - Heavens Tear Posts: 95 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    The only time I use cat shops is to peruse them and see if I can extract a profit from lazy vendors selling random stuff cheaper than the cat next door would buy them.

    Buy low, sell higher, make profit.

    I NEVER use them for my personal needs, because vendors are completely clueless and sell stuff WAY too high, to a point it's 10 times more profitable to go farm for the drops yourself. And OFTEN do they sell higher than the cash shop ; sometimes they even BUY higher than the cash shop. I won't complain, I can make 150-300 K a day with such amateurs.
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  • Blakiepoo - Sanctuary
    Blakiepoo - Sanctuary Posts: 44 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Hmm
    Well I didn't make the thread to hate on Cat shops. I was trying to a) figure out why no one was buying yesterday, and b) point out that there is a huge imbalance on supply vs demand.

    a) Today I sold a bunch of stuff right away at the same price as things were doing nothing yesterday. Maybe it was a weird day.

    b) It seems like there is too much of some items being doled out. Maybe they should do something about the overwhelming supply, or increase the rates to sell things in the store. When something is worth 1000 on the market, it makes no sense for an NPC merchant to buy it for 10.


    I do agree it's annoying when people walk right up to an NPC, especially with a huge mount. I come in from above and doubleclick on him from a distance, so I leave as much room as I can.
  • Kytania - Heavens Tear
    Kytania - Heavens Tear Posts: 13 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Most of the time I avoid cat shop, simply because it's too time consuming to fing anything in there.

    Hint for the cat shop sellers : stop putting stupid names on your shop like "cheap stuff" and other generic titles. When I look for mats for exemple, I go see the shop with a "mats" text on them. When I look for herbs, I go to the "Herbs" identified shops. Few players will loose time to wade throught a few hundred undescriptive titled cat shops...

    This is a very valid point and I do this as well. If I am looking for a specific item I will only shop at the stores that say it in the title. I don't bother with the others who think that "cheap stuff" is going to draw my attention...when nine times out of ten the items aren't as cheap as people say it is. Not to mention: people who are buying cash shop stuff are gullible and don't realize that in some cases they can get it cheaper by buying the gold through the auction house.

    As to being crowded...yes I agree. In MY version the shops were much more organized and I knew that if I wanted fashion i went to the crossroads, hh mats i went to the archway on the way to the general, cash shop items were generally by the teleporter...etc....(plus they used appropriate titles in most cases) this made it much easier for both the seller and the buyer.
  • Keef - Lost City
    Keef - Lost City Posts: 49 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Hmm
    Well I didn't make the thread to hate on Cat shops. I was trying to a) figure out why no one was buying yesterday, and b) point out that there is a huge imbalance on supply vs demand.

    a) Today I sold a bunch of stuff right away at the same price as things were doing nothing yesterday. Maybe it was a weird day.

    b) It seems like there is too much of some items being doled out. Maybe they should do something about the overwhelming supply, or increase the rates to sell things in the store. When something is worth 1000 on the market, it makes no sense for an NPC merchant to buy it for 10.


    I do agree it's annoying when people walk right up to an NPC, especially with a huge mount. I come in from above and doubleclick on him from a distance, so I leave as much room as I can.
    Move your shop to Etherblade, Lost City, or Plume if you are trying to sell low level mats, that's what I do and my pig iron was gone in a hour (full stack of 100 at 1200 each). Selling low level mats for bs/tailor in arch isn't a good idea since you can't even craft the items that need those in arch.
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  • Blakiepoo - Sanctuary
    Blakiepoo - Sanctuary Posts: 44 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    aaaah good tip. I didn't think to see what the local stores had.

    Yesterday I was selling in all kinds of places. There was just too many of the same thing for sale. So much competition that there was no way to sell anything.

    Regarding the naming of shops. Probably the more expert players are the ones who are looking for something in particular in the name. The people targetting noobs are probably the ones with CHEAP in the name. I've been experimenting with names from MATS to TAILOR STUFF to BuyOrIKillU even when I got bored.

    Maybe it would be good if they added more uses for certain items that are so common on the market, so that people will use them up instead of endlessly trading them around with each other. Maybe they could add another Banker Quest for more storage in exchange for some other kinds of items (esp crafted ones, because sometimes crafting isn't worth it).
  • Jebbediah - Lost City
    Jebbediah - Lost City Posts: 126 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Dont use catshops ,dont buy from them,the reason they sell in cash shops is to scam people because if you use the auction you will see the HUGE diversity in how much things differ fom person to person.

    Some of us are really rich and just sell things to get rid of them quickly not even thinking how much it's worth but more as how much it costed to get in the first place and usualy selling same price.

    Catshops = scam very exspensive
    auction = fair prices
  • Fangxing - Heavens Tear
    Fangxing - Heavens Tear Posts: 99 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Why must cat shops all be gathered in ONE district, all saying the same thing? The lag there is insane, even when you have best performance turned on. I believe there should be a rule against that, 10 cat shops per-district.

    Tis kind of sad that I can go everywhere else without lag, but when it comes to West District...Lag Beast appears.
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    Now I know that PWE is ran by a bucket of monkeys on speed.
  • Mieze - Lost City
    Mieze - Lost City Posts: 76 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Because spending $$$ to tele town to town when you are trying to shop and find your prettiful items sucks. as it is now all in one place.. lag as hell but is easier if you are shopping.

    oh and kittehs are kyoooot! b:victory
  • Shyla_Rae - Heavens Tear
    Shyla_Rae - Heavens Tear Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    off topic for a sec i'll just bet ajriaz_skaya' fav color is puple, = D mine too

    on topic, if blakipoo had trouble seel his items, try nth n sth areas of arch nice n quiet ppl starting to go there from bank n such, might have better sales there, try different places, blakie... and ppl plz dont set a cat shop on top of a npc's head, c'mon lawls how would u like someone to dump a shop on top of u and run off to ur 2nd account to continue playing xD ...
  • Shyla_Rae - Heavens Tear
    Shyla_Rae - Heavens Tear Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    sry meant to add, my grief to all cat shop hugely noticable in arch west.. i think just as a suggestion, that around all npcs every where is a inpenatrateble circle allowing any and all to see or target npc traders, and before anyone says, shift keying isnt alway's best =p
  • Remmah - Lost City
    Remmah - Lost City Posts: 1 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    how can i make a cat merchant???? plz respond

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  • Darknin - Lost City
    Darknin - Lost City Posts: 378 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Why must cat shops all be gathered in ONE district, all saying the same thing? The lag there is insane, even when you have best performance turned on. I believe there should be a rule against that, 10 cat shops per-district.

    Tis kind of sad that I can go everywhere else without lag, but when it comes to West District...Lag Beast appears.

    This would be the perfect solution to this problemb:victory


    It is more effective to bring the supplies (HP,MP pots, eggs, quest items etc) to people in the field. Also placing it close to a town entrance would be a more efficient way. By placing quest items in a shop, for a little below the market price, in an area that is safe, but where the monsters that drop those items is a win-win situation.

    1) More people are willing to stop and see shops scattered about, then in one place.
    2) Less-lag generated in townsb:laugh
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  • noctisxvii
    noctisxvii Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Or do you think it's just all an underlying conspiracy inspired by capitalism? Phwahaha.
  • maal
    maal Posts: 27 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Personally, i have one question. WTF is the point of the cat shops anyway? There's a fully functional auction system that too few people use because they can toss up a cat shop and try to sell things for ludicrious amounts. *Shrugs*

    Sorry to shanghi your thread back to this again. On your topic, i would say it was probably just a wierd day...or that everyone shopping got tired of trying to search through all the cat shops and just went to gather their mats themselves.
  • Georgemto - Lost City
    Georgemto - Lost City Posts: 9 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    how can i make a cat merchant???? plz respond

    To make a cat shop press e to open up the options menu and then go the second icon under the trades section.

    This would be the perfect solution to this problemb:victory


    It is more effective to bring the supplies (HP,MP pots, eggs, quest items etc) to people in the field. Also placing it close to a town entrance would be a more efficient way. By placing quest items in a shop, for a little below the market price, in an area that is safe, but where the monsters that drop those items is a win-win situation.

    1) More people are willing to stop and see shops scattered about, then in one place.
    2) Less-lag generated in townsb:laugh

    problem with that is some people can't resist the temptation to kill an afk shopper, god knows I would be one of them, possibly counterable by making the cat shop un killable and can't be set up out of safe zone if you have been hit in the last 10 seconds, or have pink/red name to prevent people seeking the dodge of item dropping.

    The point of the cat shops maal is that some people are too stupid to set a buy now price in the auction house and others can't be bothered waiting for that awesome item to come back as sold to them.

    However the endless mazes of cat shops do annoy me, use the auctioneer more people, although I do understand with fast selling items like decently priced mirage stones, or sticking herb shops near the apothecary, bank quest items near the banker and shards near Hou Jensi.

    Anyway just my 2 cents, and I wish I wrote this much on my last english essay b:mischievous
  • Drazo - Heavens Tear
    Drazo - Heavens Tear Posts: 947 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    There's something magical about West Archosaur. I once even saw a GM there giving some veno a ride as a white tiger, also I've seen countless leaders of top factions there too. b:laugh

    And lots and lots of cat shops to eat 90% of your money reserves....and average FPS rate.... b:laugh
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  • Shaneekwa - Sanctuary
    Shaneekwa - Sanctuary Posts: 53 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Seems that allot more people would use the the auction house if it wasn't an auction house. What I mean is you could just put your items in there for a specific price and if someone wants it they just buy it or not. Allot of FTP games are like that and it works out great. On the other hand if they had small icons of what the default items looked like would also encourage people to use it as well. Thats one of the issues I have with the auction house. I have to memorize everything and what it looks like in order to put a bid on it or run back and forth trying to find it at an NPC then going back and honestly im not that smart and Im lazy...lol

    Also I've noticed that on Wednesdays there seems to be fewer people playing at least on my server.
    Maybe its the whole mid week tweak thing?..lmao have no idea sorry.
  • Naris - Heavens Tear
    Naris - Heavens Tear Posts: 116 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    I just wish they'd give us the option to use something other than a pink cat. A dog shop or penguin shop would be interesting in addition to the cat shops...
  • Georgemto - Lost City
    Georgemto - Lost City Posts: 9 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Yeah that would be interesting, however to make it noticable who is a rich man, the GMs would probably make such a change something you have to buy in the boutique
  • Drazo - Heavens Tear
    Drazo - Heavens Tear Posts: 947 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    I just wish they'd give us the option to use something other than a pink cat. A dog shop or penguin shop would be interesting in addition to the cat shops...

    They do, if you're a guy you get a orange cat. b:laugh b:victory
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  • maal
    maal Posts: 27 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Sorry folks, i still have to stand by my "Just use the auction house" stance. There's no need for the icon since there is a search and filter option. The cat shops don't really have a purpose besides to take functionality away from the Auction House. (Besides, why would you want to stay logged in for 24 hours a day just to sell some stuff. Seriously folks)
  • Zoe - Heavens Tear
    Zoe - Heavens Tear Posts: 3,814 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    Main reason I do not sell with the auction house. It has a fee.
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  • Blakiepoo - Sanctuary
    Blakiepoo - Sanctuary Posts: 44 Arc User
    edited November 2008
    I couldn't get the filter to work properly. All of the colums are buttons, but they don't sort. And lots of items are in the wrong categories of filters. Some items aren't even in there, so you can't search for them. and you can't search "rings" you have to choose the specific one you are searching for. There's a search box, which woul dbe greate except when you type anything in the field and press Search, absolutely nothing happens.

    A lot of work needs to be done on the auction house.

    I think they just need to increase inventory space and provide some use for all of these items so players don't gather a day's worth of garbage to sell in the streets as a cat shop.

    OR make a way to upgrade current items into the next "generation" of items. Like 2 logs --> Rough Lumber